With a view to such an arrangement I addressed the following letter to you on the subject: TREASURY DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF THE SUPERVISING SURGEON-GENERAL, M. H. S., Washington, D. C., April 26, 1898. SIR: I inclose herewith a letter from Surg. R. D. Murray, in command of the United States marine hospital at Mobile, Ala., and invite your attention to that portion of the same in which it is stated that offer has been made to the commanding surgeon at Mobile, Ala., to permit the reception into the United States marine hospitals of such patients of the Army as may be better treated in hospital than in tents. During the war of the rebellion most of the marine hospitals were used by the Army or the Navy or both, and it is more than probable that the facilities afforded by the marine hospitals and the United States quarantine stations will in emergency be availed of by the Army and the Navy. Under these circumstances it becomes necessary to arrive at some conclusion as to the method of admission of patients and as to the expense incurred for their maintenance. I inclose herewith a report of the Senate Committee on Public Health and Quarantine upon an amendment to the sundry civil bill relating to this matter. The amendment was rejected on a point of order, but the report contains a list of hospitals and quarantine stations, showing the accommodations available at each, and is transmitted herewith on this account. The matter is brought to your attention at the present time in anticipation of action that may be taken under emergency and to prepare for the same. It is respectfully suggested that a proper procedure would be to issue an order to be signed by the Secretary of the Treasury and the President authorizing the commanding officers of marine hospitals and quarantine stations to receive and treat in their hospitals the soldiers and sailors of the United States upon the request of an authorized commanding officer, the marine hospital fund to be reimbursed through a bill to be rendered, the charge being sufficient to cover the daily cost of maintenance in hospital. If this meets with your approval an order to this effect will be prepared in the Bureau for your signature and that of the President. [Senate Document No. 232, Fifty-fifth Congress, second session.] There are in the United States 22 marine hospitals and 11 United States quarantine stations. The marine hospitals are located as follows: The United States quarantine stations are located as follows: San Diego Quarantine, San Diego, Cal. San Francisco Quarantine, Angel Island, Cal. Port Townsend Quarantine, Port Townsend, Wash. These Government hospitals are all in commission, having a full complement of officers and attendants and equipped with the best ward furniture, modern aseptic outfit for operating rooms, ambulance, etc. The nurses are trained, and the hospital discipline is similar to that in army and navy hospitals. The commissioned corps of medical officers comprises 16 surgeons, 32 passed assistant surgeons, and 22 assistant surgeons. In case war was declared the restrictions which would be placed upon the merchant marine of the United States would greatly reduce the number of patients from merchant vessels eligible to relief in United States marine hospitals and permit of the reception of a large number of sick or wounded soldiers or sailors from the Army and Navy. If necessary, temporary ward extensions could be made to many of the Southern hospitals with little expense, which would increase the hospital capacity. Temporary hospitals could also be erected upon some of the quarantine reservations, so isolated as to render them safe to troops who might be sent there. Patients suffering from protracted malarial diseases could be sent to the hospitals North, where the climate would benefit them, and those suffering from acute diseases or injuries requiring immediate attention could be provided for in the hospitals located upon the Gulf and South Atlantic coast. In case troops are landed in Cuba or sent South during the summer, there will be many who will become disabled from fevers incident to climate and exposure, who will require hospital treatment. * EXTENSION OF RELIEF-ARMY AND NAVY. TREASURY DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF THE SUPERVISING SURGEON-GENERAL M. H. S., To Medical Officers of the Marine-Hospital Service: WALTER WYMAN, Supervising Surgeon-General M. H. S. Approved: L. J. GAGE, Secretary. EXECUTIVE MANSION, May 2, 1898. Approved: WILLIAM MCKINLEY. RATE OF CHARGE FOR SOLDIERS AND SEAMEN ADMITTED TO MARINE HOSPITALS. TREASURY DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF THE SUPERVISING SURGEON-GENERAL M. H. S., Washington, D. C., July 1, 1898. To Medical Officers in Command of United States Marine Hospitals: The rate of charge for soldiers and seamen admitted to United States marine hospitals under the provisions of Department Circular No. 73, dated May 2, 1898, is hereby fixed at a uniform rate of 30 cents per diem. OFFICE OF THE SUPERVISING SURGEON-GENERAL M. H. S., Washington, D. C., July 1, 1898. To Commissioned Medical Officers and Acting Assistant Surgeons, United States Marine-Hospital Service: Paragraph 470, Revised