The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-09-01

charge Of Major Thomas Clark. Here
the attendants were found sufficient
though In tha earlier days there we're
not enough surgeons or attendants. Ihe
grounds were IN excellent condition, the
tents clean. most OF the tents hoored
ana all noored between the cots and in
the aisies. ...
Taking up the last OF tho field hospitals,
that of the Third Corps, Second Division.
under Major smith. the report states THAT
the So tents. not all occupied. though
during the epidemic Of measles they were
crowded. Leaving the details about the
hospitals the report proceeds 20 treat the
whole subject. generally. as follows.
"In two Of the hospitals opportunities
occurred for discovery OF what undoubt-
odiy originated many Of the sensational
stories which have been printed over
the country 10 tho effect that patients
i'm the hospitals lacked sufficient food.
and in many cases had been on the verge
Of starvation. ln the wards where the
convalescent typhoid fever patients were
found many Of the men who were COM
stantly asking for food. and. as "A matter
Of course. wcr, as constantly denied
everything cxtept the lighter forms of
food which could be safely administered
10 recovering typhoid cOnvaloHcents
SAVES MANY LIVES.
"This refusal Of food il Is perfectly un-
dorstood saves the lives OF convalescents.
yet It has been distorted and spread
through the country that patients were
being starved IN the Government hospi-
tails There has been no lack OF proper.
food in these hospitals. and competent
cooks for preparing ~ have been present.
and the only reason for deprving the
patients Of what so many Of them have
clamorcd for has been the necessity Of
such dieting as the disease demands
~ am constrained 20 believe that there
has been no neglect ON the part Of either
the medical or tho quartermaster's de-
pariments 20 furnish such supplies as
have reached the camp
THE OFFICERS TO BLAME
"Indoubtedly there have been serious
Inconvenience. and at times the greatest
crowding. lack OF cOnycnlenccs and fun
attendance, which go 10 make up that
painful condition Of affairs, which. as
every veteran knows. are inseparable
from tho field hospitals Of great armies.
oven when all concerned exert them
selves 10 secure the comfort Of the pa
ticnts. These are conditions which in
times Of rapid increase Of disease con-
dition which was reached at this camp
solely, In my judgment from the filth
which too many of the rccimental Off
GERS allowed 90 dominate their camps, in
spite Of the orders. which would have
prevented an this trouble. from the Sur
geon-Gencral and from the commanding
officers of this camp. created q situation
which cannot be Immediately amelio-
rated.
DOCTORS NOT NEGLIGENT.
10 is my observance that medical Off
GERS have not been negligent. / believe
that these officers and hospital attaches
Fmf
u would seem as If this were sufficiently
shown 10y the fact That they have work
ed unceasinsiy until p quarter of the
whole force has itself been stricken by
disease resulting from The cir eXhausting
labOrs.
My attention was especially directed
in the order which ] received. 10 some
remarks credited 90 General Terry Sur
gcOn General OF the State of New York
in reference TO the condition OF the camp
of the Eighth New York General Iorry
Is reported IN the New York Herald TO
have said as me was leaving camp.
TERRIBLE CONDITON.
General Terry found she o1n,n I'm q
bad sanitary condition. IL b. situated in
the open field in the hot sun with no Wa
ter TO be found within live mile. The
water the men drink Is hauled in har-
icls and is % 20 kind that in New York
would be refused as bathing water This
is what the men drink and is declared 10
Doe the chief cause of sickness.
According 10 General Terry. 10 Ohe hos
pitaD WAS The most torrble sight Doe had
ever witnessed and not in the slums Of
New York could be found place so filthy
and dirty He said he would insist ON
having the New York regiments returned
to New York and had wired the Secretary
of War his opinion of the situation.
GENERAL TERRY 5 OPINION.
IF the soldiers are not soon taken from
Chickamauga Park. they Will soon fol-
low the twenty-four who died yesterday
ana nearly as many to-day.
Camp Thomas hospitals are unclcan
and badly located. Nourishing food is
lacking as well as proper medical atten-
ton The food Is regular army raiions
badly cooked. More than two hundred
patients have often been made 90 get
along with 1JO narrow cots. They are
simply laid on litters not six inches from
the ground. few. II any of the hospital
tents have plank floors -
4 FILTHY CANTEEN
This camp was removed 10 the open
field az the special request OF the of
lccrs concerned. as they were inclined
10 think that their camp I'm the open
woods had something 90 do with the in
crcasing Sickness of their men. Here II
may be pertinent TO remark i'm passing
that this regiment had at the time OF its
moving and had maintained one OF the
hlthicst and most disgusting cantcens TO
bc found I'm the entire army.
From personal observation OF this cam
teen some two weeks since I am pre-
pared To assert that it was little better
than serving beer 20 the soldiers OF the
Eighth New York IN "a hog pen. It is
also true that the reports show that
since this regiment moved, its health
conditions had improved. Instead of
there being no water within five miles
of this regiment two of the largest and
finest springs of clear water in this en-
tire country pronounced lN competent
medical and chemical authorities 70 be
pure water. are less than two miles from
their camp.
FOR THEM TO EXPLAIN.
Thc Eighth New York has been camp
ca upon the ground whore General Terry
observed 10 less than ten days. 10 was
perfectly clean ground when they Oc-
cupicd IL and had not been previously
occupied by any troops. 10 It's had been
transformed within this brief period by
thc troops of the Eighth New York into
a place nlthlcr and dlrticr than can be
found i'm the slums OF New York IL VIII
become the OFFICERS of that regiment and
the men 90 explain how such translor-
nation could have been made by Them
Whether General Terry means that
twcutv-four d.ed I'm the camp Of tie
Eighth New York OF twenty four in the
entire camp in one day ana that nearly
as many would die the day OF his de-
nature. Clnr OF be exactly determined by
the form of his speech. hut on the day
that ne is quoted as making this re-
mark the deaths I'm the entire army on
campod here were seven, and the deaths
I'm the Eighth New York two days before
his visit Orcing thcs last rcporu NUM-
bercd only one, which bad been the rate
for several daNS.
As TO THE HOSPITALS.
As 90 the hospitals being unclein. ana
there being "A lack OF food and the only