The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1919-03-11
KEEPS WATCH ON S.
SEAMEN'S HEALTH
Uncle Sam viii Take Coed Care
of His Merchant
Crews.
SEAMAN'S BOTTLE is LATEST
Contains Passports to Good Health by
Providing Free Hospital Treat
ment Anywhere-Days of the
Dogs Life Now History.

Washington.-UncleS Sam is getting
| more watchful of the health of his
merchant crews as the great American
peace-time fleet continues to grow.
The latest innovation of the United
States shipping board in the "seaman's
bottle" which has now become one of
! the cherished possessions of hundreds
| of American seamen.
This little glass bottle, small enough
to be- carried in the vest pocket con-
tains passports to good health-print-
ed forms which, when filled out by g.
ships captain, will gain admittance for
the holder to any United States ma
rine hospital or relief station of the
public health service in every impOr-
tant port in the United States. On a
foreign voyage the application will pro-
vide the seaman with the best medical
care, free of charge, on application to
the United States consular officer.
At present the bottle is being pro-
vided only for men who have been
trained for a sea career by the recruit
ing service of the shipping board, but |
in the opinion of Surgeon General |
Blue every American seaman should |
have one.
1t is in port that the new 'seaman's |
BOTTLE" which was originated by DR..
Louis W. Croke, medical director of |
the shipping board recruiting service,
plays its chief part. A seaman in need
of medical attention has merely to dig
the bottle out of his kit, bring the
printed form to his skipper to be filled
out and then go ashore to the nearest
federal official.
Free Hospital Care.
The label which bears the imprint CT
the boards recruiting service informs
the seafarer that he is entitled to free
hospital care no matter what his sta
ton aboard ship. The term "seamen,"
It says, means not only the men who /;
are employed on deck but persons EN-
Dloyed on board in the care, preserva-
lion or navigation of the ship, and ii
even includes those who are in the
service on board, of those engaged III :
such care, preservation or navigation. '
When discharged by the medical au-
horities the American seaman is G
given free passage to the port from !
which he originally signed, unless the
lrticles provide for discharge else :
where, or if in a foreign port to some
'ort in the United States. He must
erve on board the ship on which his
assage has been arranged if possible.
The "seaman's bottle" not only will
IMPRESS upon Americans who are going
0 sea the privileges to which they are
ntitled as seamen Of the United
tates but will preserve the certificate
nd keep it clean.
Years ago, in the days of the clipper
nip, and even since that time, the sick
disabled American sailor at sea or
foreign port had no resource but
lie charity of his captain or ship
ates. Old-time shippers generally
described and supplied blue pill and
lie crews were not burdened with
Inds to lend.
Narrowing tales have been told of =
ose dark days of the merchant ma r
ne, of men forced to lie for weeks
cramped, fOul-smelling forecastles,
ten beset by rats and without proper
cd, light, air or clothing.
If the man lived until the ship
ached port some sort of care might
provided for him, but hundreds
I'd, were buried at sea their ,tOgs
re sold and they were soon forgot
/.
Must Carry Medicines.
But the days when the life of sail
was dogs life at best are now his