I was trying to establish if the medical apparatus of the Portuguese army on the Peninsular War was a replica of the British system. Thanks to your answer and those from the other contributors I understand much better this subject. A final question, a Mr. Ferguson was appointed to be inspector of the Portuguese military hospitals. I know he was Deputy Inspector in Britain; this inspectors were surgeons or physicians, right? I found strange that Dr. Halliday, on the chapter about the Portuguese military medical services, on his 1812 book about Portugal, never calls Ferguson by Dr but always as Mr.
Beresford enforced a reform of the system using Ferguson and maybe a dozen of British Staff Surgeons appointed to the Portuguese Services.They were posted at the military hospitals and with the brigades He also established a board to review the qualifications and approve the candidates. The Portuguese regiments (2 battalions) would have 1 surgeon an 4 assistants; the Caçadores battalions, 1 surgeon and two assistants. They were all Portuguese and rarely this establishment was complete.
Thank you!