Vetinary Surgeons (Vets) Animal Doctors Vetinary Surgeons (Vets)
NAVAL ASSISTANT-SURGEONS.
1
653 Let them become, not only honourable attestations from a dis- tinguished foster-mother, but bonds of a recognised and active fraternity among her alumni. Anything like a spirit of cor- diality and association must be desirable in a profession so too frequently disunited as our own. As conducive to these several ends, allow me to offer the fol- lowing suggestions. First, the adoption of a regular costume, varying slightly with the faculty and degree of the wearer; to be employed on all public occasions, not only such as are connected with the University itself, but on appearing before courts of justice, committees, other corporate institutions, &c. Any charge of vanity or singularity, in carrying out this pro- position, would cease at once when it came to accord with the custom of the graduates, and the decree of the senate. As for the gown being " a meretricious ornament unbecoming the I nineteenth century," how many decorative distinctions are more hardly earned, or more fully merited? To succumb before insinuations so frivolous as this, would betray a weak- ness more contemptible than the vanity charged upon us. Secondly, I would suggest that the dinner and convocation of graduates be made annual, and to comprehend an evening meeting at Somerset House, for the purpose of receiving an epitome of the progress, position, &c., of the University from some previously appointed graduate-of transactingdany busi- ness, or discussing any topic, that may present itself. Lastly, I would offer for consideration the propriety of establishing and publishing a half-yearly University Magazine, in two de- partments, medical and general. A Graduates’ Fund might be started by subscription, and maintained by requiring a fixed fee from every successful candidate for the bachelorship in either faculty, on passing the examination. Let the editors serve periodically, and be supplied from the first with a list of graduates, pledging themselves to furnish occasionally, when required, papers, essays, cases, &c. &c. Let us enlist, where practicable, the valuable services of our numerous brethren in army, navy, and foreign stations; and respectfully solicit contributions and support from the eminent members of our own senate, from the pens of literati and scientific men, pro- fessional or otherwise, throughout the kingdom. In conclusion, Sir, allow me to congratulate, most heartily, my fellow graduates on the candid and liberal spirit evinced to and by their brother professionals on the late public occa- sion. The speeches at Covent Garden established beyond a doubt, that the desire of honourable distinction is not always invidious, and that esprit de corps is not conceit. With every apology for this intrusion, I am, Sir, obediently yours, Brenchley, Kent, May, 1849. STEPHEN MONCKTON, M.B. &c. NAVAL ASSISTANT-SURGEONS. To t7te Editor of THE LANCET. SIR,—Permit me, through the medium of your powerful organ, to warn medical gentlemen not to enter the naval medical service, in which professional degradation is not to be equalled in any other sphere, and where the vilest indignities are inflicted on medical men. If any should enter this service after the reiterated exposures of the insult and injustice those in it daily endure, they must indeed be destitute, and there seek a refuge. Medical gentlemen should bear in mind, that, in so far as climate is concerned, the naval is more perilous than any other section of the public service. What a con- solation to many medical officers now serving, to have known the degradation of the naval service before it was too late to retreat. What class of men are more predisposed to suffer from tropical service than we are, our health and strength having been more or less undermined by dissections, clinical observation, and reading ? If medical gentlemen visit the flag-ships in the home ports, they get an imperfect and deceptive notion of ship life. They generally see line-of-battle ships, which are show ships, and such dazzle and deceive young men. If they dine on board with a friend, it is on a public day-that is, when visitors are allowed by the rules of the mess, and matters are plumed in their best attire. Of the frigate class of vessels, and as being near London, I will refer to the 11 Fisgard," of forty-two guns, now lying off Woolwich, which students in medicine would do well to inspect, and where they might make a few inquiries, should they contemplate entering the naval service. They should find out the midshipman’s berth on the lower deck, where the naval assistant-surgeon vegetates by candle-light. They should ask where this officer’s sea-chest is, which con- tains library, toilet, wardrobe, and surgical instruments, and they can imagine themselves on ship-board, possessed of such a luxury. They should learn where the