Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-09-01

of fever in the regiment, both of re-
stands at the head of the health list.
He further states he has no informa-
ton as regards the mastering out of
the regiment.
Washington, August 31.-Secretary
Alger to-day received the report CT
Gen. Boynton on hospitals at Camp
Thomas. The report says he visited
the hospitals without notice.
The camp shows a total death list of
1913, out Of $4,000 troops in the park.
The burials shows 120 volunteers and
two regulars. The report takes up
Letter and Sternberg hospitals. Each
patient has abundant room, mattresses
and bed clothing. The ventilation is
perfect, plumbing entirely new and
bathing facilities ample.
There have been full supplies Of ice,
milk, commissary stores and delicacies.
The hospitals are furnished with dis
titled water and the ice used is made
from distilled water. The sewerage
plans are excellent.
All hospital refuse is burnt in ere
matory.
The First division field hospital is
fioored with planed lumber and is as
clean as is possible, being scrubbed
with carbolic acid and treated with BIZ
chloride of mercury every other day.
All the patients are on cots and never
have been on the ground for any
length of time. None of the sixty cents
allowance per man for delicacies had
been used, as it was not needed.
Gen. Boynton shows that there is "a
full refrigerator capacity for this hos
pital, porcelain lined baths. sterilized
and iced water and every convenience.
In the malignant typhoid ward there
have been but two deaths out Of thirty
cases in three weeks.
At the Third division hospital the
attendants were found sufficient, though
in the earlier days were not enough
surgeons or attendants. The grounds
were in excellent condition, the tents
clean, most of the tents fioored and all
fioCred between the cots and in the
disles.
In two Of the hospitals, opportuni-
ties occurred for discovery of what I'M
doubtedly originated many of the SEN
sational stories which have been printed
over the country to the effect that pa
tents in the hospitals lacked sufficient
food and in many eases had been on
the verge of starvation. In the wards
where the convalescent typhoid fever
patients were found, many of the men
were constantly asking for food and,
as p matter of course, were as con-
stantIv denied everything except the
lighter forms of food, which can alone
he safely administered to recovering
typhoid patients.
This refusal of food throughout the
hospitals, by which care alone. as is
perfectly understood. can the lives OF
typhoid convalescents be saved, has
been distorted into the cry which has
been spread throughout the country
that patients were being starved in the
government hospitals. There has been
no lack of proper food in these hospl-
tails, and competent cooks for prepar-
ing it have been present, and the only
reason for depriving the patients OF
what so many of them have clamored
for has been the necessity Of such Diet
ing as the disease demands.
Undoubtedly there have been serious
Inconvenience, and at times of the
greatest crOwding. those lacks OF con-
veniences and full attendance which
20 to make up that painful condition
of affairs, which, as every veteran
knows. are inseperable from the held
hospitals even when all concerned ex-
ert themselves to secure the comfort
of the patients. These are conditions
which. in times of rapid increases OF
disease-a condition which was reach
cd at this camp solely. in MY judg-
ment from the filth which 100 many
of the regimental officers allowed to
dominate their camps, in spite of the
orders which would have prevented all
of this trouble from the surgeon gem
eral and from the commanding Off
GERS of this camp-create situation
which cannot be Immediately amelio-
rated.
so far from believing, as a result
of nv observations, that medical OIL
GERS have been heartless or negligent, l
believe that these officers and the hos
initial attendants as a whole have ex-
erted themselves TO + discharge their
duties faithfully.
7 In closing. beg leave to express my
opinion that most OF the interviews
with chaplains, regimental surgeons
and others. both officers and men. now
appearing at the North in many Of the
newspapers in regard to this camp. are
reckless and false except as TO the fill
thy conditions which their own Grim
inal neglect has caused. In my judg-
mont tho recent increase IN the out
cries against water and the persistent
assertion that the park is unhealthy
have been largely and deliberately used
10 stir up sentiment and influence
which would be exerted to insure their
relief from service.
Very respectfully. your obedient SER
want,
III. V. BOYNTON,
Brig. Gen. e. S. Volunteers"
Camp Meade Middletown. Pa, An