It is considered both fortunate and crditable, that the existing 
« 
concentration, has developed so little epidemic disease* 
The largest number of troops in the Brigade was about 1©,000, 
in January* 
April 15, there are actually present for duty 58 medical officers, 
of whom 9 are regulars, 30 volunteers, and 19 contradt surgeons. 
There are also 3 contract dental surgeons, stationed at Batangas, 
OalaSfha, and Luoena, who are nazch in demand, and will in time visit 
most of the stations in the Brigade. 
I if i 
There are 15 hospital stewards, 38 acting hospital stewards^ 
and 324 privates of the Hospital Corps. 
Prior to March, the many discharges of corps men, with establish¬ 
ment of new stations, and scattering of troops for field work, re¬ 
sulted in a scarcity of corps men, as well as surgeons* 
An influx from the 1st. and 2nd. Brigades, however, has eased 
the situation, but some of the large stations will be short-handed 
on surgeons, till at least 4jare released by return of the organizat¬ 
ions, with which they are in the field. 
With few exceptions the medical officers have proved satisfact¬ 
ory, and seem generally to have won the confidence of the line. 
• . * 
There is, unfortunately, much variation in the character and 
• _ " m * * • • « 
qualifications of the privates of the Hospital Corps, and it is con¬ 
sidered unfortunate that we have not two or more classes of p*ivates. 
There should certainly be a difference in the rating and pay, 
between the intell ee - 'feual igent nurse or assistant in office and dis¬ 
pensary, and the ignorant or indifferent man, who seldom gets beyond 
“general fatiguS. 
The writer remembers the difficulty of enlisting suitable corps * 
men for the Volunteer Regiments in 1899, and how the standard had to 
be lowered* 
