Excerpt from An Exposition of the Unjust and Injurious Relations: Of the U. S. Naval Medical Corps

Would be a matter of surprise, if they had not: for error, 'too often, becomes sanctioned by time, as ruins grow venerable beneath the moss, Which, at once, con ceais and ornaments their rottenness. It is the pur port of this communication to strip the covering from such errors and to call his attention to them: to' show: that the medical corps of the U. S. N avy, is, by the usages of the: sea service, placed in a position, mtosnsistent. W1t;h the arrangements and intentions of the government in relation to that corps, degrading to the character of the profession to Which it belongs; opposed to the true. Interests of the corps, and to the interests of the service in general, so far, as those interests depend upon the medical department. Each one of these assertions Will become manifest from an examination of the real\ position and relations of medical officers in service.

It Would be an insult to the intelligence of any one, to enter into an argument to show the high character of the profession of medicine, both from its own nature and from its relations With society. Its object, being the good of mankind, there is no science, moral or_ physical, Which is not made tributary to it and there is no human intellect so gigantic, but it Will find full scope and employment for all its powers in the pro fession of medicine: hence, its general claim to respect and consideration. The duties of the' medical profession in the naval service, are, not only to reme dy the diseases and injuries to Which the officers andmen of that service are exposed, but to carefully observe those influences, on the one hand, Which pro duce disease, or on the other, preserve the health and efficiency of a ship's company; and also to mark the effect of climate and habits upon diseases and the human constitution, thus becoming valuable con tributors to the general stock of useful knowledge. By the greater or less skill of the medical officer, lives, valuable to the country, may be preserved or destroyed; an important action may be Won or lost. In the performance of their duties, as great an amount of moral and physical courage is required as in any other department of the service; in truth, greater, for they are called upon to exercise skill and coolness in the midst of danger, and Without the excitement of combat. Finally, medical officers are held strictly accountable for all the requirements Which a military service exacts from its members, as officers and gen tlemen. Toward a body of men from whom such duties are expected, and such a character required, it is. Not only a narrow and illiberal policy, but great injustice, to pursue any course but such as accords it a corresponding degree of respect. Pay is the lowest reward of an officer of proper feeling, and is a secon dary consideration to those usages, Which ought to protect, if not add to, the respect due his station. In our naval service, the pay of the medical officer is a pittance, and the usages of the sea service rank him With his predecessors of the days of Roderick Random. Our first position is, that those usages are opposed to the intentions of the government.

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