A dental surgeon when assigned to a station will apply to the post commander for a suitable operating room. If no other room is available, the surgeon of the post may assign him a room in the hospital.

Each dental surgeon will ordinarily be allowed one enlisted man as an assistant, who will be detailed from the acting hospital stewards or privates of the Hospital Corps, and whose duty it will be to assist the dentist in his operations, in caring for the instruments and other public property, in keeping the records, and in the performance of such other official work pertaining to this position as he may be directed by the proper authority to do. When a member of the Hospital Corps is detailed as dentist's assistant he will receive commutation of rations at the rate of $1 daily, and will be provided with a suitable room as quarters by the Quartermaster's Department, except while on duty at a post, when he will be attached to the Hospital Corps or other organization for rations and quarters.

Necessary dental instruments and supplies will be purchased by medical supply officers under instructions from the Surgeon-General and in accordance with a supply table to be approved by the Secretary of War.

Dental surgeons will be held strictly responsible for all instruments and supplies issued to them and will be governed by army regulations and orders now in force, or hereafter to be issued, with reference to accountability for Government property.

In accordance with the act of Congress authorizing their employment, dental surgeons will "serve the officers and enlisted men of the Regular and Volunteer Army." The families of officers and civilian employees attached to the Army are not entitled to their services. In this connection acting assistant surgeons are to be regarded as commissioned officers.

Dental surgeons will operate between the hours of 9 a. m. and 4 p. m. only upon those officers and enlisted men who are entitled to their services. They may operate upon others not entitled to free service before and after these hours when their services are not required by those entitled to them, but material issued to them by the Government will only be used in operations upon officers and enlisted men of the Army.

Dental surgeons will not perform any operation upon officers or enlisted men of the Army or prescribe medicines for them other than those necessary for the treatment of the teeth and gums. This prohibition does not apply to cases of emergency where no medical officer is within reach, and where a dental surgeon is able to render the necessary surgical assistance to meet the immediate emergency.

Emergency work whether for officers or enlisted men should always have precedence. Plate work or restoration of teeth by any method will only be done for those who have lost teeth in the service and in the line of duty. For plate work or filling teeth only the cheaper materials will be supplied, but gold may be used, if the operating dentist sees fit to use it, at the expense of the individual operated upon.

Enlisted men requiring the services of the dental surgeon will, at an hour prescribed by the commanding officer, be conducted to the designated place under a noncommissioned officer, who will take with him and hand to the dentist a list of those reporting for treatment. This list will be entered in a daybook, ruled in column for surname, given name, rank, company, regiment, etc.; all headings to be the same as those borne on his monthly report.

All cases requiring treatment involving future appointment will be so noted, and the others will be marked according to the circumstances, as "treatment unnecessary," "further treatment unnecessary," "should be sent to the surgeon," etc. When future treatment is necessary the dentist will forward a card as follows:

Dental surgeons will submit a monthly report in duplicate (on prescribed blanks) of all official work done by them, giving all required data in every case in which professional services have been rendered. This report will be an exact copy of the register kept for the period. One copy will be sent on the last day of the month to the Surgeon-General and one to the chief surgeon of the department in which the dental surgeon is serving.

II. By direction of the Secretary of War, paragraph 511 of the Regulations is amended to read as follows:

"511. Vouchers covering bills for printing for department headquarters will, prior to payment, be submitted to the Secretary of War, except for printing done in the Philippine Islands or in foreign countries near thereto, where they will be subject to the approval of the commanding general of the division, or of the department in case there be no division. They will be made out on prescribed forms, the printing to be so described as to enable computations to be readily reviewed according to the customary methods in use among book and job printers. A sample of the printing will accompany each bill and on vouchers for work classed as 'special' in the circular of instructions the number of copies and rate per hundred will be stated, and on vouchers for other jobs the date of printing, number of copies, name and amount of type (number of thousand ems), number of tokens of press work, and rates per thousand ems and per token will be stated. The voucher will show grade and quantity of paper furnished by the printer and price charged. The vouchers thus prepared with the certificate of the officer ordering the work as to its necessity and propriety will be forwarded direct to the chief clerk of the War Department, with a letter of transmittal describing the inclosures, except for printing done in the Philippine Islands or in foreign countries near thereto, in which case the vouchers will be transmitted to the division commander."

By command of Lieutenant-General Miles:

H. C. CORBIN, Adjutant-General, Major-General, United States Army.

GENERAL ORDERS,

No. 53.

HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY,
ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE,
Washington, April 18, 1901.

I. By direction of the Secretary of War, paragraph 26, page 26, of the Regulations and Decisions pertaining to the Uniform of the Army of the United States, fourth edition, 1900, is amended to read as follows:

"UNIFORM OF CONTRACT SURGEONS AND CONTRACT DENTAL SURGEONS.

"26. Contract surgeons may wear the undress and field uniform of an assistant surgeon with the rank of first lieutenant, the shoulder straps and ornaments to be in silver instead of gold.

Contract dental surgeons will be permitted to wear the undress and field uniform of an assistant surgeon with the rank of first lieutenant, the straps and ornaments to be in silver instead of gold, and block letters "D. S." in silver embroidery to be placed between the bars of the shoulder straps."

