Page:Men of Mark in America vol 2.djvu/518



ALTER WYMAN, surgeon-general of the United States public health and marine hospital service, is a man whose ability and energy have been devoted to ameliorating the condition of the sailors and seamen of our merchant marine, to preventing by means of effective quarantine the gaining of a foothold in our country by dangerous diseases, and to organizing all the important work which falls to the charge of this increasingly useful branch of prophylactic science. The public health and marine hospital service dates from July 16, 1798, when congress passed an act for the relief of sick and disabled seamen, creating for this purpose "The Marine Hospital Fund." In 1871, the service was reorganized, and all hospitals were placed under the charge of a supervising surgeon, commissioned by the president. Later, this officer was called the supervising surgeon-general, and quarantine and public health functions were added to the duties of the service. In 1902, congress changed the name of the service to public health and marine hospital service of the United States. This act was of great benefit as it made the public health the prominent interest. The president was authorized by this act of congress, in times of threatened or actual war to utilize the officers of the public health and marine hospital service in such manner as his judgment might deem best. Provision was also made for the expansion of the hygienic laboratory, now in operation at Washington, by the addition of three new and important divisions and the formation of an advisory board representing the other government medical services and leading laboratories of the United States.

In this well-conducted and most useful service, the corps consists of a surgeon general, six assistant surgeons-general, twenty-nine surgeons, thirty-two past assistant surgeons, and fifty- five assistant surgeons. Besides these, who are commissioned officers, non-commissioned men act as assistant surgeons, sanitary inspectors, internes and pharmacists. There is a corps of forty-five pharmacists. Under the supervision of this service are twenty-two marine hospitals and