Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-09-16
DR.. NELSON APPOINTED
RECRUITING OFFICER
Opens Headquarters for Medical
College Unit at Sixth and
Grace Streets.
oUT-oF-TowN MEN ARE CALLED
Work of Mastering In Will Probably
Be Completed This Week-High
Standard Is Set for Enlisted Per-
sonncl.

During the past few days base hos
ptal headquarters in Richmond have
running.
Confirmation of tho appointment OF
Major j. Garnett Nelson as recruiting
officer was received late Thursday
night, and on the next morning the
actual work of mastering in began.
Hurry-up calls to a portion of the
Richmond contingent in the unit
brought prompt and unanimous re-
Spouse. simultaneously notice was
sent by mail and telegraph to out of
town members, indicating dates upon
which they are to report here for the
necessary formalities. These dates cx-
tend through the coming week. Prob
ably by September 20 tho work will
he complete.
Offices for Major Nelson have been
established in connection with thosd
of the acting adjutant at Sixth and
Grace Streets. With "A staff of assist
ants the recruiting officer Immediately
took up his duties and in two days
nearly fifty men have been duly en-
listed. Others will appear at the rate
of about twenty per day until the
list is exhausted.
HIGH STANDARD SET
ron ENLISTED PERSONNEL,
The enlisted personnel will consist
OF i53 men and In this group must
be included representatives Of many
trades and professions, so that the
unit as whole will be a many-anrled
affair. able within itself to meet eyery
conceivable situation without aid from
the exterior. The nurses and doctors
viii attend to the medical side. When
1t comes to the ordinary affairs of life
however, the enlisted men will furnish
the motive power. Cooks. BARRIERS,
bakers. plumbers carpenters. painters
cooolers and others in the trades will
nave to be provided. StenoEraphers.
skilled mechanics. engi.
Heers. expert chauffeurs. telegru oh and
telephone operators may BIO needed at
amy minute, and must consequently no
included in the list. Finally. numer:
GUS ward attendants or orderlies Will
De required for duty among the sick
and wounded
In the Mcclure unit high standard
has been deliberately set for tho on
listed personnel. The men have NH
been carefully picked and none have
oeeh admitted without credentials anu
personal qualifications meeting GER
tam requirements arbitrarily erccteu
oy the base hospital authorities. The
position of orderly or ward attendant
LOT instance, has been established on
a level which makes assignment To
this post in the nature Of a recognition
OF ability. Skill and intelligence mean
much in hospital work. A large ma
Jcrity OF the orderlies already chosen
arc college men and all of them can
be relied upon for discrimination, judy
ment, and action in situations not
within the scope of the ordinary hos
pital orderly. This Is very essential
at the battlefront, where an thrush or
may have the entire medicat
staf overwhelmed. and. for the time
being unable to give its attention to
minor ward problems
DIGNITY OF SERVICE IN
HOSPITAL EMPHASIZED
The same conception of the dignity
and Importance of service has been in
)ccted into the entire scheme of or
ganization of the enlisted personnel.
Whatever mans duty ultimately be-
comes-whethcr to operate tyuc
writer in the adjutant's Office, or set up
al electric apparatus. or peel potatoes
III the kitchen, or scrub floors, or what
mott is regarded as his contribution
to the accomplishment OF a great aim.
IN the care of the suffering. 1t is of
no particular significance that the man
and tomorrow in civil life be prac-
ticing at the bar: 1t Is not inconceiv-
aDle that both the potatoes and the bar
may profit by the association.
All are enlisted with the rank and
pay OF private in the army. Later on IL
few non commissioned officers will be-
appointed from among the number. bur
the vast majority will remain privates.
refreshing amount of patriotism has
appeared In the group. This is par
ucuiarly true of many who are beyond
draft age or who are far down on the
liability lists. and who have no other
incentive TO go than Il desire to re-
spond TO the needs OF the hour.
About l25 men were on the roll when
Major Nelson began work. and appli.
cations from many others have come In
These men had all been previously
selected by the acting adjutant and
had been examined, classified and for
mally accepted. They were immedi-
ately at hand for the formallty OF
mastering III and it is with this list
that Major Nelson is now busy. Num-
erous records have TO be made in each
case. and by handling the men in
squads 1t will be possible to complete
the list this week. About half the
men are residents Of Richmond. The
remainder came from Virginia. North
Carolina. South Carolina, New York
ana washington, u. c.
For the remaining twenty-eirbt
places there are now more than a sutli-
clent number of applicants. For tho
present, enrolment has been suspend
ed and the vacancies will not be filled
for some little time yet. Applications
may still be filed with DR.. Geisinger.
however, and from them will subse-
quently be chosen those who are to
complete the quota. Those who even
tually fail to get in for no other reason
than exhaustion of vacancies may bs
organized into reserve force for use
IN the event that the hospital, as now
appears likely. Is subsequently expand.
ed to thousand-bed capacity. This
matter is now the subject of CORE
spondence with authorities in Washing.
ton.
STEADY PROGRESS IN
ALL OTHER BRANCHES