Evening star., 1918-08-25
v October 3 Maj. Gen. william

cally retired from the service. al
though he may. following precedents
already set during the war, be called
back to duty and be continued In the
ONCE. His long and distinguished
his well known integrity entitle him
TO every consideration. although the
one test is whether he can I'LL that
position as well or better than any
one else can. That Is the sole aues-
tion. II there 10 any one who can do
better work in the ONCE the first man
to advise the change will be the sur
geon general himself.
The fact. however. is that Gen.
Gorgas has one OF the most efficient
bureaus of the War Department. and
that the failures charged UP against
1t are rather from other departments
or are directly chargeable to the gen.
eral stan. which has ignored on more
than one occasion the advice given by
the surgeon general. Fortunately. this
attitude toward the medical depart
ment has passed away with change
In the stan personnel. and new con-
ception OF the value and responsibility
OF the office has developed. If the
surgeon general carries out his plans
such epidemics OF measles and pneu-
monia as shocked the country last
year will this winter be impossible. 1t
1t knowRrthat every preparation that
skill can devise has been employed to
safeguard the health OF the men In
camp and to care for the sick and
wounded that may be sent back to
to tho armies under Gen. Pershing.
1t is recognized that the medical
profession of the country. those who
have Joined the Medical Officers Re-
serve Corps. those who are In civilian
practice and those of the Army Medi-
of keeping Gen. Gorgas where he is.
because all have confidence In his
ability.
II, for any of the reasons that some-
times lead to unexpected decisions.
there should be a change In the ex-
pressed plan of reappointing him. a
good deal Of interest centers upon
his possible successor. for which place
two medical officers have been named.
Gen. Meritte w. ireland and Gen.
Robert X. Noble. Gen. Ireland, who
Is at the head of the medical organi-
cation in France. Is a man of ability
and familiar with departmental meth
DDS as they were conducted four years
ago. His efforts with the expedition
AIRY forces have met with approval.
and his friends say that knowing
what Ii required for the expedition,
he will be able to provide # liberally.
Gen. Noble. who is much younger
man. has risen from the rank of major
in the Medical Corps since the out
been familiar with office administra-
tion during the past four years.
which include the period of the
Mexican expedition and the present
struggle. He had charge of the per-
sonnel division and. later. Of the hos
pital division for the United States.
He aided materially In the develop
ment Of the Medical Oficers' Reserve
Corps. and IL recognized as an ef-
1cient and reliable administrative Of
dcer. His friends assert that these
qualifications will enable him to con-
tinue the work Of Gen. Gorgas ad-
vantageously In case the latter should
tor any unforeseen reason not be re-
appointed. although 1t Is known that
all these officers wish to see the Sec
retary name Gen. Gorgas as his own
successor.
4
WHEN the Navy took over the Job
Of handling tho Army trans
ports the surgeon general Of the Navy
automatically assumed the care of the
sick and wounded invalided back to
WIZ ChaeSo Ctatcc. cinCc tne ARMY
undertakes to send the wounded back
to the embarkation points. the Navy
receives them as they arrive and
makes them as comfortable as 1t can
aboard ship
Upon arrival Of the patients in the
dusty railroad trains the Navy takes
them into its clean beds and gives
them rest. 1t has provided an ample
number of nurses and a surgical force
OF strength quite enough to insure
that these mon receive the best of care
and nourishment
Some thought that the surgeon gem
ersl was carrying larger number Of
medical officers than was necessary
Tor the number of wounded, but the
fact Is that he had been preparing
them for the present emergency, with
the result that carefully trained medi-
cal officers are attending these wound
ed men and giving them preparation
on board ship for the period Of recon-
struction that Is to follow for them on
land. Every ship, upon arrival, Is in
spected by medical officer who inter-
rogates every man regarding his
treatment and listens to complaints IL
there are any regarding his food and
treatment on the voyage.
The transportation of the wounded
was taken over for the sister service
aiter the war was begun, and, there
Iore. the Navy had not prepared for
such an effort, but thus far its work
mas been well done and there 10 moth