52 
Editorials. 
( Am.  Jour.  Pliarm. 
1       Jan.,  1892. 
Hospital  Stewards  of  the  United  States  Army. — Under  date  of  December 
15,  1891,  a  circular  has  been  issued  by  Surgeon-General  C.  Sutherland,  with 
the  view  of  giving  information  to  persons  who  may  be  desirous  of  enlisting  in 
the  hospital  corps  of  the  army.  The  facts  and  rules  explained  in  the  circular 
not  being  generally  known,  or  known  only  to  a  very  limited  extent,  we  make 
room  for  the  entire  circular,  which  is  as  follows  : 
The  Hospital  Corps  of  the  Army  consists  of  privates,  privates  assigned  as 
acting  hospital  stewards,  and  hospital  stewards.  A  number  of  vacancies  occur 
in  these  grades  from  time  to  time,  which  may  be  filled  by  enlistment  from 
civil  life  and  subsequent  promotion. 
Applicants  for  enlistment  must  be  between  the  ages  of  eighteen  and  thirty 
years,  unmarried,  of  good  character  and  habits,  able-bodied  and  free  from 
disease.  Such  minor  defects  of  vision  as  may  be  corrected  by  glasses  are  not 
regarded  as  a  bar  to  enlistment. 
All  enlistments  are  for  the  grade  of  private  ;  but  provision  is  made  for  the 
speedy  promotion  of  those  who  show  themselves  to  be  earnest,  intelligent, 
capable  and  trustworthy. 
The  term  of  service  is  five  years  ;  but  it  may  be  terminated  earlier  if  the 
individual  is  desirous  of  returning  to  civil  life.  Under  the  Act  of  June  16, 
1890,  and  existing  rules  prescribed  by  the  President  in  accordance  therewith, 
a  soldier  in  his  first  enlistment,  after  having  served  one  year,  may  purchase 
his  discharge  for  $120,  with  a  reduction  of  $5  in  the  purchase  price  for  every 
subsequent  month  until  he  completes  three  years  of  service,  when,  if  he  has 
served  honestly  and  faithfully,  he  is  entitled  to  a  furlough  for  three  months 
with  pay  and  the  privilege  of  discharge  at  the  expiration  of  the  furlough. 
The  pay  of  the  hospital  steward  is  $45  per  month,  of  the  acting  hospital 
steward  $25,  and  of  the  private  $13. 
From  the  pay  of  the  first  year  as  given  above,  $4  per  month  is  retained  ;  but 
this  retained  money,  together  with  $1  per  month  for  the  third  year  of  enlist- 
ment, $2  per  month  for  the  fourth  year,  and"  $3  per  month  for  the  fifth  year, 
in  addition  to  the  rates  enumerated  above,  will  be  paid  to  the  soldier  upon 
discharge  provided  he  has  served  honestly  and  faithfully.  The  sums  thus 
retained  will  be  treated  as  deposits  upon  which  interest  at  the  rate  of  four  per 
cent,  per  annum  will  be  paid  from  the  end  of  the  year  of  the  soldier's  enlist- 
ment in  which  they  accrued. 
As  regards  the  pay  of  the  private  the  Surgeon-General  has  recommended  that 
it  be  increased  to  $19  per  month  ;  and  it  is  hoped  that  favorable  action  will  be 
taken  by  the  Secretary  of  War  and  Congress  on  this  recommendation. 
In  addition  to  their  pay,  members  of  the  Hospital  Corps  receive  from  the 
Government  quarters,  rations,  clothing,  bedding,  etc.  The  money  allowance 
for  clothing  is  such  that  with  care  a  considerable  sum  may  be  saved  to  be 
added  to  that  which  is  paid  on  discharge. 
The  accepted  candidate  for  enlistment  is  attached  at  first  to  one  of  the 
companies  of  instruction  at  Fort  Riley,  Kansas,  or  Fort  D.  A.  Russell,  Wyoming. 
He  is  there  taught  by  practical  demonstrations  and  recitations  the  knowledge 
that  is  needful  to  enable  him  to  do  his  duty  intelligently  as  a  sanitary  soldier, 
and  to  appreciate  what  are  the  requisites  for  promotion  in  the  corps.  When 
properly  qualified  by  this  course  of  instruction  the  recruit  is  sent  to  some 
military  station  for  duty. 
