Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-12-12
STORY Of DOCTORS
I'm ARMY IS ONE Of
NOBLE ATTAINMENT
Battle Against Odds Car
ing for Wounded in
Washington's Forces.
VIRGINIA PHYSICIANS
FIGURE PROMINENTLY
Hospital Forces at Work When
Immortal Of Mount Vernon
Took Command.
ny. ALIEN. &. BROWN. Ju.. VI. u.

III. ~. biNoN ~. 5Rs, VI. ~
ABOUT July q !T15, when George
! Washington. who had been clec,ec
hy the Second Continental Congress
Commandcr-in-c chief of the Continen-
I, tai Army only two weeks previously
!. assumed command OF the American
Il army on the common al Camhrids"
!; the first medical director Of The
{ United States was already enga ed
!; in the task OF providing for wounded
(, and sick soldiers This surg eon- gen
\ eral and director Of hospitals, was
1 DIR. Benjamin Church, of Massachu-
( setts.
Or. Church VAS member of the
House Of Representatives of MaSSa :
chusetts. He was one OF the commit
tee. TO conduct General Washington
10 his command on his arrival in
boston from Philadelphia, where lie
had been serving as delegate from
Virginia in the Congress. DR. Church's
! career soon terminated i'll isnominy.
He was convicted OF treason Letters,
written hy him IN cipher and carried
lay Il woman. We're found To bc filled
with information describing I" the
enemy the American forces and posi-
tion. After conviction and dishon-
orable discharge. fed the country and
died al sea.
: Second Medical Director.
In October, l77a. about four months
after this. the second medical direc-
Tor took charge and cndeavorcd to
- organize lie doctors and equip the
.Grhospitals. This was DR.. John Nor
sgan, Of Philadelphia lie joined the
sarmy and assumed charge III the vi
ccinity Of Roston, and the story Of
the effort at the development Of the
department by Or. Morgan is one oil
the greatest interest whit should
thrill the heart Of every medical man
of this country, AS the hardshi ps
and disastrous story nj military ef-
forts Of that brave and heroic body
of Americans has always ircd the
soul Of Americans.
The blame for tie failure OF this
period in the history OF the medical
department OF the Revolution should
hot he placed al the door Of Or
Morgan because H. appears to have
heen dtl!gcnt and faithful. strug-
Cling against unconquerahle advrr-
stiles. The details are somewhat out
lined in one Of Morsan's letters Dc
acribing the hospital abou, New
York.
he sro,a :, am ,,s,, az !, a.,
genera, bosni,,l .xc.,, a., 80.
,or,icn,ars ! nav. nror,d., N ooo
nnndares h,ya som. bnndr.d .,a,s
nnd !, s,ool, of ,,.h;,;na - -
,ssortcal h,,. "a,,,a,
men,s nearly .,ouch a., ,,,,,a +,
MS. an, j., ~ ,,oa,,i,,, 49,, -
N ,oco, -, -, t
~ 'h '''"'ai sur
Reohs Should divide my stores
among them they woull Il, dissina;.I
ANA n,,,s.i,.. W, ,..,,,,,
- w on
hrfNe 4 iAe"lGm have ordered TO
hc Issued from the general l,Snit.I
s,oraS Siv,, b,, III
80, - - Su't'N'
i"or '"Nthllh'ts quantity ~ lint
and TOW and !, chest az medicines
But Of Instruments ,.v.
"o!' :"
medicines Moreover svmptons ., !,
putrid ttyphus, fev.r h.ri,
49,. ''s'"S ~ 'P-
y. And 10 think tile army AT this time
consisted Of forty r,ri,rc,,v, ~,
n.,h.,I ~, -"
m i''tcF .! q medical di-
rector facing the rayaGe of i putrid
fever.
,,.;,
'nhen hand.