hammocks swing. They should visit the gun.room, where the lieutenants, purser, and surgeon sit, and suppose themselves excluded from their society for the best period of their lives. I will refer to THE LANCET of January 15th, 1848, for a truthful detail of "The Daily Life of a Naval Assistant-surgeon," which every medical gentleman would do well to read, before visiting any of H.M- ships. On the quarter-deck the naval assistant-surgeon must not walk on the same side with his surgeon and the lieutenants. We are sometimes patronized by a ward-room officer coming off his side of the deck to converse with us. At divine worship the naval assistant-surgeon cannot sit amongst the lieutenants &c., but is located amongst the youngsters. Visitors enter- tained at the lieutenant’s table very naturally ask the dress- distinctions of officers. Q. " How do you distinguish medical officers ?" A. " Our surgeon, you will observe, wears a single- breasted coat, with nine buttons, arranged in threes, and two. plain epaulettes. The assistant-surgeon, who is here, as the guest of the surgeon, wears a similar single-breasted coat, with one epaulette on the right shoulder." Q. " Does the assistant-surgeon like such an unseemly distinction, coming, as he does, into the service, fully qualified to practise his pro- fession î" A. " That is his uniform." Q. " Why does not he mess here ?" A. 11 it is not the regulation of the service that he should." This is a conversation of very frequent occurrence. There has always been a great deal of a derogatory and in- vidious manner of dressing officers of the royal navy. In the British army they find no difficulty in dressing officers as gentlemen. The officers of cavalry, engineers, artillery, and infantry, can be easily distinguished, and there is a uniformity of decoration pervading the whole. In the navy the dress: distinctions are derogatory and invidious, and there is an absence of correct uniformity. In consequence of complaints about naval uniform, the Admiralty directed a committee of captains R.N. to examine and report on the matter; subse- quent to which alterations were recommended and carried out. The single-breasted coat before mentioned cannot be worn on shore without the cocked hat and sword, from a pitiable and narrow-minded motive. The surtout double- breasted coat was again declared uniform, which had for some time been discontinued, from the influence of some official. This coat was given to officers, from the admiral down to the clerk. It is worn by medical officers, and the men of supply and account, plain, but the executives are dis- tinguished by stripes of gold lace round the wrist-the lieute- nant and master by one, the commander by two, the captain by three, the admiral by rows of lace, and three buttons on each wrist. This is the coat worn on shore. Thus no medical officer would wear his cocked hat and epaulettes on shore for the purpose of showing his rank in the service, and, con- sequently, in the frock coat, you cannot distinguish Sir John Liddell, inspector of hospitals, from a naval clerk. We have always heard of the urgent necessity of distinguishing officers of different ranks; but this committee of captains, these ac- complished decorators, never more pointedly exhibited their inconsistency than in the present instance; an executive is known as a zebra is-by his stripes. This learned committee perhaps hit on the stripes round the wrist, from the facts that a private soldier on the fore-arm receives good-conduct badges, , and that a sergeant of the British army is known by three stripes on the upper arm. If really the naval executives are . decorated with the vain wish of exhibiting their superiority, for my brother officers and self I can pronounce such an en- ) deavour as the offspring of ignorance-a mean attempt to, - elevate the one and degrade the other. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, AN ASSISTANT-SURGEON, R.N. ADVANTAGES OF BATHING. THE lecture on bathing, at the Cadogan Institution, by Mr- Embling, of Brompton, on Tuesday evening, June 5th, was a familiar discourse on the general advantages of bathing and swimming. Our national characters as islanders was the basis of the subject, and the lecturer developed the importance of a knowledge of swimming individually and nationally, quoting pertinent anecdotes, one especially, in which the patriot army of Columbia was rescued by General Paez and 300 Ilaneros, who captured the Spanish fleet of Flecberas in the middle of the River Assuay, by swimming beside their horses, from whose backs they boarded the boats, and captured them all. The lecture embraced a concise description of the skin and its perspiratory apparatus, explained the ancient use of water in disease, and cited Thetis’ dipping Achilles in the Styx as a proof of the ancients’ judgment of the value of bathing.
Transcript of NAVAL ASSISTANT-SURGEONS.
