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Hearing of Secretary Daniels
760
T H E JO U R N A L OF T H E N A TIO N A L D EN T A L ASSOCIATION.
som e section of the camp, in w hich there is no provision for a D ental office and th ey are extrem ely efficient, how ever, th ey may be som ew hat lim ited in their u sefu ln ess in France, by virtue of the fact, that they are bulky and w ill make dangerous targets. T hey are m onu m ents, however, to th e m en who devise them . Their equipm ent and supplies are absolutely com plete, each having its own electricity, gas and w ater supply. T he greatest need that can be supplied at present to the D ental Corps, how ever, is a method of transportation. The Red Cross has donated m any Dodge and Ford cars to the D ivision Chief Surgeons. The dental officers have no m eans of tran s portation assigned to them and the Camps in som e cases are 15 square m iles. There are dental offices in each regim en tal headquarters and th e officers must either borrow a side car or walk, going to* and from their quarters. The Chief D ental Surgeon m ust v isit all of th ese offices daily. T he Governm ent w ill fur n ish a driver, gasoline and up-keep, but there is no m oney available to purchase either an autom obile or a side car for the Dental Corps. It would be very greatly appreciated if the sm aller societies thruout the U nited S tates presented to the D ental Corps of each division either a sm all touring car or a sid e car motor cycle. There are m any th in gs yet to be ac com plished by the m en in charge of the Corps and possibly one of the m ost im portant is the adjustm ent of th e unfor tunate condition, arising from the fact, that the Dental Corps, by error has been left off the T able of Organization. There is no provision as to w here they belong in the division and th is, of course, m akes the question of quarters and m esses rath er awkward. This w ill soon be adjusted as w ill m ost of the th in gs that have a te n dency to create criticism . W e m ust have confidence, we m ust b elieve in the m en w ho are so ably representing our profes sion and if you have any m essage that w ill help in their work, volunteer to go
to the cam ps and give it to m em bers of the Corps. L et us not help them to the brink and push them off into the sea w ith the word “sw im ,” w e still have a responsibility to th ese men. L et them know in any m anner possible that we are supporting them and that we appreciate their service to our profession and our country. Many of them have given up all th ey p ossessed and liberty in the Army today is not the dominant feature. T h ese m en are m ilitary D en tists and their liv es are different than the free, civil practitioner’s life. They are subject to all the strict m ilitary orders and re striction and w e owe them every encour agem ent and a ssistan ce in our power to give. If you have any doubts as to what the men directing and executing your Corps are doing, any doubts as to the service your boy in the ranks is receiv ing, any doubts as to the reputation your profession w ill have after the war, go and visit a camp. It w ill send you away w ith your head high in the air, your heart bursting with pride, at your profession’s show ing and optim ism as to the outcom e of the war w ill be intensified and your loyalty rais ed to fever heat.
HEARING OF SECRETARY DANIELS. The Secretary of the N avy w as before the H ouse naval com m ittee on June 3 for a hearing w ith reference to the Senate am endm ents to the naval appropriation bill. He stated that many of the am end m ents are not approved by him and did not originate in his office. H e referred to the provisions relating to the dental corps; the appointm ent of a perm anent and tem porary major general in the Marine Corps, and increasing the present rank of the heads of staff depart m ents of the Marine Corps; and allow ing m en above the rank of major in the staff of the M arine corps to go into the line. Surgeon General B raisted stated the proposed dental legislation was in pretty
ARMY AND NAVY. fair shape and w as satisfactory to every one interested. Secretary D aniels and Surgeon General B raisted preferred the bill introduced by Senator Tillm an, w hich w as drawn up by representatives of the bureau of m edi cines and surgery, the judge advocate general, and the bureau of navigation.— — A rm y a n d N a vy R egister , J u n e 8.
