The herald., 1898-12-09
WAR INVESTIGATORS
GET INFORMATION FROM THE
SURGEON GENERAL
MEDICAL SERVICE WAS BAD
Simply Because the Secretary of WaI
Invariably Insisted on Policy
of Waiting
Associated Press Special Wire


WASHINGTON, Dec. S.-The conduct OF
the medical service of the army was taken
up today by the War Investigating Commits
sion, and Surgeon-General Sternberg was
rigdly que STONED about his administration
The medical department, he said, was equip
ped only for an army of 25, 900 men, when the
war broke out, and from year to year the
estimates he had submitted had been ma
terially reduced by Congress, i'll policy OF
economy of appropriations. AS soon as
there was a prospect of war, he had begun
preparations, though not making any en-
pense.
He had models of chests made, he said, and
equipment developed, but when he suggested
to Secretary Ager the propriety of making
purchases for his service, the policy was to
wait He said at one time there were as
many as $50 contract surgeons employed.
The appointees were mostly from 3O to 40
years of age with hospital or active profes-
sional experience, but when permanent
camps were established i'll this country he
did not know they were to be permanent.
lie conceded it was mistake not to have
appointed more contract surgeons, from
those who had experience in the Civil War,
for their experience would have been lnvai-
liable, but he was ignorant at the outset OF
the permanency of the camps. 1t had been
impossible for him even to read the great
volume OF reports submitted, owing to beng
overwhelmed with matters requiring per
sonal attention. The regimental surgeons,
he said, were good, bad and Indifferent, but
he recollected no instance of dismissal tor
incompetence.
Threshing over the controversy between
regimental and division hospitals he credited
the establishment of the latter to their sue.
cess in two years experience OF the Clvll
War. At the outset the maximum capacity
of the division hospita' was 250 beds, but this
capacity was quickly found far inadequate,
He could not recolect that the sanitation
was bad. The department now, he SAID, has
ample evidence that the reported cases dur
ing the war were largely mistaken tor malar'
iai fever until the cases reached the division
hospitals and that maiar1al cases also had
been diagnosed as typhoid.
General Sternberg's recollection was that
prior to the inspection tour OF the camps
by Secretary Alger, Quartermaster General
Ludington and himself, the information In
his hands of the unsanltary conditions OF
Camp Thomas was unofficial. He acllnowl-
| edged the services of volunteer aid associ'
tions and said the trained female nurses
were satisfactory, though he had received
some reports to the contrary.
Witness admitted real deficiency in med
| ical supplies at times. He contended, how
ever, that there had been very little lack OF
medical supplies during the war, the great
difficulty being that surgeons frequently
preferred other than the field supplies,
and an unauticipated typhoid fever out
break had also considerably taxed the field
| resources.
Coming to the history OF the Santiago
movement, General Sternberg explained
that there had been an abundance of medi
cal officers and supplies sent to Santiago
and that the trouble, so far as he coulo
judge, arose in their landing and dlstnbu
| ton.
General Beaver-Nere you at any time
hampercd in the discharge of the duties O
your office by your superiors in the de
| partment!
General Sternberg hesitated considerably
and said: No, certainly not to any ap
| preciable extent
There was pause, and General Sternbert
hastened to add:
You will understand that one man can
occasional delays in getting the ear of tn,
secretary, but nothing beyond this"
Then" said General Beaver, I'VE are t
understand you had at all times the heart!
support and good will of those over you il
forwarding the work of your department!
Yes" was the reply, Undoubtedly"
As to the general condition of troops il
mobilization camps, he said the troubl
could nearly all be summed in the tw,
phrases, Neglect of sanitary measures jant
Letting the troops remain too long in on
camp"
Touching the subject of female nurses
General Sternberg said seriously, but some
what sadly, that "they wers expensive lux
uries."
He said the war department was gettin
acquisitions now for bureaus, rocking chair
and other things which were unknown uu
der the male nurse regime.