The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-12-16
The WAR INVESTIGATION
General Brooke Severe In Criticism Of his
Former Chief Surgeon.
COL. nARTsUfF NEGLECTED HIS DUTIES
James Parker, a Sanitary Inspector,
Threatened with Court Martial
for n Report He Made.

Washington, December 15.--,Maior Gem
eral John r. Brooke testified before the
war investigating commission today that
most OF the volunteers at Camp Thomas
came supposedly with ten days ratiols, but
this was the so-callei field rations and at
first they were hungry. This was renie-
died by the commlssary department quite
promptly. The volunteers we've supplied
with all sorts OF tentage, most OF 1t an
tiauated; their uniforms were old and their
equipment On general Is what had been ac-
cunulsted through the parsimonlous poll
Icy Of the war department through the pre-
ceding twenty-five years"
/ Some were unamned and SOME in their
citizens clothes with only one blanket. me
| whole energies OF the commanding officers
were bent OH elulpping this Heterogeneous
mass OF men. but the work was necessarily
siow.
General Brooke said he had nothing to do
| with the selection OF the camp grounds but
being assigned there he made it his bust
-osS TO look after the water supply aud 10
! see that the necessary sanitary regulations
We're promulgated and enforced. He made
| personal inspections as frequently as MS
| TIME would permit and made strenuous eff
forts to regulate the entrance OF hucksters
| to the camp and as u result OF this ne SAID
| that the sick report fell Of from 80 to 90
pei cent. General Brooke said there was
| in the beginning a great many complaints
| OF scarcity VI medicines but that the army
| had abundant food supplies.
Speaking OF the hospitals General Brooke
| eaid: I'm Justice to myself ! should say
| that the location OF the first division hos
| pital was not my own selection left
this to Colonel Hartsuff. my chief surgeon.
and 1t was the cne location / condemned
I visited the hospital and it was working
badly, due probably TO the surgeon IN
charge"
General Brooke testified that he gave his
personal attention to uha sinks. the care
OF the camps, the striking Of tents, polio
! ing the sinks, etc., and by this means GOT
| thin2s under control.
! General Beaver read a report from James
Parker sanitary inspector OF the Twelfth
New York Volunteers. detailing an un-
| pr,nItably disgusting state Of sanitary al,
fairs at Camp Thomas during General
Brooke's incumbency and General Brooke
was asked what he had to say regarding ii.
II will say" said he that II is not only
untrue. but If you will give me copy a.
that report will see that that young man
goes before court martial for those
statements unless he is protected IN his
testimony by this commission"
The food furnished to his command In
Porto Rico, General Brooke said. was of
excellent quality.
| The hospitals at Camp Thomas he occa-
sionaily walked Through, but as rule he
did mot disturb the men by personal visits.
The only hospital he ever seriously criti
cised was the First division hospital. es
tablished by Colonel Hartsuff.
| In Porto Rico General Brooke said That
at one time with between ~, 000-and $4,000
men, he had sick list OF $500. When he
left the island the sick list was down to
from 200 to $50.
Regarding Colonel Hartsuff's Statement
thst part OF the sickness at Camp Thomas
was due to drills before breakfast General
Brooke said he never issued any such or
der.
General Brooke said there were n,iGner-
GUS complaints as to DR.. Hartsuff's aim n
istralacn of the hospitals and he (Brooke)
was forced repeatedly to take cogni1anca
of them.
General Brooke said that in modifying
troops in the future they should be fully
equipped at the points where they are
gathered, rather than massed and then
anuirped.