Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-08-31
LESSONS FOR THE SOLDIERS
Instructions Issued by the War Department to
Men Selected for Service in the National Army
LESSON NO. II

THE staff branches reviewed In the pre-.
l. cedlng lesson are the general staff corps
adjutant generals department inspector
generals department judge advocate gem
erals department. engineer corps and sig
nal corps. The other three staff branches
which all directly touch every soldier are
the medical department. quartermaster
corps and ordnance department.
The medical department works along two
distinct lines: First, it tries to keep every
one in the army in good health. and for
this purpose keeps close watch of the clean
illness of camps and buildings. of the
quality and cooking of food and the like: {:
Second, 1t provides ambulances hospitals,
and medical service for the proper care of
sick or wounded men. The medical depart
ment includes the dental corps. the hospital
corps and the nurse corps Its officers are
experienced physicians who have passed
rigid examinations. Its enlisted men are
chiefly engaged IN the difficult and often
dangerous work OF rescuing the wounded
and transporting them to field and base hos
pitfalls.
Just as every man in the army carries
intrenching tools SO that he may protect
himself without the help Of the engineer
corps when necessary, so he also carries a
"frstad packet" so that he may in an
emergency perform some of the duties OF
the medical department. Every soldier
learns how to give dressing and treatment
to his own wounds when he Is able to do
so, and how to assist wounded comrades
until men from the medical department ar
rive.
MEDICAL DEPARTMENT EFFICIENCY
The medical department of the American
army Is regarded as one of the best In the
world. A soldier may feel assured he will
receive every possible attention In case OF
need. The percentage of recoveries from
wounds in the hospitals manned by Ameri-
cans during the European war has been
| exceptionally high
The quartermaster corps is the business
| manager of the army 1t furnishes food,
clothing and most kinds of equipment pro-
vides horses and mules. arranges for trans
portation, takes charge of money, buys
supplies. pays troops and keeps on hand
stores Of supplies.
The Importance of all this work can
hardly he overstated. Napoleon said: IAN
army travels on its belly" meaning that
soldiers must be we'll fed and well supplied
If they are to fight effectively This is even
more necessary today than 1t was in Napo-
Icons time. IN MODERN warfare the scare
or hghting ana tne quantities OF supplies
are so tremendous that the duties OF the
| quartermaster corps are multiplied peyohu
any previous experience.
The offcers or the quartermaster corps
must be able business men, Many OF tneh'
| have held important business POSITIONS Inc
| enlisted men or the corps are sk'iieu III
| such occupations as placksmithing' paint,
| ing, driving teams and trucks paKihg preau
| and the like,
| xyopL oI, opDNANcE DEPARTMENT
"
or the same sehe,aI cnaIa ,. 20 tns g.
or the ordnance uepai .,,'e"., "'On n ,,,, ru
nishes the guns, aii1iluI,lllo" anu % o.e
pies heedeu ior nsn'ins, nn,,,,a. ha ,,a
during the present war wnoie ,ss.s a ~.
peen iorceo 10 re.iea ,,,,,ni,ion.
verely because OF the ,a1N y, nt,'' g.
The quant'y oi nv Wnonoh ossonsiws of
enormous: Durins the r.erun oien a.nS sro,,,
June, 1871 iz'ooo'''' 'N''S "e'e 'oN
artillery guns. .> ,,,,,,,-
In the actuai ',iea,e ~ ~. va, a,tro, 90 tho
milton service Is utuer 'he oons,oi ~ 'ns nc
Field Artillery bringing up suppnes a., a.,
ammunition 10 troops an, anu s.opaiot of ~, III
ao.oI ' 30 ~ hattleaeld The wagons or
trncxs carrying ammunition must be driven
when necessary within easy reach OF the
firing line Sometimes there Is an oppor-
| tunity here for the display OF resourceful-
| ness and courage far above the ordinary
requirements of the service.
At the second battle OF Ypres In April
| 1915, the Third Battery In the Third Bril-