653
Let them become, not only honourable attestations from a dis-tinguished foster-mother, but bonds of a recognised and activefraternity among her alumni. Anything like a spirit of cor-diality and association must be desirable in a profession sotoo frequently disunited as our own.As conducive to these several ends, allow me to offer the fol-
lowing suggestions. First, the adoption of a regular costume,varying slightly with the faculty and degree of the wearer;to be employed on all public occasions, not only such as areconnected with the University itself, but on appearing beforecourts of justice, committees, other corporate institutions, &c.Any charge of vanity or singularity, in carrying out this pro-position, would cease at once when it came to accord with thecustom of the graduates, and the decree of the senate. As forthe gown being " a meretricious ornament unbecoming the Inineteenth century," how many decorative distinctions are
more hardly earned, or more fully merited? To succumbbefore insinuations so frivolous as this, would betray a weak-ness more contemptible than the vanity charged upon us.Secondly, I would suggest that the dinner and convocation ofgraduates be made annual, and to comprehend an eveningmeeting at Somerset House, for the purpose of receiving anepitome of the progress, position, &c., of the University fromsome previously appointed graduate-of transactingdany busi-ness, or discussing any topic, that may present itself. Lastly,I would offer for consideration the propriety of establishingand publishing a half-yearly University Magazine, in two de-partments, medical and general. A Graduates’ Fund mightbe started by subscription, and maintained by requiring afixed fee from every successful candidate for the bachelorshipin either faculty, on passing the examination. Let the editorsserve periodically, and be supplied from the first with a list ofgraduates, pledging themselves to furnish occasionally, whenrequired, papers, essays, cases, &c. &c. Let us enlist, wherepracticable, the valuable services of our numerous brethrenin army, navy, and foreign stations; and respectfully solicitcontributions and support from the eminent members of ourown senate, from the pens of literati and scientific men, pro-fessional or otherwise, throughout the kingdom.
In conclusion, Sir, allow me to congratulate, most heartily,my fellow graduates on the candid and liberal spirit evincedto and by their brother professionals on the late public occa-sion. The speeches at Covent Garden established beyond adoubt, that the desire of honourable distinction is not alwaysinvidious, and that esprit de corps is not conceit. With everyapology for this intrusion, I am, Sir, obediently yours,
Brenchley, Kent, May, 1849.STEPHEN MONCKTON, M.B. &c.
NAVAL ASSISTANT-SURGEONS.To t7te Editor of THE LANCET.
SIR,—Permit me, through the medium of your powerfulorgan, to warn medical gentlemen not to enter the navalmedical service, in which professional degradation is not to beequalled in any other sphere, and where the vilest indignitiesare inflicted on medical men. If any should enter this serviceafter the reiterated exposures of the insult and injustice thosein it daily endure, they must indeed be destitute, and thereseek a refuge. Medical gentlemen should bear in mind, that,in so far as climate is concerned, the naval is more perilousthan any other section of the public service. What a con-solation to many medical officers now serving, to have knownthe degradation of the naval service before it was too late toretreat. What class of men are more predisposed to sufferfrom tropical service than we are, our health and strengthhaving been more or less undermined by dissections, clinicalobservation, and reading ? -
If medical gentlemen visit the flag-ships in the home ports,they get an imperfect and deceptive notion of ship life. Theygenerally see line-of-battle ships, which are show ships, andsuch dazzle and deceive young men. If they dine on boardwith a friend, it is on a public day-that is, when visitors areallowed by the rules of the mess, and matters are plumed intheir best attire. Of the frigate class of vessels, and as beingnear London, I will refer to the 11 Fisgard," of forty-two guns,now lying off Woolwich, which students in medicine would dowell to inspect, and where they might make a few inquiries,should they contemplate entering the naval service. Theyshould find out the midshipman’s berth on the lower deck,where the naval assistant-surgeon vegetates by candle-light.They should ask where this officer’s sea-chest is, which con-tains library, toilet, wardrobe, and surgical instruments, andthey can imagine themselves on ship-board, possessed of sucha luxury. They should learn where the hammocks swing.
