The Navy as a Special Field for Medical Work (Classic Reprint)

Download or read book The Navy as a Special Field for Medical Work (Classic Reprint) written by Surgeon General and published by Forgotten Books. This book was released on 2018-03-11 with total page 38 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Excerpt from The Navy as a Special Field for Medical Work The attention of medical practitioners, more particularly those who have recently graduated in medicine, is cordially and earnestly invited to the Navy for consideration as a special field for medical work. This is the age for specialization in medicine, and one when all persons of the medical profession are endeavoring to perfect themselves in some special branch of medicine upon which they have decided as their chosen life work. Any military service is a special field of medical and sanitary practice, the conditions existing therein determining the essential differences between it and civil practice. It must be remembered, therefore, that the medical officer of the Navy is a specialist; that Navy medical work is a special branch of medical and sanitary practice and must be viewed as one among the many other special fields of medicine, as eye, car, neurology, hygiene, etc.; and that the practitioner who takes up this line of work must likewise be specially trained as is the Specialist in another branch. It, however, differs so essentially from civil practice that this training must be of a character peculiat to the problems of the naval service. The applicant must approach his decision to undertake this special work as he would the question of entering any other specialty. In conjunction with his duties the medical officer may also perfect himself in some branch of medicine foe which be has a particular bent or liking. He may specialize as a hygienist, a specialist in tropical medicine, eye, ear, etc. Let us now look upon what constitutes this field of medicine. The Navy consists of its ships or floating force, its navy yards for the building, repair, and upkeep of these ships, its naval training stations for the training of men to man these ships and yards, its naval hospitals for the treatment of the sick. etc. Each one of these units Is a community in itself, with one department interdependent upon another. A ship with its complement of several hundred men is similar to a small town, having consideration for its water and food supply, its sewage disposal, lighting of its passageways and living apartments, heating and ventilation of its living quarters, protection against epidemic diseases, maintenance of the general health of the community, general hygienic and sanitary matters; in fact, almost every question that arises in a small civilian community. On board this ship there are officials who represent in a similar way the various officials of a town. It can he readily seen, therefore, that the medical officer represents not only the board of health bat also the sanitary inspector and the medical adviser and family physician. In other words, be looks out for the general hygienic and sanitary matters and treats all the sick His is a combined duty. He represents all the medical talent available to any community. However, as this community in which he is located moves about over the globe from one region to another, he first must deal with conditions of a northern climate and again with the conditions of a tropical climate. He must at all times maintain the health of the personnel in the highest state of effectiveness. In order to do this the medical officer must keep himself thoroughly informed of advances upon all medical matters and general sanitation; he must be familiar with the latest information relative to the cause and prevention of disease, modern means of lighting and ventilation, special treatments of special diseases, and be ready at any time to undertake to the best of his ability any question which may be brought to his attention. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com