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Show KEEPS WATCH ON SEAMEN'S HEALTH Uncle Sam Will Take Good Care of His Merchant Crews. SEAMAN'S BOTTLE IS LATEST Contains Passports to Good Health by Providing Free Hospital Treatment Treat-ment Anywhere Days of the Dog's Life Now History. Washington. Uncle Sam is getting more watchful of the health of his merchant crews as the great American peace-time fleet continues to grow. The latest innovation of the United States shipping board in the "seaman's bottle," which has now become one of the cherished possessions of hundreds of American seamen. This little glass bottle, small enough to be carried in the vest pocket, contains con-tains passports to good health printed print-ed forms which, when filled out by a ship's captain, will gain admittance for the holder to any United States marine ma-rine hospital or relief station of the public health service in every important impor-tant port in the United States. On a foreign voyage the application will provide pro-vide the seaman with the best medical care, free of charge, ou application to the United States consular oflicer. At present the bottle Is being provided pro-vided only for men who have been trained for a sea career by the recruiting recruit-ing service of the shipping board, but in the opinion of Surgeon General Blue every American seaman should have one. It is in port that the new "seaman's bottle," which was originated by Dr. Louis W. Croke, medical director of the shipping board recruiting service, plays its chief part. A seaman in need of medical attention has merely to dig the bottle out of his kit, bring the printed form to his skipper to be filled out and then go ashore to the nearest federal official. Free Hospital Care. The label which bears the imprint of the board's recruiting service informs the seafarer that he is entitled to free hospital care no matter what his station sta-tion aboard ship. The term "seamen," it says, means not only the men who are employed on deck but persons employed em-ployed on board in the care, preservation preserva-tion or navigation of the ship, and it even includes those who are in the service, on board, of those engaged in such care, preservation or navigation. When discharged by the medical authorities au-thorities the American seaman is given free passage to the port from which he originally signed, unless the articles provide for discharge elsewhere, else-where, or if in a foreign port to some port in the United States. He must serve on board the ship on which his passage has been arranged if possible. The "seaman's bottle" not only will impress upon Americans who are going to sea the privileges to which they are rV entitled as seamen of the United States but will preserve the certificate ami keep it clean. Years ago, in the days of the clipper ship, anil even since that time, the sick or disabled American sailor at sea or in a foreign port had no resource but the charity of his captain or shipmates. ship-mates. Old-time skippers generally prescribed and supplied a blue pill and the crews were not burdened with funds to lend. Harrowing tales have been told of those dark days of the merchant marine, ma-rine, of men lorced to lie for weeks in cramped, foul-smelling forecastles, often beset by rats and "without proper food, light, air or clothing. If the man lived until the ship reached port some sort of care might be provided for him, but hundreds died, were buried at sea ; their togs were sold and they were soon forgotten. forgot-ten. Must Carry Medicines. But the days when the life of a sailor sail-or was a dog's life at best are now history. his-tory. Every vessel flying the American Ameri-can flag and engaged on long voyages is required to "carry a chest of tuedl-' cines suitable for the treatment of common ailments and injuries. Failure Fail-ure to comply with this law subjects the master or owners of the vessel to a heavy tine. Scurvy, that scourge of the old days, has practically disappeared from the American mercantile marine because ! of the liberal supplies of lime or lemon juice, sugar and vinegar that are now : required to be carried on every ship on a long voyage and to be given daily to the crew within ten days after salt j pro ins have been ehieliy served to them, ln the days of yore "sail iunk" was the main item on every foe'sle bnl I of fare. This food, consigned to the I vessel in barrels, was generally stowed below as ballast and sometimes remained re-mained there for a long time before being requisitioned for the crew. This diet, with the lack of fresh vegetables, caused scurvy. de.uuat e hospital facilities aboard ship also are provided. The law requires re-quires that in addition to the space allotted al-lotted for lodgings, which must be roomy and well ventilated, all merchant mer-chant vessels of the United States, which ordinarily make voyages of more than three days' duration between be-tween ports and which carry more than twelve seamen, shall have a suitable suit-able hospital compartment with at least one comfortable bunk for every twelve seamen aboard. |