(Kfjc Jlnfrtait Jttetrtcal (Knjcttc. It is
?particularly requested that all contributions to the "Indian Medical Gazette" may be written as legibly as possible, and only on onk side of each sheet of paper.
Technical expressions ought to be so distinct that no possible mistake can be made inprinting them. Neglect of these simple rules causes much trouble. Communications should be forwarded as early in the month as possible, else delay must inevitably occur in their Business letters to be forwarded to the Publishers, Messrs. Wyman Bros.; and all professional communications to the Editor, direct. Subscribers their address are requested to notify the same.
publication.
changing
The Co-operation SOLICITED.
of the
Profession
throughout
India
is
earn-
estly
Special Notice.?Subscribers are particularly requested to notify any changes of address, as otherwise no responsibility for miscarriage of copies of this paper can be assumed by Wyman linos., Publishers, Ilare Street, Calcutta.
Subscribers whose payments are in arrear for the current year are solicitep to forward accounts due, without delay, as otherwise the arrear rate will be charged. Hare
Street,
WYMAN
">
August 1867.
BROS.,
Proprietort.
j
" You have chosen the path, not of politics, but of science. Among those who have preceded you in it, and in our own particular department, some of the brightest ornaments of British history; and I will not find we do you the injustice of supposing that therfe is any one among you who would not prefer the reputation of Harvey or the Hunters to that of nineteen-twentieths of the courtiers and politicians of the periods in which
they lived."-SIR BENJAMIN BRODIE.
PROMOTION IN THE BRITISH MEDICAL SERVICE. We have received, from an unknown hand, a printed circular (which we arc unable, from want of space, to re print in ou " present number) on the subject of Promotion in the Army a NonMedical Department." The author signs himself Military type of Doctor," hut though not in the service, he has, ?we think, fairly stated one of the greatest, if not the greatest of the grievances of which Assistant-Surgeons in the British (as distinguished from the Indian) Army have to complain ; namely, the fact that promotion to tiie grade of Surgeon is not, like all other promotions in the Executive branch of the Department, regulated by length of service, but depends upon the occurrence of vacancies in a fixed establishment of Surgeons. The principle that length of service should carry with it increase of pay and of rank was recognized, in the Koyal Warrant of 1859, by the creation of the rank of Surgeon-Major, and the grant of increased pay and rank to Assistant-Surgeons of more than '?
5, and of
years'
a
further increase of pay to those of more than 10 The effect of this warrant was to
service.
virtually
divide the Executive branch of the
Army Medical Department of but two grades, those of had heretofore consisted (which Surgeon and Assistant-Surgeon) into four (if not six) grades, those of Junior Assistant-Surgeon, (ranking as Lieutenant,) Senior Assistant Surgeon, (ranking as Captain, and obtaining a second increase of pay on completing ten years' service,) Surgeon, (whose pay is again increased after completing fifteen years' service,) and Surgeon-Major. Of these six grades, (counting as distinct ones
that of
Assistant-Surgeon
after 10,
and of Surgeon after
years' service) promotion to four out of the five superior The ones depends solely on length of service upon full pay. exception is the grado of Surgeon, for which no length of service can qualify, so long as the number of Surgeons already 15
on
the establishment does
The
absurdity
of
giving
not
four
fall below
steps
a
definite number.
out of five for mere
length
274
THE INDIAN MEDICAL GAZETTE.
[November 1,
1867*
of
service, and making one (and that one neither the first nor last) depend upon the occurrence of a vacancy among those already promoted, was too great for even Sir Charles Wood, who, in his Despatch of the 7th November, 1864, sanctioned the promotion of Assistant-Surgeons in the Indian Army after the completion of twelve years' service. Many as are the grounds of complaint whicli the Medical Officers of the Indian Army have, as regards the changes that have been made in their pay and position during the last three years, there is no doubt that the junior ranks have been greatly benefited by this .alteration in the method of promotion. We do not see why the same principle is not carried out in the sister service. It may be said that in the British army the number of regiments and brigades, i. c.,of Surgeons' charges, is limited, and that therefore the number of Surgeons must necessarily be so too; while in the Indian service all executive appointments are tenable by any medical officer below tlio rank of Deputy Inspector
This would prevent the Surgeons in subordinate
the
General. nut
But the number of Surgeons in the British army is
limited to that of the Surgeons'
charges, a certain additional emergencies ; while, again, Assistant-Surgeons are allowed to hold charge of brigades and regiments during the absence of Surgeons. Moreover, the argument that the number of Surgeons should be proportioned to that of Surgeons' charges applies, a fortiori, to Surgeons-Major ; yet in a few years, unless the rules for promotion be altered, Assistant-Surgeons will be stepping at once, from mere length of service, to the grade of Surgeon-Major, before a vacancy for them has occurred in the rank of Surgeon. number being retained
on
the staff for
Wo believe that the extension to the British service of the twelve years' rule, now in force in the Indian Army, is matter of time. Promotion to the rank of Surgeon,
granted, is becoming slower and slower, and threatens be
virtually
at
a
stand-still.
