ASecimbrer!hIa9rI19.'  >  Military  Pharmacists.  79I 
for  many  years,  and  have  insisted  for  many  years,  that  we  should 
have  pharmacists  in  the  Medical  Department ;  but  I  have  had  a  talk 
with  the  pharmacists,  and  they  have  agreed  that  if  we  can  secure  a 
service  corps  and  will  give  them  a  limited  number  of  pharmacists, 
they  will  accept  that  and  be  satisfied.  I  believe  the  pharmacists  of 
the  country  will  accede  to  what  I  have  said." 
Dr.  Ireland  subsequently  presented  the  following  plan : 
"Army  Reorganization — Proposed  Section  Relating  to  Med- 
ical Service  Corps. 
"A  Medical  Service  Corps  is  hereby  established,  which  shall  be 
a  part  of  the  Medical  Department,  and  shall  consist  of  a  commis- 
sioned force  and  an  enlisted  force. 
"  The  commissioned  force  of  the  Medical  Service  Corps  shall 
consist  of  officers,  the  total  number  of  whom  shall  approximately  be 
equal  to  one  for  every- 2,000  of  the  total  enlisted  strength  of  the 
Regular  Army  authorized  from  time  to  time  by  law,  and  shall  be 
distributed  by  grades  as  follows :  Majors,  25  per  cent. ;  captains,  and 
first  lieutenants,  75  per  cent. :  Provided,  That  if  by  reason  of  a  re- 
duction by  law  of  the  authorized  enlisted  strength  of  the  Regular 
Army  the  total  number  of  officers  in  the  Medical  Service  Corps  com- 
missioned previously  to  such  reduction  shall  for  the  time  being  ex- 
ceed the  equivalent  of  one  for  2,000  of  such  reduced  enlisted 
strength,  the  total  number  of  said  officers  shall  be  reduced  to  said 
equivalent  in  the  manner  prescribed  by  the  first  proviso  of  section 
10  of  the  National  Defense  Act  approved  June  3,  1916  (39  Statutes 
at  Large  166),  respecting  the  Medical  Corps:  Provided  further, 
That  the  number  of  majors  in  the  Medical  Corps  authorized  by  sec- 
tion 10,  of  the  National  Defense  Act,  approved  June  3,  1916  (39 
Statutes  at  Large  166),  shall  be  diminished  by  the  number  of  majors 
in  the  Medical  Service  Corps,  and  the  number  of  captains  and  first 
lieutenants  in  the  Medical  Corps  shall  be  diminished  by  the  number 
of  captains  and  first  lieutenants  in  the  Medical  Service  Corps :  Pro- 
vided, however,  That  nothing  in  the  last  preceding  proviso  shall  be 
held  or  construed  so  as  to  discharge  any  officer  from  the  Medical 
Corps  of  the  Regular  Army  or  to  deprive  him  of  the  commission 
which  he  now  holds  therein. 
"The  officers  of  the  Medical  Service  Corps  shall  be  utilized  so 
far  as  practicable  in  the  performance  of  the  business  and  adminis- 
