An alteration to building No. 10, used as the station infirmary, consisting of a diet kitchen, was made by station labor and material under authority from the bureau and the Supervising Architect. This alteration fills a long-felt need, and the fact that it was made entirely from material on hand and with the station force, who were already quite well occupied with routine work, would seem to indicate that it constituted an economy. The property and stock accounting system, which was developed by Surg. F. C. Smith, has been continued in force, and has resulted in considerable saving of property. COST OF MAINTENANCE. The cost per diem per patient was $1.7948, showing a slight decrease over the cost per diem per patient for the previous year. There has been no attempt to stint patients in the matter of diet, but reasonable economies have been effected wherever possible. The figure given above is based on all items of expenditure, less reimbursements from officers and others for subsistence supplies ($2,997.44) and receipts from the sale of beef hides, cement and grain sacks, horses, and condemned rubber goods ($2,501.39). If reimbursements are not considered, the cost per patient per day amounts to $1.8665. The purchased ration cost $0.3599 per capita, and the cost of ration, including station products figured at market prices, amounted to $0.6785 per capita. Repairs and renewals of mechanical equipment amounted to $5,188.43. The sum of $11,600 for concreting the south reservoir was charged on last year's report, and is not included in the amount given above. The concreting of the south reservoir was completed during the current fiscal year, and payment has been nearly completed. The transaction will be closed at the time there has been a depth of 6 feet of water in the reservoir for a sufficient length of time to determine that there is no leakage. When this construction was completed, it was expected that the tank would be filled by a pipe line to be put in by the E. P. & S. W. R. R. system; but since the railroad has taken no action, a filling has been begun from the station water supply, No. 3 pump being operated about 9 hours per day for this purpose. The process is necessarily slow, and at the time this report is made there is something less than a depth of 5 feet of water in the reservoir. LIBRARY. There is maintained at Fort Stanton for the benefit of officers, patients, and attendants, a circulating library without expense to the Government. On June 30, 1917; there were 3,398 bound volumes, comprising fiction, 2,606; miscellaneous subjects, including religion, travel, history, science, etc., 792. From private funds contributed at this station, 26 magazines and 1 daily paper are subscribed for. During the fiscal year just ended, a donation of 80 bound volumes was received from the Syracuse Library of New York. As will readily be understood, the circulating library has given a considerable amount of healthy recreation and instruction to patients at this station. The magazines above referred to include a number of magazines devoted to tuberculosis work, and the information contained in these publications has had a salutary effect in impressing upon the patients the necessity of following the strict régime of the sanatorium. It is to be regretted that the Government has never seen fit to contribute in any way to the support of the library. FARM AND HERD. On June 30 there were approximately 2,022 (range herd 1,832, dairy herd 190) cattle. The operations of the cattle and dairy herds, reckoning beef at market prices and milk at the cost of production, has shown a slight profit. The profit for the year ending June 30, 1917, has been cut down considerably because of weather conditions, the precipitation having been less during the months beginning January 1 and ending June 30 than has been the case for a number of years in this section of the country. It may be stated that the number of cattle on hand as shown above does not include 23 registered Hereford bulls, received after July 1, 1917. The hog herd has also shown considerable profit, and it is believed that during the fiscal year 1918 it will be possible to cure ham and bacon at considerable saving to the Government. There were on hand July 30, 642 hogs. Poultry and garden products have been produced at a loss, but it is believed that owing to the facts that early in the summer it was possible to practice irrigation upon the station garden, and because of the bureau allowing the employment of three additional men, that the garden during the fiscal year 1918 will be operated at a profit rather than a loss, which has been the case heretofore. The total number of horses and mules on hand June 30 was 70. While there was a considerable number of deaths during the year among the cattle, hogs, and horses, there were practically no deaths due to preventable diseases. Total expenditures... Reimbursements from officers and others for subsistence supplies. $2,997.44 Net expenditure. 