"ABOVE ALL DISCIPLINE"

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2523, 31 July 1915, Page 3

"ABOVE ALL DISCIPLINE"

FOR PROFESSIONAL MEN: 'AS WELD AS SOLDIERS. '

An interesting statement on . the Medical and Dental Services ; with tha New; Zealand; Army at the fronthas been forwarded to the Defence Minister by Colonel Esson. A.Q.M.G. with our, Force. ' . ..

"Tho campaign so far," Colonel "Es-'i, son writes, "lias amply demonstrated" the wisdom of attaching dentists to an. • Expeditionary Force, . especially 0119 flora New Zealand, wliero artificial dentures, are the rule and not the exception. While it is freely admitted by. the dentists themselves that we liava not had full value for our money, and that some of their number have not conscientiously discharged their liability, to tho country, a lot of good work haa been done, and'-many men. have been made fit for service, while a lot of repairs, etc.] have been effected, without which numbers could not have kept the-field. The weakness which manifested itself iii this particular branch is common to most new organisations, . and one which can only. be overcome by] experience and training, and above all, discipline. It. is just as necessary for the professional men in an Army to" ha trained and disciplined as for the regular soldier. They cannot bo expected, ■' in war time, to suddenly develop- those qualities which, are just, as essential as ' professional knowledge. The professional man suddenly imported into a * military force, bo he chaplain, surgeon, or dentist, very often turns out a mora difficult proposition than an. attack on a defensive position.

"It is easy'to decry red tap© methods of recording cases and filling in army forms', which havo been brought into being as the result ,of many years'-' practical'experience, and the. necessity' for which has "been rather painfully impressed upon many of us in tracing the rush of casualties which" occurred iu therecent heavy .fighting.- In the field, in tho trenches, .and in ihe hospitals, however, .the. territorial surgeon lias behaved like a hero, and worked like a galley slave, for which we.lova hi:n, and it is perhaps the greatest' compliment that could be.paid the New Zealand Medical Corps when I add that our men are always most anxious to, be attended to by one of our own medical officers when ill or wounded."- 1