TABLE NO. 159.-American Red Cross invalid ration for American prisoners of war.

The Medical Department, like all other departments of the Army, has grown during the past year at an unprecedented rate. The increase has naturally been most marked in the Medical Reserve Corps. Thousands of physicians and surgeons in civil practice, inspired by a desire to be of service in the present emergency, have applied for and accepted commissions in the Medical Reserve Corps. According to the Surgeon General's report of June, 1917, there were on June 30, 1916, in active service, 443 officers of the Medical Corps, and 146 officers of the Medical Reserve Corps.

On June 30, 1917, two and a half months after war was declared, there were in the Medical Corps, 489 officers on active duty, an increase of 10 per cent, and 3,636 officers of the Medical Reserve Corps on active duty, an increase of 2,390 per cent.

On June 30, 1918, there were in the Medical Corps, in active service, 867 medical officers, an increase of 81 per cent over 1917, and of 95 per cent over 1916. On the same date, there were in the Medical

Reserve Corps, in active service, 20,855 medical officers, an increase of 416 per cent over 1917 and 14,284 per cent over 1916.

There were in the United States in 1916, 146,332 physicians, so with 20,855 officers of the Medical Reserve Corps in active service, there are in the first 15 months after declaration of war, 14.65 per cent of the entire civilian medical profession of the United States on active duty as medical officers of the Army. This showing is most gratifying as indicating the disposition on the part of the civil medical profession of supplying whatever number of medical officers may be needed for the protection of the health and well-being of the American soldiers.

The following tables show the strength at different periods during the fiscal year from June 30, 1917, to June 30, 1918, of the Regular Medical Corps; Medical Reserve Corps; Medical Corps, National Guard; Medical Corps, National Army; the Regular Dental Corps; Dental Corps, National Guard; Veterinary Corps; the Sanitary Corps; and the Nurses Army Corps:

TABLE NO. 160.—Strength of the personnel, commissioned, enlisted, and otherwise, of the Medical Department on June 30, 1917.

Table No. 161 shows the strength of the Medical Corps, by months, from June 30, 1917 to June 30, 1918. The Medical Corps is composed of the commissioned medical officers of the Regular Army: TABLE NO. 161.-Strength of the Medical Corps, by months, June 30, 1917, to June

The following changes in the Regular Medical Corps occurred from June 30, 1917, to June 30, 1918:

The Medical Officers Reserve Corps (the successor of the old Medical Reserve Corps) came into existence on June 3, 1917. Most of the officers of the old Medical Reserve Corps were transferred to the new, and a large number of additional officers have been commissioned and assigned to active service.

The following table shows the strength of the Medical Reserve Corps, by months and by grades, from June 30, 1917, to June 30, 1918:

TABLE NO. 163.-Strength of Medical Reserve Corps, by months, June 30, 1917. to June 30, 1918.

The Medical Corps of the National Guard includes those officers holding commissions in State organizations which were mobilized under Federal control.

The following table shows the strength of the Medical Corps, National Guard, by months and by grades, from January 31, 1918, to June 30, 1918:

3

'ABLE 164.—Strength of Medical Corps, National Guard, by months, June 30. 1917, to June 30, 1918.

The following table shows the changes in the Medical Corps, National Guard, from June 30, 1917, to June 30, 1918:

TABLE NO. 165.-Medical Corps, National Guard—Continued. APPOINTED OR DRAFTED INTO FEDERAL SERVICE SINCE AUG. 5, 1917.

Majors...
Captains...
Lieutenants..

Total.

MEDICAL CORPS.

Number

4. MEDICAL CORPS-NATIONAL ARMY.

The Medical Corps of the National Army consists of those officers of the Regular Corps or Reserve Corps, who were commissioned to vacancies in the National Army in accordance with the national defense act of June 3, 1916.

The following table shows the strength of the Medical Corps. National Army, by months and grades, from June 30, 1917, to June 30, 1918:

TABLE NO. 166.-Strength of Medical Corps, National Army, by months, June 30. 1917, to June 30, 1918.

The Dental Corps is made up of officers commissioned as dental surgeons in the Regular Army.

The following table shows the strength of the Dental Corps, by months and by grades, from June 30, 1917, to June 30, 1918:

TABLE NO. 167.-Strength of Dental Corps, by months, from June 30, 1917, to June