Journal of the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States Volume 12

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1903 Excerpt: ... THE INSTRUCTION OF THE HOSPITAL CORPS IN COMPANIES AND DETACHMENTS. By CAPTAIN FREDERICK P. REYNOLDS, MEDICAL DEPARTMENT, UNITED STATES ARMY. THE Hospital Corps Ijow numbers 3000 men, being about 5'/r of the minimum or present (peace) strength of the Army. It consists of sergeants first class, sergeants, corporals, privates first class, and privates, and in garrison is organized into detachments and companies of instruction. The allowance for post service in the United States is 3% of the troops and on foreign service 5%. About 600 men are needed for duty at independent posts, arsenals, general hospitals, and with the transport service, and about 100 are in companies and detachments of instruction. (May 1st, 1903). The field organization at the front consists of regimental detachments and detachments with smaller line units, ambulance companies, and field hospital detachments. On the lines of communication and at the base detachments are provided for duty with advance and base medical supply depots, rest stations, stationary and base hospitals, hospital trains, and hospital ships. For the categories at the front the allowance (according to recent Medical Department regulations) is about 2l'/( Hospital Corps for a brigade of infantry at war strength, together with a total of 17 medical officers or 3.4 per 1000 troops of the line. This proportion of sanitary personnel is considerably below that provided for European armies, in which for service the front an average of 4.S7'/ is allowed. It can readily be seen that as the field organization provides for about 3 % and that the present allowance for post service in the United States is but 3'/, by taking every man the Medical Department is incapable of supplying the enlisted personnel of the field units, wi...