§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War if he can state the number of civil surgeons whose services have been accepted since the outbreak of hostilities in South Africa for the field hospitals and base hospitals, and the number of civil surgeons who are at present employed in these hospitals, and how many Army medical officers within two years from their entrance into the Army Medical Service have been sent to the war in South Africa; whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that of ninety-eight Army medical officers who are liable to be recalled to service, four only are employed in South Africa or in hospital ships, and that although many of them have requested to be sent to the scat of war their offers were refused; whether the authorities at the War Office are aware that the sending of Army medical officers without previous experience in campaigns, and the recognition of the services of civil surgeons while the services of retired Army medical officers have been rejected, has led to discontent and a feeling that the medical treatment of the troops will be wholly subordinate to purely military considerations; and will he cause inquiries to be made in the matter.
§ * THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. WYNDHAM,) DoverThe services of 385 civil surgeons have been accepted, principally for base hospitals and general duty; of these 363 are now in South Africa. This does not include those locally employed, or attached to private hospitals or to the Yeomany or the Rhodesian Field Force. One hundred and seventeen Royal Army Medical Corps officers under two years' service have been sent out. Of the ninety-eight officers liable to recall, as has been already stated, eighteen hold permanent military appointments at home, and very few volunteered for service in South Africa. Nothing is known of any general discontent to which the hon. Gentleman refers.