656  Pharmacy  in  the  Army  and  Navy.   {AmQCl°^r  Pjg?™' 
cists,  and  in  the  course  of  instruction  which  candidates  for  the  service  corps 
will  have  to  take,  suitable  provision  will  be  made  for  advanced  instruction  in 
pharmaceutical  work. 
After  our  very  frank  discussion  of  the  needs  of  the  medical  department 
for  pharmacists,  I  think  we  both  agree  that  this  will  solve  the  question  in  a 
most  satisfactory  manner. 
With  cordial  regards,  believe  me 
Very  sincerely  yours, 
(Signed)    M.  W.  Ireland, 
Surgeon-General,  U.  S.  Army. 
The  President  believed  that  the  proposal  of  the  Surgeon-General 
should  be  carefully  considered  and  that  a  conference  should  be  held 
with  the  Surgeon-General  by  a  committee  representing  the  several 
pharmaceutical  organizations,  and  by  this  means  to  arrive  at  a  plan 
whereby  the  association  can  assist  the  Surgeon-General  in  his  effort 
to  establish  a  "  service  corps  "  and  also  provide  a  better  status  for 
pharmacists  in  the  corps. 
It  was  believed  that  the  five  years  of  non-commissioned  service 
as  a  prerequisite  to  commissions  should  be  modified  for  those  men 
who  have  adequate  scientific  training,  although  the  Surgeon-Gen- 
eral's desire  that  the  candidate  for  commission  should  have  thor- 
ough military  training  was  recognized  as  essential. 
The  Secretary  presented  a  statement  of  the  general  situation  in 
both  the  army  and  navy,  calling  attention  to  the  fact  that  the  Hos- 
pital Corps  Bill  known  as  H.  R.  4760  has  been  combined  in  what 
was  known  as  the  Personnel  Bill,  and  hearings  will  be  granted  some 
time  this  fall.  The  importance  of  securing  the  approval  of  the  Sec- 
retary of  the  Navy  was  emphasized,  and  since  then  it  has  been 
learned  that  this  will  be  of  vital  importance  in  obtaining  the  favor- 
able consideration  of  the  Naval  Affairs  Committee.  Every  effort 
should  be  made  to  enlist  the  interest  and  secure  the  approval  of  Sec- 
retary Daniels. 
Colonel  Frederick  M.  Hartsock,  of  the  Surgeon-General's  office, 
was  present  and  spoke  of  the  excellent  work  done  by  pharmacists  in 
the  Army,  which  was  recognized  as  indispensable.  He  said  the  gen- 
eral staff  had  not  yet  worked  out  the  details  of  the  reorganized  army, 
but  that  pharmacy  should,  in  his  opinion,  be  given  adequate  recog- 
nition. He  recommended  that  proper  presentation  be  made  by 
pharmacists  of  their  cause  and  that  a  definite  plan  be  worked  out 
and  presented  to  the  Surgeon-General.  A  vote  of  thanks  was  ex- 
tended to  Colonel  Hartsock  for  his  frank  statement  and  evident 
interest  in  pharmacists  in  the  service. 
