THE MEDICAL SERVICE AND THE NEW FURLOUGH RULES* We observe, with much regret, that the new Furlough Rules have been agaiu unfavorably modified with reference to the Medical Service.
Only
a
short time ago, the medical charge of a regiment was an appointment, and therefore not to be retained
ruled to be not
by a regimental officer proceeding on furlough. Wo now learn that the Governor-General in Council, having considered tho views expressed by the several local governments and administrations, is of opinion that a medical officer in charge of a civil should, when proceeding on furlough, retain a lien on appointment, i. e., the charge of a civil station of the same class, or some other civil charge of equal emoluments ; but that he should not, as a general rule, havo any claim to reappointment to the same station. One of the great boons of the new Furlough Regulations was tho security apparently given to holders of staff appointments and regimental charges. Under tho old rules, when a period of six months' absence involved the forfeiture of appointment, men hesitated to take furlough unless compelled to do so by sickness. The holder of the medical charge of a regiment was unwilling to separate himself from his old corps, or to run the risk of station some
similar
findin"1 himself weeks or months
on
return to India condemned to remain for
unemployed pay. The Civil Surgeon attached his pet hospital, or his opportunities of varied work, his to emolument, would not leave his appointment, knowing that once *
on
question ; we should like to hear what who did not hold a snug appointment.?Ed.,
There i8 another side to the
would be said by I. M, O.
a man
THE INDIAN MEDICAL GAZETTE.
168
quitted for more than six months it was lost to him for ever. Therefore, when at the end of last year the new Furlough Rules were published, all medical officers, holding civil or other charges supposed to be appointments, congratulated themselves, for had they not the assurance of the Right Hon'ble the Secretary of State for India that leave, taken under these rules, would not involve forfeiture of appointment. Some there were, doubtless, who, taught by past experience, looked for modifications to mar the fulness of the gift; and it appears that they are not likely to be disappointed. All must feel that the manner in which the new "Furlough Rules have been construed, with reference to holders of medical appointments, has robbed them of much of their value. We cannot but deplore the action taicen in this matter by the Governor-General in Council.
Far be it from
cavil at the decisions of the head
us
to criticise
or
of the Government, but to the disadvantage of the
these modifications of general rules, Medical Service, must tend to foster discontent within its ranks,
and to perpetuate that feeling of distrust which has so long prevailed among medical students, and has deterred so many good men
from
entering
the Medical Service of Government.
We observe that the the
English
medical
journals
have taken up
subject.
The Lancet of the 24th of
April last has a leading article on hardship entailed on regimental medical officers by their being excluded from participation in the privileges granted by the new Furlough Rules ; and from this, in a subsequent number, springs a recital of all the wrongs the Indian Medical Service has endured, and the disadvantages it is now supposed to labor the
under. The effect of such articles cannot be otherwise than dis-
couraging to
to those who should recruit our
ranks,
and disastrous
the future prospects of the service. We fail to see any reason for special modifications of the
Furlough
Rules in their
application
to
new
the Medical Service. The
advantages conferred by them were given to the army, of which the service forms part and parcel. We cannot see how it can be maintained that the medical charge of a regiment is not an
appointment, or the justice of obliging a medical officer taking furlough to forfeit such a post, while a military officer, in like circumstances, retains his command. That it should have been thought wise to deprive a civil medical officer proceeding on furlough of his appointment is a puzzle to us. There seem to us to be many and obvious reasons for
thinking
that such
appointments
should be permanent, and Department been
we believe that had the head of the Medical
consulted, a different decision would have been arrived at. We do not, however, care to join issue on this score. The point on which we wish to lay all stress is, that a benefit conferred on the army at large has been, by uncalled-for special legislation, explained away, so as to become valueless to the medical branch of the service. We throw to the winds as worthless the ruling that the despoiled officer returning from furlough shall have a lien upon an appointment similar in value to that which he has lost. How if there be no appointment of similar value vacant; or if there be many claimants and few vacancies ? Surely the officer who has weakly relinquished his appointment to take
furlough is not better off than he would have been under the old regime, when he might always look for another appointment
if he could get it,
[August
2, 1869.
