90 
U.   S.  ARMY  MEDICAL  STOREKEEPERS. 
together  with  an  invoice  and  blank  receipt,  to  be  filled  up  similar 
to  the  invoice  and  returned  by  the  receiving  officer. 
The  requisition,  when  thus  ready  for  shipment,  is  sent  to  the 
quartermaster  of  the  post,  for  transportation,  who  receipts  to  the 
storekeeper  for  the  number  of  packages  and  their  condition  only ; 
this  relieves  him  from  further  responsibility  as  to  the  safety  of 
the  goods,  and  the  quartermaster  sees  that  they  are  properly 
delivered  to  the  person  making  the  requisition. 
It  so  happened  that  four  of  the  six  medical  storekeepers  ap- 
pointed as  above  authorized,  were  assigned  to  duty  as  Acting 
Medical  Purveyors ;  this  added  largely  to  their  duties  and  respon- 
sibilities ;  as  they  then  became  purchasing  and  disbursing  officers, 
purchasing  supplies  in  yearly  value  from  half  to  two  millions  of 
dollars,  and  paying  to  the  various  claimants  against  the  Army 
Medical  Department,  perhaps  as  much  more,  but  with  no  extra 
compensation  or  emolument.  The  amount  of  pay  seems  small  for 
such  responsibilities  and  the  heavy  security  demanded,  and  in 
reality  is  so,  but  when  compared  with  that  of  officers  in  other 
departments  whose  duties  are  similar,  it  is  equally  good. 
Scientific  knowledge  is  not  much  called  into  play ;  what  is  most 
required  is  a  thorough  business  knowledge,  a  familiarity  with  the 
various  customs  of  ordinary  business  transactions,  sound  judgment, 
and  intimate  acquaintance  with  the  regulations,  laws,  orders,  and 
circulars  of  the  medical  department. 
The  purchase  of  medicines  proper  is  a  small  part  of  the  expen- 
ditures of  the  medical  department,  when  compared  to  the  pur- 
chase of  Dry  Goods,  Hardware,  Groceries,  Liquors,  Books  and 
Stationery,  &c,  required  in  supplying  hospitals,  so  that  a  varied 
business  knowledge  is  necessary,  to  keep  in  view  the  constant 
market  changes  in  the  price  and  also  in  the  quality  of  supplies 
required.  I  do  not  wish  to  convey  the  idea  that  an  acquaintance 
with  drugs  is  unimportant,  but  which  is  on  the  contrary  absolutely 
necessary;  hence  the  wisdom  of  appointing  practical  druggists  to 
the  positions. 
As  a  new  employment  of  Pharmaceutists,  called  into  existance 
by  the  rebellion,  the  history  of  the  medical  storekeepers  deserves 
mention  in  the  annals  of  Pharmacy.* 
*  See  remarks  in  the  Editorial  department  on  this  subject. 
