J R Army Med Corps: first published as 10.1136/jramc-06-02-11 on 1 February 1906. Downloaded from 175 ~ranslatton. THE MEDICAL SERVICE OF THE ITALIAN ARMy.l AFTER the capture of Rome in 1870 Italy became united and the Italian Army was reorganised. Though the north-east was comparatively easy of defence on account of its alpine character, the configuration of the country as a whole was not in favour of rapid concentrations, and the disproportionately great sea board of 2,800 kilometres increased the vulnerable points. A powerful navy was set to guard the coast, and a strong alpine corps, strong even on a peace footing, was provided to take charge of the mountain frontiers. The burden of conscription was made as light as possible, mobilisation being made regional; most of the army corps were disposed in the north, whilst the remainder were placed along Protected by copyright. the chief lines of communication. The resulting organisation is well devised, simple and vigorous, and yet not too costly. The country is divided into twelve districts for army corps, each including two divisions. Sardinia forms a special command, the 25th Division, being attached to the 9th Army Corps (Rome). The Army Corps are as follows: 1st Turin (Novare), 2nd Alexandria (Coni), 3rd Milan (Brexia), 4th Genoa (Placentia), 5th Verona (Padua), 6th Bologna (Ravenna), . 7th Ancona (Chieti), 8th Florence (Leghorn), 9th Rome (Perovia and 25th Division of Sardinia), 10th Naples (Salerno), 11th Bari (Catauzaro), 12th Palermo (Messina). Generals commanding Army Corps act territorially, having control of the troops and military establishments in their district. Generals under http://militaryhealth.bmj.com/ these command only infantry. The Artillery and Engineers do not conform to the aforementioned subdivisions, but are grouped into separate commands, the generals in charge of which are responsible directly to Inspectors-General of Ord­ nance. The Medical and Army Service Corps hiwe a regional organisa­ tion and are represented in each army corps by Directors-General.· For the purposes of recruiting, the country is divided into three great zones, upper, middle and lower Italy, and into 88 military districts sub­ divided according to the density of the population; 82 of the areas yielding one infantry regiment apiece, the 6 others yielding two on October 2, 2021 by guest. regiments. 1 Translated from the Article by F. Antony, Professor in the Val de Grace, Medecin.principal 2nd Cl., in the Archives de Medecine et de Pharmacie Militaire, 1904. J R Army Med Corps: first published as 10.1136/jramc-06-02-11 on 1 February 1906. Downloaded from 176 The Medical Service of the ItCLlian A1'my The districts are grouped in pairs and furnish reservists to the territorial Infantry Brigade. To forward national unity the annual contingents of recruits of each of the three great zones furnishes an approximately equal number of recruits, and every· four years infantry brigades are drafted to different garrisons. They pass from one zone to another and remaiu four years in the districts from which they were originally intended to draw their recruits. Through this arrangement the recruiting becomes national, whilst the mobilisation of reservists is regional. The Alpine troops are recruited from the 22 conscriptional areas of the frontier (northern) zone, and therefore territorially. At the head of each district a colonel or lieutenant-colonel is placed, who disposes of all questions affecting recruiting and mobilisation. In peace time the effective strength of the army varies with the time of the year. From September to the middle of March it is reduced to 173,000 men; during the remainder of the year it reaches 256,000 (1901). On an average there are 13,462 officers, 3,830 artificers, and 213,000 men with the colours, of whom 24,000 are carabinieri or gendarmes. Protected by copyright. The army consists of 115 Infantry regiments, 12 of which are Bersa­ glieri, and 7 Alpine regiments, all told 346 battalions. There are 24 cavalry regiments of 6 squadrons each, 4 heavy and 6 light lancer regiments and 14 of light horse; 26 regiments of artillery of which 12 are corps artillery, 12 divisional, 1 of horse, each of 8 batteries, 1 moun­ tain artillery regiment of 12 batteries, also a group of 3 in Venicia; 78 companies of coast and fortress artillery forming 6 regiments, and 6 companies of artillery artificers; a brigade of 5 regiments of sappers and a brigade of 6 companies of railway engineers, 12 companies of sanitary (Medical) corps, 12 companies of commissariat (Army Service) corps. Service is personally obligatory and lasts from the 1st of January of http://militaryhealth.bmj.com/ the year in which the man attains his 21st year, to the 31st December of the year in which he is 39 years of age. 