Regulations, United States Marine-Hospital Service, providing for the care and treatment of officers and seamen of the United States Navy and Coast Survey, is hereby construed to include all officers and enlisted men of the Navy (including the Coast Signal Service, U. S. N.), whether employed on vessels or ashore. The rate of charge to be made for the care and treatment of said officers and men will be, at United States marine hospitals, 30 cents per diem, and at contract stations at the rate authorized by the annual circular entitled "Contracts for care of seamen." The names of officers and men admitted to treatment in accordance with this circular, at contract stations, will be included in the regular monthly bill for care of seamen (Form 1923), and an additional bill will be rendered against the Navy Department on the same form, and transmitted to the Bureau at the close of each month. Approved: O. L. SPAULDING, Acting Secretary. WALTER WYMAN, Supervising Surgeon-General, M. H. S. SUMMARY OF RELIEF FURNISHED ARMY AND NAVY. Since the inception of war with Spain to the date of this report the following number of cases of illness-medical and surgical-occurring among members of the United States Army and Navy, have been treated in marine hospitals. The statement is given here by hospitals in which such patients were treated. Two hundred and thirty-three physical examinations were made of applicants for positions in the United States Naval Reserves, and of this number 21 were rejected. In addition to this aid rendered to the Army and Navy during the late war with Spain, material assistance was given to them in the establishment at Montauk Point, Long Island, of the temporary quarantine station for returning troops from Cuba, which station is fully described elsewhere in this report. Returning troops from Cuba were also received at the detention camp at Egmont Key, near Port Tampa, Fla., and held there until their probation period had expired. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF AID RENDERED THE COAST SIGNAL SERVICE. NAVY DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF COAST SIGNAL SERVICE, SIR: Referring to your circular letter of July 1, 1898, I wish to call your attention to the fact that in accordance with the orders of the Secretary of the Navy, the coast signal stations are being abandoned and this service is being put out of commission as rapidly as possible. There will, therefore, not be any necessity for your Service to render any further aid to this service. In closing I wish to express my thanks and appreciation of the hearty cooperation and of the valuable assistance rendered the Coast Signal Service by the medical officers attached to your Service. In making my report to the Secretary of the Navy I will take a great deal of pleasure in bringing to his attention a statement of the valuable assistance which I have received. Very respectfully, JOHN R. BARTLETT, Superintendent. Washington, D. C. SUPERVISING SURGEON-GENERAL MARINE-HOSPITAL SERVICE, AID TO THE REVENUE-CUTTER SERVICE. Three officers of the Revenue-Cutter Service were examined as regarded their physical condition, to determine their fitness in this respect for promotion. Twenty-eight candidates for the position of cadet in the Revenue-Cutter Service were examined physically during the year, and of this number 4 were rejected, while 7 applicants for the position of assistant engineer were examined as regards their physical fitness for the service. One thousand one hundred and three seamen of the Revenue-Cutter Service were also examined prior to enlistment and 182 rejected. In addition to the aid rendered the Revenue-Cutter Service by these boards in determining the physical condition of those applying for employment therein, a medical officer of the Marine-Hospital Service was detailed to duty on the United States revenue cutter Hugh McCulloch, to accompany this vessel on her voyage from New York to San Francisco via the Suez Canal. At the date of this report, this officer, Asst. Surg. J. B. Greene, is still on duty on board the McCulloch, which vessel is attached to the naval squadron under the command of Rear-Admiral Dewey, U. S. N., at Manila. AID TO THE UNITED STATES LIFE-SAVING SERVICE. During the year ending June 30, 1898, there were 2,143 physical examinations made of keepers and surfmen of the United States LifeSaving Service. Of this number 126 were rejected as not being up to the physical standard required. One hundred and sixty-five claims for pensions and other benefits provided by the act of May 4, 1882, made by keepers and crews of life-saving stations, have been passed upon in this office during the same period. AID TO THE INSPECTION SERVICE OF STEAM VESSELS. During the fiscal year 1898, 1,064 applicants for license as pilots were examined as regards their ability to distinguish colors, and 54 were rejected on account of color blindness. AID TO THE IMMIGRATION SERVICE. Medical officers of the Marine-Hospital Service have been detailed for medical inspection of immigrants at the following ports: Portland, Me.; Boston, Mass.; New York, N. Y.; Philadelphia, Pa.; Baltimore, Md.; New Orleans, La.; Galveston, Tex.; San Francisco, Cal., and Portland, Oreg. |