Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-09-02

{ sProsress in the construction of the
Medical College. of Virginia base hos
= pital has recently bten' Of s. compre-
shensive and businesslike type as to
. win unusual and decidedly encourage
ling. communication from high places in
Washington.
In the past week the most notable
development was authorization from
tne-.War. Department to- proceed with
administering In OF the enlisted per-
sonnel. This is a matter OF vital i'm
pSfSance to the success Of the insti-
fuHbn. Major J. Garnett Nelson was
at once designated as recruiting Of
fcer, and the work will begin imme-
d1Stely. Official, announcement was
Also made of the appointment of the
rhtsf purse in the person Of Miss
Hilda Twedten,. OF Minnesota, a dis
0nguished Young woman, who has seen
Considera Bile aserS:ce 1T the front. Final
w. the purchasing agent Richard
QwathmeyIy~ met his associates and
aieutenants in conference, projected
plans for equipment and arranged a
tour Of inspection. which will begin
this week with a trip to New York City.
Developments along general lines were
sqqally satisfactory. Not directly con-
perned with.the base hospital. but con-
heoted withSthe college and the local
medical situation In general was the
~ SpieHl VI StuucntS ana nos
pital internes who will hereafter DO
protected from draft
BASE HOSPITAL is NOW
q, :. PROTECTED FROM DRAFT
- The question of formal enlistment of
personnel has been a thorn in the flesh
OF many base hospitals for long time
As, "a Red Cross organization. base
hospital has no official status until it
is definitely recognized by the War De-
pertinent 1t could enroll and pledge
JIG members, but no more. At the last
moment another call for men under the
adjective draft might sweep half the
organization away. This. of course was
IsconcertinE to the hospital manage
Inent, and discourag cling to members OF
the personnel, who continually faced
thes possibility. Of waste Of time and
khsfgy thEpUEh".. SUBSEQUENT summary
fetIoval under the draft.
20 The sftuation~@'has now changed
That branch OF the army known as tho
.enlisted reserve" has again been re-
ppened. and the Medical College OF
Virginia Base Hospital has been au-
thoEizedo TO mustar Its personnel into
ttt,sBriefly. this means that each mem-
PET of the unit will now become II
recruit In the enlisted reserve and be-
Ing therea fter In the army will no
laagsEshe Subject 10 draft As a mem
Der or the enlisted reserve. he will he
Tspecihcally assigned to the base hos
pital anc will have no duties TO per
, form until he goes into active service
with the hospital. This latter will
not occur for several months vet Con-
sequently, when prcScn, member OF
the personnel is summoned in a few
Gays to Richmond TO he mustered in
1t Will not he necessary for him to
pack his frank. SEX. his house and bid
farewell to home AN that will be re
CURED Will be for him at the tinc
4 q vT.., lat,
sent himself in Richmond 10 the act-
ing adjUtant, who will certify hin,
TO the recruiting officer. This latter
functionary Will then conduct such adj
ditionai examinations as may be nee
essary. MI out tho required TONNAGE Of
BLANKS. circulars, records. etc. and ad /.
minister the oath. The recruit can af-
ter this board the next train for hcme
and there continue his customary work
,undisturbed unit! the hospital is order
ed to France
RICHMOND UNIT Is
FORMALLY RECOGNIZED
The action of the War Department
in formally recognizing the Richmond
unit was communicated in telegram
received two DAYS ago. The long
awaited news was hailed with much
relief and satisfaction The task OF
recruiting viii require practically The
full time Of our medical Office for the
next TWO weeks or more. ssy direction
OF Dr. stuart Mcclure the name Of
DIR. Garnett Nelson was at once sent
10 Washington for the position of re-
cruitiEg officer and as Sool. as this an
'Pointmeni IS confirmed the work Will
begin. DR.. Nelson. who is chief Of the
medical division OF the hospital Will
then go into active service with the
rank OF major. tits HEADQUARTERS Will
be associated with those Of the acting
adjutant in the Offices OF pr Mcclure.
BIS East Grace Street
IT is now possible for the base hos
pital TO contemplate IT'S work of or.
ganization without fear of seeing n
shaken to pieces by subsequent drafts
The lists are already nearly full An
uncommonly high standard has been
maintained throughout. From this
time Oh prospective applicants for
membership will have TO act with
great promptness, as the roll will he
kept open no longer. Those DESTROYS
Of becoming attached to the hospital
should communicate at one. with the
acting ad1utant. AS there is some pos
sibility of the expansion of the hospi-
tai at some future date a reserve list
may be established for the bencht OF
those who cannot get in on the first
call. This point has not yet been def
nitely decided, however
HEAD NURSE HAS SEEN
SERVICE on RATTLE FIELD
Considerable interest attaches to the
announcement of the name Of the chief
nurse. 1t will be recalled that in the
original Bryan unit which became the
nucleus Of the base hospital this posi-.
tion was occupied by Miss Evelyn Ed /.
-munds. assistant superintendent of ST.
,Lukcs Hospital OF this city Both
Miss Edmunds and Miss Ruth l. Rob
'ertson, superintendent at St Lukc's.
will accompany the base hospital in
positions OF dignity and responsibility.
When IL came to the selection OF the
head nurse, however, both agreed with
DIR. Mcclure that. in an undertaking
.of such large dimensions and OF such
unn.haxtad- -paS2ihiliiicS-a a base hos
pitai 1T was important TO secure, n