receiving ships in numbers proportionate to the necessities of the case. Surgeon’s  stewards  to  rank  next  after master-at-arms  [who  was  the  leading  petty officer of the vessel],  and  surgeon’s  stew- ards are never to be discharged without the consent  of  the  officer  appointing  them  or their  successor,  except  by  sentence  of  a court-martial   (U.S.   Navy   Regulations, 1865). An  order  of  the  Navy  Department  dated  8 December  1866  reads  in  part: The  designation  of  persons  serving  as surgeon’s  stewards  is  changed  to  that  of Apothecary, and they will be appointed for duty  in  the  Medical  Department  of  the Navy, ashore and afloat, in the same man- ner as surgeon’s stewards have theretofore been appointed. A candidate for examina- tion  and  first  enlistment  as  apothecary must be a graduate of some recognized col- lege of pharmacy and must be between 21 and  28  years  of  age  (U.S.  Navy  Regula- tions,  1896). About the year 1873, the title of male nurse was  changed  to  that  of  bayman. The surgeon’s division shall consist of all junior   medical   officers   of   the   ship,   the apothecary,  and  the  baymen.  Baymen  shall be  given  a  course  of  instruction  on  board the  receiving  ship  or  at  a  naval  hospital before  being  drafted  for  service  on  a  sea- going  ship. Baymen   [formerly   called nurses] are personal attendants on the sick (U.S.  Navy  Regulations,  1893). THE  CORPS’  ESTABLISHMENT  IN 1898 The Hospital Corps came into existent as an organized unit of the Medical Department under the provisions of an act of Congress approved 17 June 1898. This act provided for appointment to the warrant rank of pharmacist and established the  following  ratings: 1.  Hospital  Steward  (chief  petty  officer) 2.   Hospital Apprentice First Class (third class petty  officer) 3.  Hospital  Apprentice 2-2 Under this act, the Secretary of the Navy ap- pointed  25  senior  apothecaries  as  pharmacists. These original 25 are rightfully referred to as the charter  members  of  the  Hospital  Corps.  The  dean of  these  was  Cornelius  O’Leary,  who  was  credited at  date  of  appointment  with  almost  38  years  of service as an apothecary. In 1900, during the Boxer uprising in China, the   first   member   of   the   Hospital   Corps   was awarded the Medal of Honor. The citation reads in part: “Stanley,  Robert,  Hospital  Apprentice, USN  in  action  with  the  relief  expedition of  the  Allied  Forces  in  China  during  the battles  of  13,  20,  21,  and  22  June  1900. Throughout this period and in the presence of   the   enemy, Stanley  distinguished himself   by   meritorious   conduct.” Stanley retired from the Navy on 1 February 1939 with the rank of Chief Pharmacist and died on 15 June 1942. A total of four Medals of Honor were  awarded  to  hospital  corpsmen  prior  to  World War 1. An act of Congress approved 22 August 1912 provided that pharmacists, after 6 years from date of   warrant   and   after   satisfactorily   passing prescribed  examinations,  should  be  commissioned chief  pharmacists. The  Hospital  Corps  was  reorganized  by  an  act of  Congress  approved  29  August  1916.  This  act is considered of sufficient importance to quote in part: Hereafter  the  authorized  strength  of  the Hospital  Corps  of  the  Navy  shall  equal three  and  one-half  percentum  of  the authorized  enlisted  strength  of  the  Navy and Marine Corps, and shall be in addi- tion, thereto, and as soon as the necessary transfers or appointments maybe effected, the  Hospital  Corps  of  the  United  States Navy  shall  consist  of  the  following  rates: Chief  Pharmacist,  Pharmacists,  and  en- listed men classified as Chief Pharmacist’s Mates;  Pharmacist’s  Mates,  First  Class; Pharmacist’s  Mates,  Second  Class;  Phar- macist’s Mates Third Class; Hospital Ap- prentice, First Class, Hospital Apprentice, Second   Class;   such   classifications   in enlisted ratings to correspond respectively to the enlisted rating, Seaman branch. *** Provided,  That  enlisted  men  in  other rating in the Navy and Marine Corps and