HOSPITAL CORPS, UNITED

STATES. The Medical Services of both the Army and Navy have such corps, for which recruits are enlisted and trained to qualify for tending the inCapacitated and the wounded. The duties of the hospital corps are nonmilitary, and the personnel are only subject to drills nece ary for their physical efficiency. The army hospital corps consists of sergeants, corporals, cooks and privates, whose functions are to perform all needful hospital service in camp, garrison or field. The naval hospital corps undertakes like duties in naval hospitais, naval stations, navy yards and marine barracks and in subsidiary branches of the naval service, such as the coast survey. ‘The personnel embraces pharmacists, stewards and apprentices. Enlistments for the army hospital corps are made through army medical officers, and those for the navy corps (except apprentices, who can be enlisted like other recruits) through the Surgeon-General. itary order. Its pre-Christian foundajaon is merely traditional. The constant | stream of pilgrims to Holy Land, from the beginning of Christian era, increased after the erection of Church of Holy Sepulchre by Const an tine. Pope Gregory the Great, at close of VI. cent. founded a hospital at Jerusalem. Persians captured Jerusalem, 614, but Charlemagne established a protectorate over Holy Places, 797-99, and refounded Pope Gregory’s hospital, which was served by Benedictine monks from Mount of Olives. Turks captured Jerusalem, 1070-87, and destroyed ail Christian edifices. Christian merchants of Amalfi optained permi ion from Turks and established a hospital, c. 1050, again probably served by Benedictines; still under invocation of St. Mary. Gerard, d. 1120, was the true founder and first Grand Master of the later hospital, of which he became Institutor by papal bull, 1113. The Crusaders and every Western country bestowed lands en the hospital, and in 1113 the pope confirmed these grants. Gerard was succeeded by Raymond du Puy, d. 1158-60. Mention of a Constable in 1126 seems to point to military character already. From 1137 the Knights Hospitallers took prominent part in crusades. August in i an rule was given to the Order before 1153, as it was confirmed by Pope Eugenius [it.; threefold vow of poverty, chastity, obedience; duty to be servants of the pocr(fraires pauper i bus servientes). Succe ive regulations were codified by Grand Master Pierre d’Aubu on, 1489, On suppre ion of Templars, 13138, their lands were granted to Hospitallers. They were forced to fly from Jerusalem, 1187; held out against Saracens at Acre till 1291; held Rhodes, 1310-1522, and became known as Knights of Rhodes; Turks at last took Rhodes, 1522, and knights retired of Malta, granted them by Charles V., 1530. Grand Master strenuously continued war against Turks from the Order’s new home, and _ his succe or, La Vallette, defended Malta in famous siege, 1565. In XVIII. cent. Order became merely rich aristocratic picturseque institution. Po e ions in England were lost at Reformation; po e ions in France confiscated, 1792. Napoleon captured Malta, 1798. Malta is still seat of the Order.