New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-13
DISEASE KEPT FROM CAMP.
SANITARY ARRANGEMENTS PRESERVE
THE TAMPA TROOPS HEALTH.
GENERAL LEES ORDER STRICTLY ENFORCED
HARD WORK EATING ARMY RAT1oNs-MEN

WITHOUT EQUIPMENTS.
TAMPA Fa June (SpecaD.-"There is nothing
worse than d.se ease and II is cur work not only 70
-order service on the battlefield, but 10 take every
nrocaution TO guard against disease OF all KINGS
while tho army is waiting for marching orders
said the chief surgeon Of an army corps toua!
whie seated IN the large tent that has been htted
I'D as headquarters for the hospital service o. TIC
Regular Army IN camp at Tampa
The enlisted mea Of the Regular Army VINO
have now been in Tampa for six weeks are d."
splendid specimens OF physical manhooo' ana 0"
Ing TO the great care exercised by the o''eeis VI
command IN looking after the sanitary regulations
OF the camps in Tampa and vicinity the chahse m
climate has had no effect upon these men IN
speaking OF the work Of examining the men 'hd'
apply FOR enlistment In the Army, the chlef SUI
geon said:
~, would not DO 70 admit physically unsound
men into the Army service, as to DO so "ouiu mean
hundreds of thousands OF dollars to be expehoeu III
pensions. No sooner would the men ger 70 ,ne
front than they would be found 20 be suHefMs
from some ailment and. OF course II wouio nav
been contracted IN the service. ana that "ou'.
moan a pension. Consequently the importance OF
strict physcal examination will be apparent II ior
no other reason. .
IN regard 70 tn. hospital service OF the Army. It
Will no doubt be OF interest know that IN the
Fifth Army Corps. commanded oy MdJO'-"e"'Ia
William T. Shafter which has been al tampa 10
several weeks and is now on the way 10 Cuoa' '
medical department under the direction OF chici
surgeon consists Of 90 medca! officers. 50 hosp''a'
stewards 30 acting hospital stewards ana 90 pr
Yates doing service nurses. litter-carrers' e.0'
and general work around the camp IN aou'''o"
70 the men engaged in the hospital corps ,heie a.
in use 70 ambulances so large army wagons !.
escort wagons 10 hospital tents, $50 mules ana iVo
horses.
In each division Of the Fifth Army Corps q nos
p.,al corps ha' been organized There IS one nos
pita for every $500 with capacity or q" Oeus
each making COO In oil besides reserve or 3V' oeos
In each division there are three companies Oh nos
initial utter-bearers II loi men 10 the company
These men Will perform the duties OF carrying
the wounded off the field Of battle during an en-
gagement and ordinarily they perform the ouuies
OF nurses cooks. teamsters. mechanics ana train
men generally
GENERAL LEES ORDER
Ever since the Army has been IN camp speciai
care has been given 10 police and SANITARY ies a''
lions The following order was ISSUED Oy ai''0
Genera Fitzhugh Lee as soon as ne assume I'm
mand Of the volunteer forces no" can'pe" a.
Tampa and Jacksonville and the regulations are
strictly enforced by the officers:
Every camp will be thoroughly pol!ced ana az
saro ss9. @ be- hrow on the ground Drains
will be so constructed that surface wate. WI. ~
SoeG aH Ren eseG9 day by raising walls and re-
moving al arclef Tor s seysTa twice day with
~ .Dnb. ~ fresh earth and completely filed up
when contents approach -6 ega'eep ersons cean
ness VIII be required in all cases Regimeh,a. COLI
rnaEe eI,ch nersonal inspections daily as neces-
sarv to that these requirements are go iii
make such INSPECTIONS in this connection and issue
such detailed orders as necessary
=, the CAMPS O. the volunteers these rules ana
regulations have been strictly compiled win IL
the camps O, the Regular Army the officers ana
hot. "a
dav tina. the troops began TO pitch their tents III
and around Tampa every precaution has oeeh 'aNen
70 keep the camp and surroundings IN the peS'
sanitary condition. The result can De seen WIZ
| I, is stated that with twenty thousand troops IL
| camp for more than month there nave been ou,
TWO deaths one OF the deaths the result OF
heart failure and the other was caused ry pheu-
nonia Is there a city OF twenty thousand IN the
United States In which there have been but TWO
| deaths IN thirty days?
Since the arrival OF the troops there has neen
bu, one rain ard that only lasted FOR few hours
There has been 10 rain In this section Of Florida
for six months and vegetation has suffered con-
slderably. The dry weather may account IN large
measure FOR the remarkably good health o. 'Ne
soldiers The rainy season IS now about 70 begin
and then Il will be 4 the precautions taken
BY those In command Will be sufficient TO guard
against rnalarial fovers that generally prevail! IN
this section.
NOT THE PLACE FOR WET WEATHER.
Some OF the volunteer troops are camped on
| ground that Is always overlooked In wet weather
and as soon as the rainy season begins II VIII pe
necessary 10 change the location OF these camps
This fact was evident during the ralnstorm last
week The rain poured down in solid sheet, and
nearly every tent OF the Florida and Georgia regi-
ments was flooded Trenches were hastily dug out
they were OF avail. as the ground where these
regiments are canped is so FIAT and the cownpour
VAS so rapid tina, the water did not run of There
~
the city and II appears strange that the Army ON
GERS should have selected such site Tor the Voiuh
The regular duties OF Army lie. hard work in
the open air IN preparins the camp sites nan
ARM rS6Uns qay resmehts Many OF these er
have never before engaged IN any but ONCE work
dcveI5png an amount of vigorous energy that vii.
place them IN the front ranks END be OF lasting
The question Of uniforms and equipment has been
a trying 70 the Quartermasters department
OF the Army The Regulars Were, OF course, ~
well provided with uniforms. blankets. guns ana az
necessary equipment But soon soon at s 'h aS
ton uniform entirely TOO heavy for wear dur.
brown canvas the proper material. and orders
were placed for making a sufficient number Tor
came the Ars and second calls for volunteers. and
these men will also have to be provided with the
The new uniforms are not pretty but they are
serviceable Each man Is provided with trousers,
and strong and has peculiar wine color. 1t IS
said that the color was selected because OF the
resemblance the foliage OF the underbrush in
Cuba.
THE SOLDIERS EQUIPMENT.
The equipment with which each Infantry soldier
is provided consists OF one rifle compete. one hun
bred rounds OF ammunition for same. one canteen
and strap one blanket bag. one pair b.anket-bag
shoulders,raps. one pair blanket-bag coastraps.
one cartridge belt one bayonet scabbard, one hav-
ersack. one haversack strap. one tin cup, one meat
can one knife one fork and one spoon Musicians
and color-bearers carry one revolver and hfty
rounds OF ammunition. instead OF the rifle ana rifle
ammunition.
There has been great delay In providing the Army
Win eou,pment Many OF the volunteers are In no