only as
a
now
soon
to
Meantime the medical officers of
the Indian services
are obtaining their promotion after a uniform service, which, though very long compared with that period which used to be the average period of service as an AssistantSurgeon in the British army, is equal to, or, if anything, rather less than that now passed by British medical officers in the lower rank. In a few years, if no change be made, Assistant-Surgeons of upwards of twelve years' standing in the British army will find themselves superseded by their contemporaries in the Indian army, quoad rank, until both have completed twenty years' service, when they will resume their former relative positions. This state of matters will lead to too much jealousy and illfeeling between the services not to demand correction. We only hope that a more liberal spirit will be shown in adjusting
of
'
the relative ranks of the two Medical Services in this country, was shewn in the case of the combatants; and that no
than
attempt will be made to tinker up matters, as was done in the latter instance, by giving mere local and nominal rank as
Surgeons to all Assistant-Surgeons in the British army of twelve years' standing. The right of being promoted after serving twelve years on full pay should be extended to every AssistantSurgeon in the army. Any difficulty which might arise from the increase in the number of Surgeons thus produced be obvi"
might by allowing Junior Surgeons to hold medical charge of batteries of artillery, convalescent depots, and other appointments which are now held by Senior Assistant-Surgeons, many of whom would be promoted by the contemplated arrangement.
ated
ments
necessity of placing recently promoted positions, by attaching them to regi-
of which officers senior to them were in medical charge.
There would be
no
hardship
to
the
junior
ranks of the service
in this arrangement ; the same officers who now hold batteries and other charges as Assistant-Surgeons would then hold them as
Surgeons. We have
spoken of twelve years promotion should be given, merely rule in the Indian services. 1
But
question whether this period is
as
the
period
after which
because such is now the
we
have not entered into the As one or not.
unduly long present, promotion after twelve years would be a great boon to Assistant-Surgeons in the British service, and cannot in fairness be withheld from them, while granted to
matters stand at
their Indian brother officers.
an
?particularly requested that all contributions to the "Indian Medical Gazette" may be written as legibly as possible, and only on onk side of each sheet of paper.
Technical expressions ought to be so distinct that no possible mistake can be made inprinting them. Neglect of these simple rules causes much trouble. Communications should be forwarded as early in the month as possible, else delay must inevitably occur in their Business letters to be forwarded to the Publishers, Messrs. Wyman Bros.; and all professional communications to the Editor, direct. Subscribers their address are requested to notify the same.
publication.
changing
The Co-operation SOLICITED.
of the
Profession
throughout
India
is
earn-
estly
Special Notice.?Subscribers are particularly requested to notify any changes of address, as otherwise no responsibility for miscarriage of copies of this paper can be assumed by Wyman linos., Publishers, Ilare Street, Calcutta.
Subscribers whose payments are in arrear for the current year are solicitep to forward accounts due, without delay, as otherwise the arrear rate will be charged. Hare
Street,
WYMAN
">
August 1867.
BROS.,
Proprietort.
j
" You have chosen the path, not of politics, but of science. Among those who have preceded you in it, and in our own particular department, some of the brightest ornaments of British history; and I will not find we do you the injustice of supposing that therfe is any one among you who would not prefer the reputation of Harvey or the Hunters to that of nineteen-twentieths of the courtiers and politicians of the periods in which
they lived."-SIR BENJAMIN BRODIE.
PROMOTION IN THE BRITISH MEDICAL SERVICE. We have received, from an unknown hand, a printed circular (which we arc unable, from want of space, to re print in ou " present number) on the subject of Promotion in the Army a NonMedical Department." The author signs himself Military type of Doctor," hut though not in the service, he has, ?we think, fairly stated one of the greatest, if not the greatest of the grievances of which Assistant-Surgeons in the British (as distinguished from the Indian) Army have to complain ; namely, the fact that promotion to tiie grade of Surgeon is not, like all other promotions in the Executive branch of the Department, regulated by length of service, but depends upon the occurrence of vacancies in a fixed establishment of Surgeons. The principle that length of service should carry with it increase of pay and of rank was recognized, in the Koyal Warrant of 1859, by the creation of the rank of Surgeon-Major, and the grant of increased pay and rank to Assistant-Surgeons of more than '?
