The Competition for the Medical Services

TO THE EDITOR OE THE " INDIAN MEDICAL GAZETTE. Sie,?I liave just seen in your issue of the 1st of December of last year, an article with the above heading. In this article the following passage occurs :?" In 1873 Mr. Cardwell, by the advice of some patriots who prefer to serve their country on the banks of Southampton Water to foreign service, abolished the regimental system." It is sufficiently apparent that the " patriots" here referred to are the Professors in the Army Medical School, or the senior officers of the Eoyal Yictoria Hospital, or both. It is no part of my business to give any opinion on the merits of the changes introduced into the organization of the Medical Department of the Army, but I am able to give an unqualified contradiction to the above statement. The " patriots, who serve on the banks of Southampton Water," had about as much to do with the abolition of the regimental system as they had with the abolition of purchase ; neither Mr. Cardwell nor his successor ever asked their advice on this or any other part of the new organization scheme, and I am equally certain that no advice was volunteered on the