'fhe service is eight years in the standing army-three years with the colours, and the remaining time on unlimited leave. The next four years are passed in the mobile militia, and last of all, from the 12th year, in the territorial militia for seven years. The whole contingent of recruits cloes not accomplish three years of service actually, with the exception of non-commissioned officers, who complete three years; cavalry alone serve three years. Most recruits serve a shorter time if they pass into the first class. Men who have on October 2, 2021 by guest. engaged voluntarily serve one, three or five years with the colours. These differences are governed by the state of the national exchequer. Recruits are called up at different times of the year: for cavalry in November and December, whilst the other branches are only called up in the March of the ensuing year. For the same reason the militia J R Army Med Corps: first published as 10.1136/jramc-06-02-11 on 1 February 1906. Downloaded from The Medical Service of the Italian Army 177 training has a variable length dependent upon financial considerations. Recruiting is conducted as follows;- The process lasts nearly throughout the year. During January the list is prepared by the Mayor of each Commune and is checked by the Municipal Council. Drawing of numbers takes place in April and May under the Commissioner of Levies, who rejects the visibly deformed and those who are below 5 feet li inches (1'54 metres) in height. From June to October the" Inscribed" men are called up before the Councils of Levies; after examination they are either admitted, adjourned or exempted. Those men who consider themselves suffering from infirmities unfitting them for service may be authorised to undergo examination by the Council of their locality. In October the Prefects and under-Prefects, with the Commandant of the district, verify the list of the local contingent and divide the men into two categories. The War Minister determines ultimately how many men of such class are to serve three, two or one years~ From November to March recruits attend at the office of their district, whflre they are examined by a medical officer in the presence of the Protected by copyright. Commandant of the district and of officers representing different branches of the service. The latter choose the numbers they require and take them to their destinations. The suitability for different kinds of service are settled at once. Those who are unfit for military service are eliminated and go before a " reform" commission. "Inscribed" men whose services are legally dispensed with form the third class of the contingent and pass into the territorial militia; they are only called up for very short periods of training. Men exempted on account of infirmities are not entirely liberated, as the Minister for .War can, during the two following years, have them re-examined. Students who, before the drawing of lots, engage to serve in the first http://militaryhealth.bmj.com/ category of the contingent may obtain leave extensions up to their 26th year. Those who voluntarily engage for one year pay 1,200 lires (£48) in the infantry and 1,600 lires (£68) in the cavalry. The population of Italy is over thirty-two millions. The number of " Inscribed" men reaches annually 300,000 to 315,000 men; to this number must be added the 90,000" Adjourned" men of previous years. In 1900 the Councils of IJevies only actually examined 387,444 men in con­ sequence of the non-appearance or disappearance of 27,000 "Inscribed" men. Of these 76,684 were exempted; 92,763 were adjourned; 86,253 received dispensation; 92,376 were declared fit. Besides these, in that on October 2, 2021 by guest. year 4,325 engaged voluntarily and 1,325 for. one year; 33 per cent. of the "Inscribed" were illiterate. The lowest standard of height is 1'55 metres. It was estimated in 1901 that the Italian Army could mobilise 3,330,000, consisting of:- J R Army Med Corps: first published as 10.1136/jramc-06-02-11 on 1 February 1906. Downloaded from 178 The Medical Service of the Italian ATmy Active Army 734,000 (486,000 on continned leave); Mobile Militia 320,000; Territorial Militia 2,275,000. 'The number of trained men did, however, not exceed 1,200,000. MEDICAL SERVICE AT HOME. Military Medical Oorps. The Service consists of a Medical Corps, the organisation of which is analogous to, that of other armies and to the Services of the Italian Army, and which, under the generals and pfficers, enjoys complete autonomy. The Service consists of: (1) Medical Officers; ,(2) S::mitary Companies. Besides this there are sick attendants, regimental stretcher bearers, and in the hospitals ,dispensers and paymasters.