5, and of
years'
a
further increase of pay to those of more than 10 The effect of this warrant was to
service.
virtually
divide the Executive branch of the
Army Medical Department of but two grades, those of had heretofore consisted (which Surgeon and Assistant-Surgeon) into four (if not six) grades, those of Junior Assistant-Surgeon, (ranking as Lieutenant,) Senior Assistant Surgeon, (ranking as Captain, and obtaining a second increase of pay on completing ten years' service,) Surgeon, (whose pay is again increased after completing fifteen years' service,) and Surgeon-Major. Of these six grades, (counting as distinct ones
that of
Assistant-Surgeon
after 10,
and of Surgeon after
years' service) promotion to four out of the five superior The ones depends solely on length of service upon full pay. exception is the grado of Surgeon, for which no length of service can qualify, so long as the number of Surgeons already 15
on
the establishment does
The
absurdity
of
giving
not
four
fall below
steps
a
definite number.
out of five for mere
length
274
THE INDIAN MEDICAL GAZETTE.
[November 1,
1867*
of
service, and making one (and that one neither the first nor last) depend upon the occurrence of a vacancy among those already promoted, was too great for even Sir Charles Wood, who, in his Despatch of the 7th November, 1864, sanctioned the promotion of Assistant-Surgeons in the Indian Army after the completion of twelve years' service. Many as are the grounds of complaint whicli the Medical Officers of the Indian Army have, as regards the changes that have been made in their pay and position during the last three years, there is no doubt that the junior ranks have been greatly benefited by this .alteration in the method of promotion. We do not see why the same principle is not carried out in the sister service. It may be said that in the British army the number of regiments and brigades, i. c.,of Surgeons' charges, is limited, and that therefore the number of Surgeons must necessarily be so too; while in the Indian service all executive appointments are tenable by any medical officer below tlio rank of Deputy Inspector
This would prevent the Surgeons in subordinate
the
General. nut
But the number of Surgeons in the British army is
limited to that of the Surgeons'
charges, a certain additional emergencies ; while, again, Assistant-Surgeons are allowed to hold charge of brigades and regiments during the absence of Surgeons. Moreover, the argument that the number of Surgeons should be proportioned to that of Surgeons' charges applies, a fortiori, to Surgeons-Major ; yet in a few years, unless the rules for promotion be altered, Assistant-Surgeons will be stepping at once, from mere length of service, to the grade of Surgeon-Major, before a vacancy for them has occurred in the rank of Surgeon. number being retained
on
the staff for
Wo believe that the extension to the British service of the twelve years' rule, now in force in the Indian Army, is matter of time. Promotion to the rank of Surgeon,
granted, is becoming slower and slower, and threatens be
virtually
at
a
stand-still.
only as
a
now
soon
to
Meantime the medical officers of
the Indian services
are obtaining their promotion after a uniform service, which, though very long compared with that period which used to be the average period of service as an AssistantSurgeon in the British army, is equal to, or, if anything, rather less than that now passed by British medical officers in the lower rank. In a few years, if no change be made, Assistant-Surgeons of upwards of twelve years' standing in the British army will find themselves superseded by their contemporaries in the Indian army, quoad rank, until both have completed twenty years' service, when they will resume their former relative positions. This state of matters will lead to too much jealousy and illfeeling between the services not to demand correction. We only hope that a more liberal spirit will be shown in adjusting
of
'
the relative ranks of the two Medical Services in this country, was shewn in the case of the combatants; and that no
than
attempt will be made to tinker up matters, as was done in the latter instance, by giving mere local and nominal rank as
Surgeons to all Assistant-Surgeons in the British army of twelve years' standing. The right of being promoted after serving twelve years on full pay should be extended to every AssistantSurgeon in the army. Any difficulty which might arise from the increase in the number of Surgeons thus produced be obvi"
might by allowing Junior Surgeons to hold medical charge of batteries of artillery, convalescent depots, and other appointments which are now held by Senior Assistant-Surgeons, many of whom would be promoted by the contemplated arrangement.
ated
ments
necessity of placing recently promoted positions, by attaching them to regi-
of which officers senior to them were in medical charge.
There would be
no
hardship
to
the
junior
ranks of the service
in this arrangement ; the same officers who now hold batteries and other charges as Assistant-Surgeons would then hold them as
Surgeons. We have
spoken of twelve years promotion should be given, merely rule in the Indian services. 1
But
question whether this period is
as
the
period
after which
because such is now the
we
have not entered into the As one or not.
unduly long present, promotion after twelve years would be a great boon to Assistant-Surgeons in the British service, and cannot in fairness be withheld from them, while granted to
matters stand at
their Indian brother officers.
an
