622 ANNUAL REPOHT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1921. 



this study would be very much more comprehensive than antici- 

 pated, for not only must pneumonia be investigated but housing, 

 hospitalization, food, tuberculosis, method of recruiting, transporta- 

 tion of recruited laborers to the mines, and their repatriation on com- 

 pletion of contract. About three months were spent on this work. 

 A report w T as submitted and discussed with the Chamber of Mines in 

 open session. Some of the mines that had sufficient " life " to war- 

 rant it adopted General Gorgas's plan. One group of mines employed 

 at General Gorgas's suggestion a sanitarian, who was given charge 

 of all matters pertaining to health and sanitation. The result 

 justified expectations. 



While at Johannesburg, General Gorgas was invited by the Gov- 

 ernor of Rhodesia to come to Salisbury, the capital, to give advice 

 as to the control of malaria and discuss the question of black-water 

 fever, the cause of great morbidity and considerable mortality among 

 the European settlers of Rhodesia. Many farms and a few small 

 settlements were visited, much advice given, several public meetings 

 held, as well as conferences with the colonial health officers and civil- 

 ian practitioners. All were eager for information and advice. 



While at Salisbury, General Gorgas dined one evening with the 

 governor. When General Gorgas entered the drawing room the 

 governor advanced and said, " I am glad to see you, General Gorgas." 

 After greeting the governor, General Gorgas said, " You are mis- 

 taken; I am a colonel." The Governor said, " It is you who are mis- 

 taken — you were made a general yesterday." With this he gave to 

 General Gorgas a news bulletin, announcing his appointment as 

 Surgeon General of the Army, with the rank of brigadier general. 



On completion of the work at Rhodesia, General Gorgas returned 

 to Johannesburg, finished his work on the Rand, and in February 

 sailed from Cape Town for the United States, via England. He ar- 

 rivedin New York the last of March, proceeded to Washington, and 

 assumed the duties of Surgeon General of the Army. 



His policies on assuming this office were to improve sanitary con- 

 ditions, build up a reserve of hospital supplies equal to that recom- 

 mended by the Dodge Commission ; reorganize the Medical Reserve 

 Corps, increasing its commissioned personnel to such a point that it 

 would meet the demands of war, to reorganize the Medical Corps 

 upon a basis that had a definite relation to the strength of the Army. 

 These various projects were in process of accomplishment when we 

 entered the World War. The Medical Corps had been reorganized, 

 reserve supplies were in process of accumulation, and there were 

 sufficient officers in the Medical Reserve Corps to meet the first de- 

 mands of the new Army. 



