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
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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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    (§ 412), leaving if.s.SOO as his pay and allowances—the equivalent of 17.s. Sd. daily at home, as against the Medical Staff Surgeon's Rs.34o 12a. 2p., the equivalent of ISs. 9rf. at home; and this without deducting tentage, which would give the Veterinary Surgeon a further advantage of Rs.2b monthly in ordinary allowances. Uompari- son of allowances of Surgeon with allow- ances of Subaltern. 31, (ii,) It has been pointed out that, with tentage deducted, the allowances of a Surgeon under five years' service are i?.5.1ii9 2a. Bp. monthly. A Lieutenant, after three years' service, receives Rs.2b(^ 10a. monthly (§ 300 Dj. His military pay proper is i?.9.60 14a. (§ 300 F), and his tentage allowance Ks.oO (% 975). This leaves him RsA^b 12a. montlily in ordinary allowances, as against /^s.l09 2a. 8p. of the Surgeon xmder five years' service, and the Rs.^i la. 6/). of the Surgeon of five years' service. Presidency house rent not obtain- able by junior Sur- geons. 32. (iii.) A Surgeon of the Medical Staff is allowed special allowances, such as presidency house rent, at the rate accorded to his }-elative rank (Indian Army Circiilars, 1882, Clause 20). This presidency house rent is not. however, admissible to Medical Officers doing duty at a presidency town on first appointment (§ 101, Indian Army Regulations, Vol. I., Part I.). In this special allowance, therefore, the junior Surgeon is not likely to, and, as a matter of fact, seldom does partake. Surgeon pays mess- ing accord- ing to rate for relative rank. 33. (iv.) According to Indian Transport Regulations, Part II.. § 430 and § 433 (Amended Military Department, No. 83c, ]7th January, 188.5), a Surgeon is charged messing on board Indian Government transports, according to his relative rank. It will be seen from this that Surgeons of the Medical S+aff serve in India imder the anomalous condition of having, under some circumstances, their relative rank recognised, and, under others, of having it ignored; recognised too when they pay. and ignored when they are being paid. Special 34. In closing this criticism, while the above notes from the main evidence in reasons for connection with the pay of the British Army Surgeons in India, it is necessary to add that the discontent, which prevails so largely amongst these Officers, depends also on the feeling that there are special reasons why the Indian Government should deal with them liberally, certainly as liberally as they are dealt with at home. The special reasons are mainly these— liberal treatment. Horse allowance. 35. (i.) Their duties are unusually varied, and. even in ordinary cantonments, difficult to perform vathoiit the use of a horse. Formerly Surgeons were gi-anted horse allowance, hut this was discontinued in Indian Army Circulars, 1882, Clause 21, though the work remained the same. It was re-granted in Indian Army Circulars, 1885, Clause 54, but for duties that occur only intermittently, so that a Surgeon has now to obtain a horse each time he performs these duties, or else keep one up permanently. Duties with 3g_ jjg |g liable, and often has to perform duties with native troops without native drawing the usual charge allowances (§ 506—III., Indian Army Regulations, Vol I., Part I.). Such duties were performed by myself, under order, for six weeks without this allowance, in consequence of the above paragraph. troops. Travelling 37 (^{{{ -^ |t is a generally acknowledged fact, that he is liable to more frequent duties. travelling duties than other Officers in the Army. Leave dis- 38. (iv.) He undergoes special disadvantages in the matter of leave. He is the advantages, only Officer, the natme of whose duties preclude him from enjoying the Thursday and Sunday holidays granted to the Indian arms weekly. Privilege leave is frequently miobtainable, and recalls from it of constant occurrence, because the hot weather is the season when his duties are the most arduous, and when he can least be spared. Messing disadvan- tages. 39. (v.) Having no messes, or mess allowances of his own, he is at special dis- advantages and expenses with regard to messing. Outlay on 40, (vi,) He is the Officer, of all others, whose duties and qualificati'^ni! have professional necessitated a large outlay, before entering the Service, in university and other education, professional education. W, G. MACPHERSON, M.A., M.H., Su7-geon, Modical Staff. Kasauli, 21th September, 1886.