ENOUGH ARMY DEN TISTS. T he dental requirem ents of an army of more than 5,000,000 m en can now be m et by the present force of the dental corps of the A m erican Army. E xam ina tions for dental officers have been closed, and no further additions w ill be made to the corps for at least six m onths. At the tim e the U nited S tates declared a state of war to exist betw een th is coun try and Germany the total number of dental officers w as 58. The present force numbers 5,810. Com m issions w ere offer ed to 5,467 dentists in all parts of the country, and all but 271 were accepted, a percentage of 95.1. A school for dental instruction has been started at Fort Oglethorpe, Ga. Eighty-five dental offi cers are assigned each month to tak e the tw o m onths’ course. The first m onth is given over to 180 hours of general m ili tary instruction and training and the second to 70 hours’ special m ilitary train ing and 100 hours devoted to professional subjects that have a definite relation to general practice of dentistry as it should be conducted in the Army. Special den tal infirm aries have been estab lish ed in the cam ps and cantonm ents in th is coun try to w hich every new ly inducted sol dier is sent for exam ination shortly after arrival in camp. In those cases where m en need attention it is given. The average number of tooth fillings is from 225,000 to 250,000 a month. T his figure does not include the exam inations, treat m ents, extraction, or crown, bridge, and plate work. The practice follow ed in the cam ps is to first give treatm ent to those
761
ca ses that require im m ediate attention. S pecial attention is paid in determ ining the number of chronic infection s a sso ciated w ith teeth. It, has been found that a number of d isea ses incapacitating m en for m ilitary service are traceable to chronic infection s about the teeth. D en tal inspectors are constantly visitin g cam ps and cantonm ents to inspect work done by the camp d entists in order to determ ine if the dental officers are com petent, are correctly assigned, and to report on th e general efficiency of the units. The sam e thoro care that is given to the m en in th is country is also given to the m en in France. W ith each base, general or evacuation hospital there is attached a sp ecia list in plastic surgery to correct deform ities to face and jaw s. D ental surgeons who have been specially trained in th is cla ss of work are also assigned to such hospitals.— A rm y and N a v y Register , J u n e
22.
GENERAL GORGAS AND THE SUR GEON GENERALCY. The candidacy of Dr. Franklin H. Mar tin, major in the m edical reserve corps and chairman of the general medical board of the Council of N ational D efense, for appointm ent as surgeon general of the Army as the su ccessor of General Gorgas on the la tter’s retirem ent for age in October appears to have diminished, w ith the expectation entertained that General Gorgas w ill succeed him self. G eneral Gorgas w ill have the unqualified indorsem ent of th e Am erican Medical A ssociation at its annual convention next w eek in Chicago, and it is considered that his appointm ent now rests with him self— that is to say, if he desires to con tinue on active duty he w ill be retained as the head of the Arm y m edical depart ment. It is a question, however, w hether he can be re-detailed as surgeon general of the Army, to w hich office he would not be eligib le as a retired officer, and the law provides that there shall be a sur-
T H E JO U R N A L OF T H E N A TIO N A L D EN T A L ASSOCIATION.
som e section of the camp, in w hich there is no provision for a D ental office and th ey are extrem ely efficient, how ever, th ey may be som ew hat lim ited in their u sefu ln ess in France, by virtue of the fact, that they are bulky and w ill make dangerous targets. T hey are m onu m ents, however, to th e m en who devise them . Their equipm ent and supplies are absolutely com plete, each having its own electricity, gas and w ater supply. T he greatest need that can be supplied at present to the D ental Corps, how ever, is a method of transportation. The Red Cross has donated m any Dodge and Ford cars to the D ivision Chief Surgeons. The dental officers have no m eans of tran s portation assigned to them and the Camps in som e cases are 15 square m iles. There are dental offices in each regim en tal headquarters and th e officers must either borrow a side car or walk, going to* and from their quarters. The Chief D ental Surgeon m ust v isit all of th ese offices daily. T he Governm ent w ill fur n ish a driver, gasoline and up-keep, but there is no m oney available to purchase either an autom obile or a side car for the Dental Corps. It would be very greatly appreciated if the sm aller societies thruout the U nited S tates presented to the D ental Corps of each division either a sm all touring car or a sid e car motor cycle. There are m any th in gs yet to be ac com plished by the m en in charge of the Corps and possibly one of the m ost im portant is the adjustm ent of th e unfor tunate condition, arising from the fact, that the Dental Corps, by error has been left off the T able of Organization. There is no provision as to w here they belong in the division and th is, of course, m akes the question of quarters and m esses rath er awkward. This w ill soon be adjusted as w ill m ost of the th in gs that have a te n dency to create criticism . W e m ust have confidence, we m ust b elieve in the m en w ho are so ably representing our profes sion and if you have any m essage that w ill help in their work, volunteer to go
to the cam ps and give it to m em bers of the Corps. L et us not help them to the brink and push them off into the sea w ith the word “sw im ,” w e still have a responsibility to th ese men. L et them know in any m anner possible that we are supporting them and that we appreciate their service to our profession and our country. Many of them have given up all th ey p ossessed and liberty in the Army today is not the dominant feature. T h ese m en are m ilitary D en tists and their liv es are different than the free, civil practitioner’s life. They are subject to all the strict m ilitary orders and re striction and w e owe them every encour agem ent and a ssistan ce in our power to give. If you have any doubts as to what the men directing and executing your Corps are doing, any doubts as to the service your boy in the ranks is receiv ing, any doubts as to the reputation your profession w ill have after the war, go and visit a camp. It w ill send you away w ith your head high in the air, your heart bursting with pride, at your profession’s show ing and optim ism as to the outcom e of the war w ill be intensified and your loyalty rais ed to fever heat.
