The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-10-20
They Were Not FIJI TO Adom Any Walk
In Life, Or. Frye Declared.
CONTRACT SURGEONS CONDEMNED.
Would Not Trust His Family 10 SO Per Cent Of
m---Rspohers Sent 10 Montauk 10
Find Alths Bad.

jacksonville Oct 2er-The war inves-
tigating commission examined a large
number Of regimental and other officers
yesterday. One OF the most outspoken
was DR.. Frye Of the Third division hos
pital. He condemned some OF the meth
DDS in vogue. and said that in many
cases the contract physicians and men-
bers OF the hospital corps were incom-
petent. The prevalence OF typhoid fever
In the Jacksonville camp he attributed
largely 10 the age OF the men. young
people being more susceptible than those
more advanced in age to this disease.
He also thought much was due TO the
carelessness of the men themselves
DR.. Frye said that in all the hospitals
with which he had been connected there
had been deficiency OF bed linen. This
had been especially true in Fort Nc
Pherson. There had been orders TO pre-
pare beds there for 1000 patients but
this demand had by no means been met.
The hospital here had also been short OF
lighting facilities. There was not a
sufficiency of candles or lanterns
Requisitions had been made for them,
but they could not be secured from the
government stores, owing TO the con-
struction OF ORDERS; hence IL was neces-
Fary to depend upon the Red Cross for
these articles.
DIR. Frye expressed the opinion that
In several instances convalescents had
been sent away from the hospitals with
which he was connected before they
were In a condition that permitted
In faty II
instances were due TO insufficient super
vision. to ignorance OF physicians and
desire to clear the wards OF the hospitals
for new patients.
DIR. Frye spoke in uncomplimentary
terms of the men engaged In the hospi-
tai corps, saying that they had been
picked up at random over the country
and were generally a scabby looking
lot" not fit TO adorn any walk OF life He
also spoke depreciatingly OF the contract
surgeons, saying that he would not be
willing TO trust his family or friends to
30 percent of them. Many OF them. he
said. ARE recent graduates from medi-
cal institutions. and I do not consider
the average medical graduate capable
Of taking charge Of from 20 to 90 typhoid
fever cases"
There was, ne SAID no proper oppor-
tunity for consultation with superior
officers, as the latter were as a rule so
generally occupied with their admins
trative duties as TO prevent their giving
proper attention to professional matters
until specially called upon. He con-
sdered this very wrong. and said that
there should be more supervision in Sc
rious cases in hospital on the part Of
experienced men.
Major Frye gave his opinion as to the
origin Of the popular excitement con-
cerning conditions at Montauk Point
while the troops were stationed there.
He said that from so 10 20 percent OF the
men were sick when they landed there,
and that insufficient provision had been
made for them. AS consequence many
were compelled TO lie upon the bare
ground and they naturally suffered from
exposure. He also asserted that re-
porters from many newspapers had been
sent to the camp under instructions TO
find all that was bad and nothing that
was good.
DO you know this OF your own per-
sonal knowledge" he was asked.
NO; but was told IL by men who had
talked with the reporters"