88 
Hospital  Corps  of  the  Navy.       {AJ?ebJ^rry  F^*™- 
also  be  called  upon  to  prepare  the  injection  and  assist  in  administer- 
ing arsphenamine  (salvarsan). 
Ward  Management. — The  Hospital  Corpsmen  become  the  re- 
sponsible officials,  for  the  establishment  and  management  of  the 
hospitals.  They  are  responsible  for  the  organization  of  the  ward 
force,  for  the  cleanliness  and  routine  work  of  the  ward,  and  also 
responsible  for  all  records  and  property. 
X-Ray  Department. — A  limited  number  of  men  have  received 
special  training  as  X-ray  operators.  This  is  becoming  increasingly 
important  and  the  complete  specialized  training  must  include  the 
knowledge  of  apparatus  and  experience  in  the  taking  of  X-ray  pic- 
tures and  X-ray  examinations,  and  also  the  development  of  the 
plates  and  making  of  prints. 
Recruiting  —In  the  recruiting  stations  of  the  Navy,  the  hospital 
corpsmen  serve  as  assistants,  making  the  preliminary  physical  ex- 
aminations, preparing  the  necessary  records  and  securing  the  iden- 
tification data,  including  the  making  of  finger  print  impressions. 
Commissary. — Pharmacists  are  often  responsible  for  the  planning 
of  the  Commissary  department  and  general  equipment  of  a  Naval 
hospital  for  any  number  of  patients  up  to  2,000.  This  includes  not 
only  the  equipment  of  the  various  wards  and  divisions  of  the 
hospital,  bat  also  the  procuring  of  the  food,  its  inspection  and  the 
supervision  of  the  preparation  of  special  diets  for  the  patient. 
Transportation. — The  transportation  of  wounded  and  sick  on 
board  ship  is  often  a  difficult  problem,  and  requires  knowledge  and 
skill  in  the  methods  of  handling,  the  use  of  stretchers  and  ambu- 
lances, and  the  preparation  of  the  injured  for  transportation.  This 
duty  falls  entirely  upon  the  Hospital  Corps. 
First  Aid. — As  the  hospital  corpsman  secures  experience  and 
rating  justifying  advancement  to  the  rate  of  Chief  Pharmacist's 
Mate,  he  is  often  placed  on  "independent  duty."  Most  of  the 
smaller  ships  of  the  Navy,  destroyers,  submarines,  mine-sweepers, 
and  cargo  ships,  need  medical  aid  and  the  hospital  corpsman  here 
serves  as  the  first  aid  medical  officer.  Every  kind  of  emergency 
work  may  fall  to  his  lot.  Sickness,  accidents,  or  other  injuries  may 
require  his  attention  at  any  time.  He  must  be  familiar  with  antidotes 
to  poisons,  and  all  of  the  many  emergency  conditions  which  he  may 
face.  This  includes,  not  only  the  occurrences  which  may  happen 
aboard  ship,  but  he  may  be  called  upon  in  outlying  stations  to  admin- 
ister first  aid  held  to  the  native  population. 