2,501.39 PERSONNEL. Under authority of section 4 of the act of Congress approved July 1, 1902, the President issued an Executive order constituting the Public Health Service a part of the military forces in time of actual or threatened war, and the following bulletin was issued by the War Department: Bulletin No. 21. WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, April 21, 1917. The following Executive order is published to the Army for the information and guidance of all concerned: Executive order. Under the authority of the act of Congress, approved July 1, 1902, and subject to the limitations therein expressed, it is ordered that hereafter in times of threatened or actual war the Public Health Service shall constitute a part of the military forces of the United States, and in times of threatened or actual war, the Secretary of the Treasury may, upon request of the Secretary of War or the Secretary of the Navy, detail officers or employees of said service for duty either with the Army or the Navy. All the stations of the Public Health Service are hereby made available for the reception of sick and wounded officers and men, or for such other purposes as shall promote the public interest in connection with military operations. Under this authority, the Secretary of the Navy on June 13, 1917, made the following request: SIR: Many of the experienced sanitarians of the Navy are now engaged upon important work with the fleet, and at other places, and the Navy Department desires to take advantage of the provisions of the act of July 1, 1902, by obtaining a detail of 15 sanitarians of the Public Health Service for duty with the Navy, and such detail of officers is hereby requested. The Surgeon General of the Navy has discussed informally this matter with Surg. Gen. Blue, and acquainted him with the purposes of the services of these men. Sincerely, yours, JOSEPHUS DANIELS. Washington, D. C. The honorable the SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY, In accordance with this request, 13 commissioned medical officers were detailed to that department, and 1 commissioned officer to the Surgeon General of the Army upon the request of that department. These trained medical officers are acting as sanitary advisers at military cantonments and shore stations of the Navy. In accordance with the act of June 27, 1914, 16 commissioned medical officers are serving upon Coast Guard cutters in the Navy upon outside patrol duty, and 1 officer, under the approval of the President, was detailed to the hospital relief ship Surf. Congress, recognizing the fact that these officers were serving in actual warfare, and upon distant stations beyond the sea, passed the following joint resolution, which was approved by the President July 9, 1917: Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That when officers of the United States Public Health Service are serving on Coast Guard vessels in time of war, or are detailed in time of war for duty with the Army or Navy in accordance with law, they shall be entitled to pensions for themselves and widows and children, if any, as are now provided for officers of corresponding grade and length of service of the Coast Guard, Army or Navy, as the case may be, and shall be subject to the laws prescribed for the government of the service to which they are respectively detailed. Certain questions having arisen as to the scope and protection afforded by this joint resolution, it was submitted to the Comptroller of the Treasury for decision, and under date of August 6, 1917, he stated as follows: * * * as are As this resolution was originally passed by the Senate it provided that officers serving under the prescribed details should be entitled to "all the rights, privileges, benefits, and allowances, including rights to pensions now provided for officers of corresponding grade and length of service in the Coast Guard." But it was amended in the House and the provision granting "all the rights, privileges, benefits, and allowances was stricken out so that the resolution as finally enacted into law makes these officers subject to the laws prescribed for the government of the service to which they are respectively detailed but gives them no rights, privileges, benefits, or allowances other than pensions. In this connection see Congressional Record of June 28, 1917. You are advised, therefore, that commissioned officers of the Public Health Service, detailed for service with the Navy, are entitled to only the pay and allowances which they are entitled by law to receive when not so detailed, that is to say, when performing their regular duties under the direction of the Secretary of the Treasury. It will therefore be seen that this resolution, originally intended to give these officers equal status and protection while serving at the front with the other military forces, failed to carry out the intention. The subject is deserving of serious consideration and proper legislation, because all medical officers are liable to military service at the front, should the necessity arise. COMMISSIONED MEDICAL OFFICERS. At the commencement of the fiscal year, July 1, 1916, the commissioned corps consisted of the Surgeon General, 1 assistant surgeon general at large, 13 senior surgeons, 72 surgeons, 37 passed assistant surgeons, and 63 assistant surgeons. The changes during the fiscal year were as follows: One surgeon was promoted to grade of senior surgeon to fill vacancy; 2 passed assistant surgeons were promoted to the grade of surgeon; 9 assistant surgeons to the grade of passed assistant surgeon; and 29 candidates, who passed the examination required by the Laws and Regulations |