Report and evidence into the pay, status and conditions of service of medical officers of the army, with evidence concerning the Indian Service.

  • Great Britain. War Office. Committee Appointed to Inquire into the Pay, Status, and Conditions of Service of Medical Officers of the Army.
Date:
1890
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report and evidence into the pay, status and conditions of service of medical officers of the army, with evidence concerning the Indian Service. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    APPETOIX No. 7. Letter No. I., from Dr. Barclay to Surgeon IMacphersou, asking for criticism on attaclied letter from the British Medical Journal. Offi.ce of Surgeon-General icith the Government of India, dated Simla, 227id September, 1886. Dear Sir, I am desired by Sm-geon-General Simpson, wlio lias been refen-ed to by His Excellency the Viceroy on the subject, to forward the enclosed statement of grievances, with a request that you will be so kind as to favour Ixiin with any criticisms which may occur to you on thinking over them. I am to beg that yom- criticisms may be an entirely impartial one, gi\-ing whatever evidence there may be on both sides of the question. Any criticism from one point of view alone would carry little force. I am, &c., A. BARCLAY, Secretary. Pay of British Army Surgeons in India. *' One who speaks from bitter experience writes :— I am glad to see that in some recent issues of the British Medical Journal atten- tion has been called to the pay of the junior Army Surgeons in India. The yoimg Surgeon is mduced to enter the Service under the fond delusion that he is to receive pay at the rate of 200/. per annum, with the allowances of a Staff Captain, Avhich, altogether, amounts to nearly 300Z. per annum. This he imdoubtedly receives during the few months he is allowed to remain at home; but on an-iving in India (usually within his first year of service) he finds that though he continues to wear the badges of rank of a Captain, accordmg to the Indian Army Regulations, he ranks with a Lieutenant for the first six years of his service, and diaws the allowances of that rank only. These, together ■«'ith his pay, amount to i?s.317 8a. per month (value of exchange being \s. b\d. the rupee). This is Rs.l?)2 80. less than the pay of a Regi- mental Captain, 8a. less than that of a junior Veterinary Surgeon, and actually Rs.l 8a. less than the pay of a young Subaltern on becoming a probationer for the Indian Staff Corps. But this gross injustice fades into insignificance to what follows. After the Surgeon attains five years' service at home, after this period of service, his pay is augmented by 50/. ]Der annum (equivalent to Rs.b% 5a. per month), Avhile in India he gets the overwhelming addition of Rs.lS 4a. per month, being at a loss of Rs.AO la. for the privilege of serving in that unhealthy climate. Nor is this all. At home, when travelling on duty, the Surgeon receives an allowance of 10s. per day; while in India, not only does he receive no such allowance, but has to provide himself ■with tents and transport for his baggage. Again, though the nature of his duties always necessitates his being mounted, he is not allowed horse allowance, except when actually marching with troops, though (I suppose as a sort of grim joke) the dress regulations authorize him to wear spurs. I hope you will find space to publish these few facts, if only iji justice to iutendng candidates, who I am sure, are about to enter the Service, as many have done before, under false impressions.—British Medical Journal, 24:th July, 188G. ( Statement of Grievances.)