Evening star., 1898-11-03
AN UNFORTUNATE ORDER
Chief Surgeon Hartsuff on Adjustment Of
Regimental Hospitals.
Work of Caring for the Sick Wa. In
terfercd With-TextimOny He
fore the War Commission.

DR.. A. Hartsuff. who was chief surgeon
of the army at Camp Thomas, Chcka-
mauga Park, from the 21st of April until
the 2Tth of July last. was examined today
by Colonel DENLY of the war investigating
commission concerning the conduct OF the
camp from a medical point of view. He
criticised various features in the manage
ment of the camp. beginning with the loca-
ton of some of the regiments. He said
that the park was upon general principles
a good camp ground. but that some Of
the regiments were located in swampy sec
tions aud others on rocky ground when il
was impossible to get the sinks OF suf-
iicient depth. In other cases the camp was
poorly drained and in most instances the
tents were too close together.
He said the sites were selected by Gen.
Brooke. and that notwithstanding his own
position as chief medical officer he had not
been consulted in regard to the location.
He had made formal protest at the time
but the protest was not needed.
Against Division Hospitals.
Dr. Hartsuff took positive ground against
the establishment of division hospitals at
the expense of the regiments. He said that
the law for the organization of volunteer
forces did not provide for the establish
ment of hospital corps. and that as a
consequence there was no force for the hos
pital work, and the only way to ge. one
was to transfer men from the volunteer
force to the regular force. and oftentimes
these men were not the most efficient.
He thought division or field hospital was
necessity. hut he did not think it should
be built up as at present by taking sur
eeonS, stewards and ambulances from the
regiments. but rather as an Independent
institution. He had found that regImental
surgeons ana nurses transferred to a divi-
sion hospital were not so capable of ren-
dCring good service; many were quite use
less, others were almost paralyZed.
Furthermore, there was immense Confu-
sion in transferring the regimental effects
to the hospital and in sending them back
when the regiments were ordered away. l.
was, he said case of confusion worse
cCnfounded.
DO you," asked Col. DENLY. think the
establishment of division hospitals d bad
policy?"
Very bad as DONE" responded the wit
ness.
Couldn't you, as chief medical officer.
have controlled the mattcr?' he was next
asked.
Secretary AIRer's Order.
No sir; it was an order of the Secretary
of War. and under this order no regiElental
hospital could be maintained
He thought this order unfortunate: that
III carry ing II INTO erect the Work of caring
for the sick YVES greatly interfered with
and that no one was benefited by it.
DIR. Hartsuff also expressed the opinion
that the water supply of the camp was
not good. He said that when the troops
began to pour in the discovery was made
with alarm that the supply WAS insufficient
and that he, General Brooke and others
had set about to increase it.
Chickamauga River Water.
The decision to take the water from
Chickamauga river had been arrived at un-
der the necessity of great haste, but not
Withstanding the intake pipe was located
above the mouth of the creek draining the
camp, he did not consider the water of the
river wholesome, and he had recommend
ed even after the pipe line was established
tc meet the emergency that arrangements
should be made TO extend the system so
as to secure water from Crawfish spring.
He also said the men often insisted upon
using surface water, which was nothing
more than drainage from The camps.
Another feature of the camp system which
Dr. Hartsuff criticised was that of allow
ing each regiment to have refuse dump
of its own. This had rendered the camp
Objectionable from hygienic point of view
He had recommended to Gen. Brooke the
cremation of the garbage.
EX-Gov. McCord of Arizona will be a wit
ness this afternoon before the commission.