Newspapers / The Caduceus (Charlotte, N.C.) / June 15, 1918, edition 1 / Page 16
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/ 16 THE CADUCEUS. THE MEDICAL MEN IN THE WAR GAME WHY THE DEPARTMENT IS VITAL IN WAGING BATTLE. Concluding article of s- ries, by Capt. Thos, S. Crowe, M.R. C. In times of peace of course our view point may be modified for at such times the Medical Department of the army has few functions to perform. Until yesterday, I might say, no liv ing American had ever seen one com plete Medical Division of Medical troops assembled together. A division, as we all now know, is a complete army, and the very functions for which we are organized . are only completely realized when the division is formed. The line of the Army until yesterday knew about the sanitary train, but only. Leavenworth trained officers were made to realize that this sanitary train was a military asset. To some line officers, therefore, those who are not students, the military du ty of a surgeon was limited to the command of a dozen or so men mass ed in a Post Hospital. It is not strange, therefore, that the old type army officer is profoundly ignorant of the principles of organization in so far as they include the medical de partment of the army, and it is neces sary for some of us doctors to prove that we are fit to command and by our military knowledge add to the efficien cy of the army if we expect to gain from him the respect due our speciali zation in which the military part of our duty is of course included. The type of officer we find it diffi cult if not impossible to please is of course to quote my esteemed teacher at Camp Greenleaf “fortunately, dis appearing rapidly, and the alert, ca pable, younger type of modernly edu cated officer will be in command of most of units 9f the new army.” Other commanders like ourselves are young at the game, anxious to learn, and it is our own fault if we do not master our duties as soon as he does his. If we’ succeed in this, we may be confident of finding in our commander companions ready to co operate with us in the common pur pose of defeating the enemy. Now that We are placed in th cor rect pathway that leads to a concep tion of what a soldier really is, let us go. just a little down that pathway or road. A soldier is not a man who shoots big and little guns. General Pershing, I believe, never carries a gun. Some soldiers dig trenches,, same drive wagons, some are buglers, some take care of sic kand wounded report, some of the mess, and above all, some are and some are not cooks. We cannot therefore define a soldier by the character of duty he performs but we must seek for a common qual ity that characterizes all men wear ing the uniform. That common quality is subordina tion. Hence, a soldier is a man trained to obey. An officer is one who has been tried and found able to obey and com- petitent to teach others also to obey. An officer must be trained also to care for the welfare of those intrusted to him for training. He must see that hie, men are clothed and fed. This is the Quartermaster and Mess Officers’ special function. He must keep his men in good health. This is surgeons’ specialized function; he must train his, men to transmit orders and carry messages, which is specialized func tion of signal corps, He^ must train his men to drill and use of firearms; this is the specialized function of the Infantry. All officers must possess, administra tive ability. We are all responsible for property. Oifficers who have not received, ac quire in one way or another, that train ing that every officer in the United States army should possess, that train ing to make them first a soldier and after he becomes a soldier he may then become a soldier-specialist. There is no one amongst us who de nies that the Otologist, Proctologist and Optometrist should study medicine in general before becoming a special ist. It is just as reasonable to demand and expect a man to have military training in general before he practic es a soldier-specialist. The Medical Department la known as a Staff Department. The staff is the part of the army that re lieves the combatant forces of every duty except that of fighting. The Medical Department’s staff duty is pe culiar in that it also takes up the bur den of caring for sick and wounded in the field. Upon their ability to not only operate skilfully but also to collect and evacuate the wounded skilfully depends to a great degree the man-power of the front line of trenches. Continued on next page Slakptunnii Park DANCING EVERY NIGHT Ladies Free |[Iakrmoak ®Ijratrr PHOTO PLAYS Special Attraction Sunday $10,000.00 CAROUSSEL Most beautifully decorated riding device in America Giant Ferris Wheel Just the ride these hot evenings.
The Caduceus (Charlotte, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
June 15, 1918, edition 1
16
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