Milford chronicle., 1942-10-02
WHO FILLS THE
SOLDIERS PRESCRIPTIONg
By WILLIAM ELLswoRrH

We have mechanical every
branch of our army except the
Medical Department. That, fol
some strange reason or reasons, is
still in the horse and buggy age
This condition should have been
remedied long ago, but it wasn't.
Now, however, circumstances over
which the die-hards have always
fought against will compel a
change.
Numerous items in the newspa-
pers have informed the public that
there is great scarcity of physi-
clans. Not enough to supply the
great numbers needed by the Army
and the needs of the civil popula-
ton at the same time. Already
those physicians not called to the
service are overworked and still
the Army hasn't near the number
needed.
The situation is, indeed grave.
And the worst of it is that it will
become many times more grave as
the war goes on. AS a remedy no
one would suggest for a moment
that the medical care of our armed
forces be curtailed or slighted
There must be enough trained
physicians to care of the ills of
the soldier, regardless of who else
suffers. AS it stands now, that
would mean that the civil popula-
tion-including women and chill
dFen as we'll as men remaining at
home because of age or disability
--must get along. without adequate
medical care.
The Medical Department of the
Army consists of commissioned off
GERS of the following ranks: First
Lieutenants and Captains as As
sistant Surgeons; Majors as Sur
geons; observation-disclosures and
Colonels as Assistant Surgeons
General. and General Officers as
Surgeons General
With the exception of few cases
in large general hospitals, the. only
ones of these that actually treat the
sick-actually practice theiI-s pro
fession--are those of the first three
ranks-the lowest mentioned, /. e.
Lieutenants, Captains, and Majors.
The higher ranks-and in many
cases Captains and Majors-are oc-
cupied with duties other than the
treatment of the sick and wounded.
These duties consist of administra-
ton, medical supply, personnel,
ETC., which do NOT require a medi-
cal education for their proper per-
formance.
There are thousands of medical
officers whose time and talents are
being wasted on these non-medi-
cal jobs, thus depriving the Army
of the services of that many physi-
clans. Is it logical or sensible, es-'
pecially in view of the great short
age in both the Army and in civil
life, to use medical officers for
non-essential duties?
The real physician, the man who
loves the work of healing and
wants above all to practice his pro-
fession, dislikes being prevented
from doing so. But if he is in the
Army, he also wishes to advance
in grade as other officers do. How
ever, with our present system, when |
he passes the grade of Major-and
many times after the grade of Cap
tain-he is with an administrative,
supply, or personnel job and his
services and skill is lost 10 the Ar
my at the very time of life when
he is at his best.
In civil life the physician scorns
the very idea of giving any of his
time to the administration of hos
pital or to the procuring of supplies.
He relies on the hospital being ad-
ministered by some one trained in
that work, and he expects to find,
and does find, the proper supplies
at hand when he needs them. They
also were procured and handler by
persons trained in that work. 1t is
the same with prescriptions. The
physician in civil life wouldn't
dream of having his patients go to
bookkeeper or an engineering stu
dent to have his prescriptions filled.
However, personally know of this
being done in the Army.
Medical officers should, of course,
have absolute authority over all
medical matters. just as the civilian
physician has in the civil hospital
or in Office practice But there is
no logical reason why every mill
tary hospital should have a Medical
Officer as administrator, another as
Eexutive officer, another as Supply |
Officer, dd infnitum. Nor is it logical |
or sensible to place Medical Off
GERS in charge of Medical Supply
Depots and of all purchasing. 1t is |
no discredit to them as physicians .
or as men that many of these have .
to, and do, leave the actual work |
to old experienced Technical and |
Master Sergeants, many of whom
are Pharmacists, or have had long
years of experience in the buying,
storage, and handling of drugs and !
chemicals.
Many arguments have been ad-
vanced in favor of the passage of
Pharmacy Corps Bill-H. r. 7432 |
and S. 2690-just as there were in !
the past in favor of similar bills
that have been presented to the
Congress from time to time.
The principal one-and the one
that should be all sufficient is and
was that Pharmacy is a profession
and the proper compounding of the
physicians prescriptions is work !
requiring-and the civil law does
require-a degree from reputable