6oo  Proposed  Organization  of  Units.     {A  December^™' 
Although  the  medical  profession  is  by  far  in  the  lead  of  all  others 
in  responding  to  the  country's  urgent  need,  over  16,000  being  en- 
rolled at  the  present  time,  the  fact  remains  that  this  figure  already 
represents  a  large  proportion  of  those  fully  qualified  by  physical 
condition,  age,  etc.,  to  become  medical  officers  that  are  still  available. 
If  the  great  armies  now  in  course  of  formation,  and  others  in  pros- 
pect materialize,  a  deficiency  of  trained  surgeons  cannot  but  become 
manifest. 
How  shall  this  great  shortage  in  physicians  for  the  United  States 
Army  be  met?  Shall  it  be  met  by  conscription?  If  the  physicians 
of  the  country  be  largely  drafted  into  the  Army,  what  will  become 
of  the  civil  population?  Is  it  necessary  to  sacrifice  the  civil  public 
to  meet  army  requirements  ?  We  believe  that  much  of  the  sacrifice 
is  unnecessary.  We  believe  that  the  Edmonds  Bill  is  a  partial  solu- 
tion of  the  problem.  Numerous  duties  now  performed  by  physi- 
cians in  the  Army  could  be  just  as  efficiently  carried  out  by  trained 
pharmacists,  and  the  establishment  of  a  pharmaceutical  corps  in  the 
United  States  Army  would  provide  a  body  of  men  not  only  edu- 
cated and  trained  in  our  schools  and  colleges  of  pharmacy  as  phar- 
macists, but  in  many  instances  trained  as  business  men  also,  and 
therefore  especially  qualified  to  aid  the  medical  department. 
To  establish  a  pharmaceutical  corps  in  the  Army  requires  Con- 
gressional action.  But  why  wait  for  Congressional  action?  Why 
not  at  once  organize  local  pharmaceutical  corps  units  in  connection 
with  our  pharmaceutical  schools  and  colleges?  I  am  officially  in- 
structed by  the  executive  committee  of  the  National  Pharmaceutical 
Service  Association  to  present  this  suggestion  for  discussion  this 
evening  in  connection  with  Dr.  J.  Madison  Taylor's  excellent  paper 
based  on  work  already  being  carried  out  successfully  by  the  three 
scientific  schools,  medical,  dental,  and  pharmaceutical,  of  Temple 
University  of  Philadelphia.  Briefly,  this  organization  of  students 
and  instructors,  under  the  command  of  Dr.  C.  E.  de  M.  Sajous,  a 
retired  militia  officer,  aims  to  give  medical  and  dental  graduates  a 
comprehensive  military  education,  and  provides  its  pharmaceutical 
students  such  practical  knowledge  as  will  enable,  them  to  assume 
many  of  the  duties  now  imposed  upon  the  surgeon,  thus  permitting 
the  latter  to  devote  all  his  time  to  sufferers.  It  is  obvious  that  in  such 
circumstances  a  smaller  number  of  surgeons  would  be  required.  This 
Medical  Reserve  Cadet  Corps  as  it  is  called,  is  conducted  on  rigid 
