Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-03-13
TO OPERATE ON
MANY RECRUITS
AT CAMP DODGE
Thirteen Per Cent of Latest Con-
tiugeHt Must Undergo Sur
gical Attention.
MORE THAN I,5OO AFFECTED
Regulations Require That New SOL
dier> submit TO Knife ii II is
Found Necessary.

Camp Dodge, Iowa. March 10
Approximately 1900 men selected
for military service at Camp Dodge
are scheduled to undergo opera
tions by medical officers in order
that they may be made fit for ser
vice This report has been sent to
Washington by Lieutenant Colonel
J. r. Shook. division surgeon.
The report by Colonel Shook TO
the chief surgeon followed the re
ceipt Of instructions some time ago
changing the system on which men
selected for service were accepted
or discharged from the military
service.
Heretofore it has been the policy
OF the department TO discharge men
afflicted with deficiencies regard
less OF whether an operation would
tend to better the condition and
make the man fit TO serve
The new ruling directed that Sc
Iectiyes be not discharged for ear,
nose. throat or so-Called operable
seases
Liable TO C0ur; Martial.
There are approximately 1900
men SO afflicted among the soldiers
of the EisLty-eighth division at
Camp Dodge.
In invoking the new system the
war department also provided that
a soldier who refuses to submit TO
such operation as board of medi-
cal officers should decide, shall be
guilty of refusal to obey orders and
is liable TO trial by court martial
The new system means that
thousands Of men selected for ser
vice with the national army will be
practically rebuilt.
In many instances slight ailments
and deficiencies which the soldier
as a civilian, would either overlook
or neglect TO have Temedied will be
attended to and better his cOndi-
lions. The work will all be done
free of charge TO the soldier
The medical corps now comprises
many OF the most prominent and
accomplished physicians and spe-
il ciaIists in the country.
Helps Service.
u In making up the medical corps
2 for the present emergency, the plan
of allowing specialists TO follow
their fayor.te lines OF work after
entering the service, has been fol
lowed, with the result that many o.
the recognized authorities and noted
specialists in the country now arr
engaged in aiding Uncle Sam in tht
care of the soldiers and correcting
physical deficiencies.
The operations on the men a
Camp Dodge Will be taken up as
soon as Colonel Shock receives
word from Washington.
Lieutenant Paul Kerfoot and 81
members of the Second Minnesota
artillery Of st. Paul, preferring t
take their chances in the nationa
army TO being held at home await
ing orders, have arrived at CamI
Dodge and we're mustered into ser
vice Lieutenant KerfoOt was as
signed TO the quartermaster's corps
and the balance went to the Three
Hundred Forty-ninth and Three
Hundred Fiftieth infantry
The Second Minnesota was au.
thorized by the war department anC
war. a decision from Washington
was asked. Instead of waiting fol
a decision whether or not they
were subject TO draft, they packed
up. said goodbye to the Second
Minnesota and came on
Minnesota is still Sos men shor
on the last draft A wire was re-
ceived from the adjutant general
March ? that these men would be