Each regimental surgeon of the line, when provided with a chest of medicines, is required half yearly to make a return to the inspector of regimental hospitals, (under cover to the secretary at war,) of the medicines used by him during the preceding six months, and what remain; and this return must be accompanied by an affidavit taken before a magistrate, that none of the medicines have, to his knowlege, been converted to private purposes, or applied to any use but that of the regiment, or some other military service; for which he must produce the special orders of the commanding officer, or of the inspector of regimental hospitals.
Should a regiment of the line be placed in an unhealthy situation; or, from any prevailing disease, should the surgeon’s stock of a particular medicine be exhausted before the next yearly supply becomes due, he is to apply to the inspector of regimental hospitals, (under cover to the secretary at war) for a fresh supply; the existence of such cause for the extraordinary consumption of the medicines to be certified by the commanding officer.
If a medical officer of the line desires to use a medicine not in the dispensatory, he must procure it at his own expence.
Whenever wine is necessary for the sick of a regiment of the line, a return of the consumption thereof is to be made weekly to the inspector of regimental hospitals.
The medical and hospital expences of regiments of the line, and of their respective detachments, are to be inserted in the public accounts of the respective corps.
Every regimental surgeon is to make a report to the inspector of regimental hospitals, of the situation, size, rent, &c. of the hospital he proposes to hire; and unless on very pressing emergencies, no engagement is to be entered into without the permission of that officer, to whom is to be transmitted half yearly, viz. June 24th and December 24th, an abstract of the regimental hospital contingent expences, approved by the commanding officer of the regiment, accompanied with regular vouchers signed and certified by the paymaster.
When a soldier is punished, it is the duty of the regimental surgeon to attend at the execution of the sentence, and to see that the life of the culprit is not endangered by excessive rigor. He is, in fact, paramount to the commanding officer on this occasion, and ought to interfere whenever his judgment dictates. If any commanding officer should be hardy enough to continue the chastisement in spite of the surgeon’s interposition, the responsibility will then rest with him.
Assistant Surgeon. The person who acts immediately under the regimental surgeon. In the regulations for improving the situation of British regimental surgeons and mates, which took place in 1796, it is expressed, that surgeon’s mates in future are to be stiled assistant surgeons, and to be appointed by commission from the king, or by generals authorised by him. For further particulars respecting surgeons and assistant surgeons, see Military Finance, page 46.
Veterinary Surgeon. See [Veterinary].
SURINTENDANT des Fortifications, Fr. A place of great trust and considerable importance during the old French government. It was his duty to submit plans of places that were to be fortified, or of others that wanted repairing, to give in estimates of the expences that would attend the works, and to state to the directors the degrees of skill and activity which he had discovered in the different engineers who acted under him. He likewise communicated with the king on every weighty branch of ordnance. His allowance was fifty thousand livres per annum, out of which he gave six thousand livres, or 1200 dolls. to a first clerk, who received the like sum from the king for under-clerks and stationary.