They should visit the gun.room, where the lieutenants, purser,and surgeon sit, and suppose themselves excluded from theirsociety for the best period of their lives. I will refer to THELANCET of January 15th, 1848, for a truthful detail of "TheDaily Life of a Naval Assistant-surgeon," which every medicalgentleman would do well to read, before visiting any of H.M-ships.On the quarter-deck the naval assistant-surgeon must not
walk on the same side with his surgeon and the lieutenants.We are sometimes patronized by a ward-room officer comingoff his side of the deck to converse with us. At divine worshipthe naval assistant-surgeon cannot sit amongst the lieutenants&c., but is located amongst the youngsters. Visitors enter-
tained at the lieutenant’s table very naturally ask the dress-distinctions of officers. Q. " How do you distinguish medicalofficers ?" A. " Our surgeon, you will observe, wears a single-breasted coat, with nine buttons, arranged in threes, and two.plain epaulettes. The assistant-surgeon, who is here, as theguest of the surgeon, wears a similar single-breasted coat,with one epaulette on the right shoulder." Q. " Does theassistant-surgeon like such an unseemly distinction, coming,as he does, into the service, fully qualified to practise his pro-fession î" A. " That is his uniform." Q. " Why does not hemess here ?" A. 11 it is not the regulation of the service thathe should." This is a conversation of very frequent occurrence.There has always been a great deal of a derogatory and in-
vidious manner of dressing officers of the royal navy. In theBritish army they find no difficulty in dressing officers asgentlemen. The officers of cavalry, engineers, artillery, andinfantry, can be easily distinguished, and there is a uniformityof decoration pervading the whole. In the navy the dress:distinctions are derogatory and invidious, and there is anabsence of correct uniformity. In consequence of complaintsabout naval uniform, the Admiralty directed a committee ofcaptains R.N. to examine and report on the matter; subse-quent to which alterations were recommended and carriedout. The single-breasted coat before mentioned cannot beworn on shore without the cocked hat and sword, from apitiable and narrow-minded motive. The surtout double-breasted coat was again declared uniform, which had forsome time been discontinued, from the influence of someofficial. This coat was given to officers, from the admiraldown to the clerk. It is worn by medical officers, and themen of supply and account, plain, but the executives are dis-tinguished by stripes of gold lace round the wrist-the lieute-nant and master by one, the commander by two, the captainby three, the admiral by rows of lace, and three buttons oneach wrist. This is the coat worn on shore. Thus no medicalofficer would wear his cocked hat and epaulettes on shore forthe purpose of showing his rank in the service, and, con-sequently, in the frock coat, you cannot distinguish Sir JohnLiddell, inspector of hospitals, from a naval clerk. We havealways heard of the urgent necessity of distinguishing officers
. of different ranks; but this committee of captains, these ac-complished decorators, never more pointedly exhibited theirinconsistency than in the present instance; an executive isknown as a zebra is-by his stripes. This learned committeeperhaps hit on the stripes round the wrist, from the facts thata private soldier on the fore-arm receives good-conduct badges,
, and that a sergeant of the British army is known by threestripes on the upper arm. If really the naval executives are
. decorated with the vain wish of exhibiting their superiority,for my brother officers and self I can pronounce such an en-
) deavour as the offspring of ignorance-a mean attempt to,- elevate the one and degrade the other.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,AN ASSISTANT-SURGEON, R.N.
ADVANTAGES OF BATHING.
THE lecture on bathing, at the Cadogan Institution, by Mr-Embling, of Brompton, on Tuesday evening, June 5th, was afamiliar discourse on the general advantages of bathing andswimming. Our national characters as islanders was the basisof the subject, and the lecturer developed the importance of aknowledge of swimming individually and nationally, quotingpertinent anecdotes, one especially, in which the patriot armyof Columbia was rescued by General Paez and 300 Ilaneros,who captured the Spanish fleet of Flecberas in the middle ofthe River Assuay, by swimming beside their horses, from whosebacks they boarded the boats, and captured them all. Thelecture embraced a concise description of the skin and itsperspiratory apparatus, explained the ancient use of water indisease, and cited Thetis’ dipping Achilles in the Styx as aproof of the ancients’ judgment of the value of bathing.