II. By direction of the Secretary of War, the following paragraph is added to the Regulations and Decisions pertaining to the Uniform of the Army, fourth edition, 1900:

UNIFORM OF VETERINARIANS.

26. Veterinarians will wear the undress and field uniform of a second lieutenant of cavalry or artillery, according to arm of service, omitting the shoulder straps; collar and shoulder ornaments to be of white metal.

I. The following order of the President is, by direction of the Secretary of War, published for the information and guidance of all concerned:

EXECUTIVE MANSION, Washington, March 26, 1901.

In accordance with the provisions of section 40 of the act entitled "An act to increase the efficiency of the permanent military establishment of the United States,"

approved February 2, 1901, which authorizes the President to "prescribe the kinds and quantities of the component articles of the army ration, and to direct the issue of substitutive equivalent articles in place of any such components whenever, in his opinion, economy and a due regard to the health and comfort of the troops may so require," the following is promulgated for the information and guidance of all concerned:

The kinds and quantities of articles composing the army ration and the substitutive equivalent articles which may be issued in place of such components shall be as follows:

1 When the cost does not exceed that of fresh beef.

In Alaska 16 ounces of bacon, or, when desired, 16 ounces of salt pork, or 22 ounces salt beef.

3 When impracticable to furnish fresh meat.

To be ordered issued only when impracticable to use flour or soft bread.

5 In Alaska the allowance of fresh vegetables will be 24 ounces instead of 16 ounces.

When they can be obtained in the vicinity or transported in a wholesome condition from a distance, When impracticable to furnish fresh vegetables. In Alaska 38 ounces instead of 28 ounces.

8 Thirty per cent of the issue to be prunes when practicable.

When illumination is not furnished by the, Quartermaster's Department. In Alaska ounce instead of ounce.

2. For troops in the field in active campaign (field ration).

3. For troops when traveling otherwise than by marching or when for short periods they are separated from cooking facilities (travel ration).

4. For troops traveling on vessels of the United States Army transport service.

Food on transports for troops traveling will be prepared from the articles of subsistence stores which compose the ration for troops in garrison, varied by the substitution of other articles of authorized subsistence stores of equal money value when required. No savings will be allowed to troops on transports.

5. For use of troops on emergent occasions in active campaign (emergency ration). An emergency ration, prepared under direction of the War Department, will be issued to troops on active campaign, but will not be used at any time or place where regular rations are obtainable. It will be packed in a conveniently shaped package, and will be carried in the haversack or saddlebags and accounted for at inspection, etc., by the soldier.

6. Proportions of meat issues.

Fresh meats will ordinarily be issued seven days in ten and salt meats three days in ten. If fish (dried, pickled, or canned) is issued it will be in substitution of salt meat. The proportions of the meat issues may be varied at the discretion of department commanders, not, however, without due consideration being given to the equitable rights of contractors engaged in furnishing fresh meats to the troops under their commands.

7. Substitute when the issue of both fresh meat and vegetables is impracticable. Whenever the issue of both the fresh meat and vegetable components is impracticable, there may be issued in lieu of them canned fresh-beef-and-vegetable stew, at the rate of 28 ounces to the ration. WILLIAM MCKINLEY.

II. By direction of the Secretary of War, paragraphs 1251, 1252 as amended by G. O., No. 106, of 1898, from this Office, 1253 as amended by G. O., No. 78, of 1899, from this Office, 1254, 1255, and 1256 as amended by G. O., No. 6, January 12, 1900, from this Office, of the Regulations are revoked, and the following paragraphs, numbered 1251, 1252, 1253, 1254, 1255, 1256, 1256a, 1256b, 1256c, and 1256d, are inserted in place thereof:

"THE RATION.

"1251. A ration is the allowance for the subsistence of one person for one day, and varies in components according to the station of the troops or the nature of the duty performed, being severally known as the garrison ration, the field ration, the travel ration, and the emergency ration. The garrison ration is issued to troops in garrison or in permanent camps; the field ration to troops in the field in active campaign; the travel ration to troops traveling otherwise than by marching or when for short periods they are separated from cooking facilities; and the emergency ration to troops in active campaign for use on emergent occasions.

"1252. Enlisted men, hospital matrons, nurses in the Nurse Corps (female), general prisoners of war, and military prisoners at posts are each entitled to one ration in kind per day according to the station or the nature of the service, except that nurses are not entitled to rations while traveling; and when the rate of pay of a civilian employed with the Army does not exceed $60 per month, and the circumstances of his service make it necessary, and the terms of his engagement provide for it, there may be issued to him one garrison or field ration in kind per day according to the exigencies of the case.

1253. The kinds and quantities of articles composing the garrison ration, the field ration, and the travel ration, and the quantities computed for 100 rations, are as follows:

1 In Alaska, 16 ounces bacon, or, when desired, 16 ounces salt pork or 22 ounces salt beef.
2 In Alaska the allowance of fresh vegetables will be 24 ounces instead of 16 ounces.
3 In Alaska, 38 ounces instead of 23 ounces.