The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-10-19

Gers ana men OF the Second South caro-
lima regiment. The general oflcsra GS-
amlned included the chief surgvOb. the
chief commissary, the chief quartermas-
ter, and the inspector general OF the
corps, and all gave detailed information
as to their respective departments of
the service. The meetings to-day were
held In General Dodge's private car, but
the moving trains made 50 much noise
thar It was found necessary TO secure
other quarters, and hereafter the meet
ings will be held In the city council
chamber.
The subcommittee, consisting Of Gem
eral Wilson and Captain Howell, ap-
pointed to investigate the selection Of
Fernandina as camp, returned tonight
and reported their approval of the selec-
4ion. They made special inquiry Into
the report that the camp had been To-
Gated there for the purpose of enhane-
ing the value Of land owned by son Of
Secretary Alger. going through the
county records as part Of their work.
They failed to find his name in any Of
these documents and their investigation
convinced them that he had never own
ed any real estate in that vicinity or had
been in any way Interested in any
surgeon SIuu' Testimony.
The war investigation commission be-
gan the examination of witnesses at
Jacksonville to-day using the office
room of General Dodge's priva1e car for
this purpose. Colonel Louis N. Maus,
chief surgeon of the seventh army corps
was the first witness sworn. He is a
regular army surgeon and has occupied
this present position practically
throughout the history of the camp. He
said there was only small Aeld hospl-
tai when he arrived In May, and there
were very few sick men. Sickness de-
veloped very slowly and there was very
little of 1t until July. He said that when
the order came for the establishment Of
division hospitals there was some delay
In getting supplies such a. tents. He
made his requisltlons on Tampa, but
finding that all efforts there were de
rected to getting the expedition on he
made his requlsitions upon washington
direct. After this they were promptly
filled. There was no suffering among
the sick. stIl they did not have the
luxurles at the beginning of the war
that there were in the latter days Of it.
Nor" added the doctor, "do I think
that the history of the world has ever
seen a parallel to our present care OF the
sick" Taking up the present condition
OF the hospitals he said there were 300
trained female nurses now at work here.
He Eaia the employment Of these nurses
had proved entirely satisfactory. Re
plying to a question, Dr. Maus said that
after the first few days there had been
no refusal Of supplies and that all Fequi-
stt,ons had been filed with exceptional
promptttuae. He had never seen such
utter disregard for expense in caring
for sick soldiers. AZ matter Of fact
the +roops had greater allowance Of
nations than they could use or dispose
OF In any way. He also said the Red
Gross society had given 50 much that It
WAS often unnecessary to ask the gov
srnment for supplieA There had been .
restriction In the matter OF fitting out
the camps.
He thought typhoid had been intro ,
ducOd TO the camp by MISSISSIPPI ana
VITGiniR tFoops, Shallow wells and sur
face drainaEe had done much to IN
crease the scourge, but he was confident
that the regular water supply OF the
city had not been in any sense respon-
slble for Il. He also thought the tiies
mad done much to disseminate Fever.
From the beginning very strict attention
had been given to the sinks. He had
never In hiS life seen such attention CIV
en- 10 sanitation in q camp, but despite
THIS care typhoid fever did break out
and had become the principal sickness
here.
Volunteer Surgeons at Fault.
DR.. MRus said he had found It dIhieult
to prevail upon surgeons in the volun-
teer services to learn the administra-
tive duties Of their positions AS a
matter of fact these dutles were eH-
treme onerous and for this reason the
volunteer physicians were not so eiti-
cient as they should have been, Otten
also in the early history OF the war
some OF the volunteer resimental sur
geons had been found negligent In the
matter OF inspection, but later on eani-
tntlon became the principal duty OF ey-
erybody about the camp Much trouble
had been experienced In keeping the
public from the hospitals, In many cases
they having surreptitioully carried food
to the sick. DR.. Maus also dwelt upon
the newspaper reports OF the suffering
In the camp, saying they had generally
grown out OF exaggerated statements
from the men themselves.
DIR. Conner questioned DR.. Maug about
the acceptance OF outside uid and quot
cd a report from Colonel Guild, inspec-
tor general, saying that but for the ac-
tion OF the Red Cross society the sick
would have been without essential sup
piles for two months.
THAT statement" said DR.. Mnug, Us
utterly false Tho government would
have supplied them II the Red Cross had
not"
DE- Maus also denied the truth OF
statement made by the governor OF To-
wa that there was only one nurse IN
charge OF sixteen typhoid patients.
A letter was read from Mrs. Gordon,
wife of General w. w. Gordon, In rela-
tlon to tho hospital at Miami, In which
she made serious charges among others,