HEARING OF SECRETARY DANIELS. The Secretary of the N avy w as before the H ouse naval com m ittee on June 3 for a hearing w ith reference to the Senate am endm ents to the naval appropriation bill. He stated that many of the am end m ents are not approved by him and did not originate in his office. H e referred to the provisions relating to the dental corps; the appointm ent of a perm anent and tem porary major general in the Marine Corps, and increasing the present rank of the heads of staff depart m ents of the Marine Corps; and allow ing m en above the rank of major in the staff of the M arine corps to go into the line. Surgeon General B raisted stated the proposed dental legislation was in pretty
ARMY AND NAVY. fair shape and w as satisfactory to every one interested. Secretary D aniels and Surgeon General B raisted preferred the bill introduced by Senator Tillm an, w hich w as drawn up by representatives of the bureau of m edi cines and surgery, the judge advocate general, and the bureau of navigation.— — A rm y a n d N a vy R egister , J u n e 8.
ENOUGH ARMY DEN TISTS. T he dental requirem ents of an army of more than 5,000,000 m en can now be m et by the present force of the dental corps of the A m erican Army. E xam ina tions for dental officers have been closed, and no further additions w ill be made to the corps for at least six m onths. At the tim e the U nited S tates declared a state of war to exist betw een th is coun try and Germany the total number of dental officers w as 58. The present force numbers 5,810. Com m issions w ere offer ed to 5,467 dentists in all parts of the country, and all but 271 were accepted, a percentage of 95.1. A school for dental instruction has been started at Fort Oglethorpe, Ga. Eighty-five dental offi cers are assigned each month to tak e the tw o m onths’ course. The first m onth is given over to 180 hours of general m ili tary instruction and training and the second to 70 hours’ special m ilitary train ing and 100 hours devoted to professional subjects that have a definite relation to general practice of dentistry as it should be conducted in the Army. Special den tal infirm aries have been estab lish ed in the cam ps and cantonm ents in th is coun try to w hich every new ly inducted sol dier is sent for exam ination shortly after arrival in camp. In those cases where m en need attention it is given. The average number of tooth fillings is from 225,000 to 250,000 a month. T his figure does not include the exam inations, treat m ents, extraction, or crown, bridge, and plate work. The practice follow ed in the cam ps is to first give treatm ent to those
761
ca ses that require im m ediate attention. S pecial attention is paid in determ ining the number of chronic infection s a sso ciated w ith teeth. It, has been found that a number of d isea ses incapacitating m en for m ilitary service are traceable to chronic infection s about the teeth. D en tal inspectors are constantly visitin g cam ps and cantonm ents to inspect work done by the camp d entists in order to determ ine if the dental officers are com petent, are correctly assigned, and to report on th e general efficiency of the units. The sam e thoro care that is given to the m en in th is country is also given to the m en in France. W ith each base, general or evacuation hospital there is attached a sp ecia list in plastic surgery to correct deform ities to face and jaw s. D ental surgeons who have been specially trained in th is cla ss of work are also assigned to such hospitals.— A rm y and N a v y Register , J u n e
22.
GENERAL GORGAS AND THE SUR GEON GENERALCY. The candidacy of Dr. Franklin H. Mar tin, major in the m edical reserve corps and chairman of the general medical board of the Council of N ational D efense, for appointm ent as surgeon general of the Army as the su ccessor of General Gorgas on the la tter’s retirem ent for age in October appears to have diminished, w ith the expectation entertained that General Gorgas w ill succeed him self. G eneral Gorgas w ill have the unqualified indorsem ent of th e Am erican Medical A ssociation at its annual convention next w eek in Chicago, and it is considered that his appointm ent now rests with him self— that is to say, if he desires to con tinue on active duty he w ill be retained as the head of the Arm y m edical depart ment. It is a question, however, w hether he can be re-detailed as surgeon general of the Army, to w hich office he would not be eligib le as a retired officer, and the law provides that there shall be a sur-