Only
a
short time ago, the medical charge of a regiment was an appointment, and therefore not to be retained
ruled to be not
by a regimental officer proceeding on furlough. Wo now learn that the Governor-General in Council, having considered tho views expressed by the several local governments and administrations, is of opinion that a medical officer in charge of a civil should, when proceeding on furlough, retain a lien on appointment, i. e., the charge of a civil station of the same class, or some other civil charge of equal emoluments ; but that he should not, as a general rule, havo any claim to reappointment to the same station. One of the great boons of the new Furlough Regulations was tho security apparently given to holders of staff appointments and regimental charges. Under tho old rules, when a period of six months' absence involved the forfeiture of appointment, men hesitated to take furlough unless compelled to do so by sickness. The holder of the medical charge of a regiment was unwilling to separate himself from his old corps, or to run the risk of station some
similar
findin"1 himself weeks or months
on
return to India condemned to remain for
unemployed pay. The Civil Surgeon attached his pet hospital, or his opportunities of varied work, his to emolument, would not leave his appointment, knowing that once *
on
question ; we should like to hear what who did not hold a snug appointment.?Ed.,
There i8 another side to the
would be said by I. M, O.
a man
THE INDIAN MEDICAL GAZETTE.
168
quitted for more than six months it was lost to him for ever. Therefore, when at the end of last year the new Furlough Rules were published, all medical officers, holding civil or other charges supposed to be appointments, congratulated themselves, for had they not the assurance of the Right Hon'ble the Secretary of State for India that leave, taken under these rules, would not involve forfeiture of appointment. Some there were, doubtless, who, taught by past experience, looked for modifications to mar the fulness of the gift; and it appears that they are not likely to be disappointed. All must feel that the manner in which the new "Furlough Rules have been construed, with reference to holders of medical appointments, has robbed them of much of their value. We cannot but deplore the action taicen in this matter by the Governor-General in Council.
Far be it from
cavil at the decisions of the head
us
to criticise
or
of the Government, but to the disadvantage of the
these modifications of general rules, Medical Service, must tend to foster discontent within its ranks,
and to perpetuate that feeling of distrust which has so long prevailed among medical students, and has deterred so many good men
from
entering
the Medical Service of Government.
We observe that the the
English
medical
journals
have taken up
subject.
The Lancet of the 24th of
April last has a leading article on hardship entailed on regimental medical officers by their being excluded from participation in the privileges granted by the new Furlough Rules ; and from this, in a subsequent number, springs a recital of all the wrongs the Indian Medical Service has endured, and the disadvantages it is now supposed to labor the
under. The effect of such articles cannot be otherwise than dis-
couraging to
to those who should recruit our
ranks,
and disastrous
the future prospects of the service. We fail to see any reason for special modifications of the
Furlough
Rules in their
application
to
new
the Medical Service. The
advantages conferred by them were given to the army, of which the service forms part and parcel. We cannot see how it can be maintained that the medical charge of a regiment is not an
appointment, or the justice of obliging a medical officer taking furlough to forfeit such a post, while a military officer, in like circumstances, retains his command. That it should have been thought wise to deprive a civil medical officer proceeding on furlough of his appointment is a puzzle to us. There seem to us to be many and obvious reasons for
thinking
that such
appointments
should be permanent, and Department been
we believe that had the head of the Medical
consulted, a different decision would have been arrived at. We do not, however, care to join issue on this score. The point on which we wish to lay all stress is, that a benefit conferred on the army at large has been, by uncalled-for special legislation, explained away, so as to become valueless to the medical branch of the service. We throw to the winds as worthless the ruling that the despoiled officer returning from furlough shall have a lien upon an appointment similar in value to that which he has lost. How if there be no appointment of similar value vacant; or if there be many claimants and few vacancies ? Surely the officer who has weakly relinquished his appointment to take
furlough is not better off than he would have been under the old regime, when he might always look for another appointment
if he could get it,
[August
2, 1869.
