New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-11-18
TESTIMONY HEARD YESTERDAY.
DIR FORwoop AND GENERAL YOUNG PRAISE
THE MANAGEMENT OF CAMP wIKoFF-
THE LATTER's EXPERIENCE
AT SANTIAGO.

r. FOrWOOO
,.s,,ronv before the War Department lnvesu-
tic commission to-day concerning conditions
:. Nontauk Point where ne chief surgeon
us said that throughout the history of the gen.
.-al hospital at Camp Wikon there was never
tine when there not from nifty 10 Ave hun
dred vacant beds. Many patients. soon after ar
,,y,nr were sent away TO hospitals in neighporlhg
cities largely IN response TO public clamor' Inc
natlents taken away were largely typhoid cases
e,s we're selected chiefly because II was though'
ynu,se 20 allow typhoid cases to accumulate AT
Nontauk Another reason was the necessity oil en-
lending the hospital accommodations In the ms
.b~,v 6svs Of the camp 1000 patients were treated
.,d Il would have been out Of the question 10 '"he
care Of them all in the camp hospitals
sneaking of the nurses. he said there was con-
.serahe number Of hospital corps mon VINO hau
heen trained in the post hospitals before me ie-
r,ale nurses arrived. This was limited traHnhe'
So, q made the men much more efficient than
.bev otherwise would have been. He had eN-
,ec,ed that typhoid fever would break out IN the
tosptaL but not that the troops would remain
there long enough 10 cause an epidemic OF ''dl
disease As ii was he did not believe there hdu
been case originating in Camp NlKon Ine'e
had been suficiency OF medicines and medical
s,,c,,es 4, all times-a wasteful abundance. IN
,ac, From first TO last hftyfour carloads were re-
ceved. Notwithstanding this fact there was conn
plaint OF the scarcity of medical supplies ana meu-
iclnes. due largely 10 the fact that the uo''oiS
often required proprietary medicines when were
NJ, kent on hand No acquisitions were required
f. getting medicines
D- Conner read letter from Major NJ w
Wood Regular Army surgeon. dated Montauk
e. August. complaining that there was pressing
want Of medical supplies and that the camp was
tn a deplorable condition Dr.. FoF"ood salu N'a'
pr. Wood was disappointed because he did not get
a leave Of absence Immediately after arriving from
Cuba General Wheeler had refused TO grant TINS
raouest From that time" said Dr. Forwood'
he was constantly kicking and bucking. He was
disgruntled disioyal and found iaut' WI"
everything For instance he said the well water
pas no'luted declaring he would not take drink
- 3, for 81" A dispatch was read from General
Wheeler saving that DR.. Wood had failed to Sc
cure medicines only because he had not sent for
them.
WATER AT CAMP WIKOFF PURE.
nv Forvood declared that the complaints con-
corning the purity Of the water Al MontauN orls-
mated with men who had filters and disniing ap-
paratus for sale The water was pure ana pienu-
ful ...
The TRANSFORMATION facilities were poor, and often
.ba vehicles received were not complete in equip
,nent He had annured the contracts OF two or
.hrea contract surgeons because Of inoompeienoy.
fyt he knew of no case Of neglec; on the part OF
musicians or nurses Of a character 70 compro-
mise the welfare of the patients.
Or. Forwood said that many physicians came 20
+he carnp A. the instance Of newspapers. generally
so- A COMPENSATION Of about 80. Among these was
pr Lee who was a personal friend Of his and he
had told the doctor 10 look the camp over ana
cr,ticise whenever he found occasion FOR criticism
The doctor had written article making parts OF
e. very fattering but he was greatly disguised
f,ar the appearance OF the article 20 find that all
the complimentary portion had been eNpuhgeo.
Dr Edsons predictions as TO the camp had not
been realized. DR.. simpson had spoken or me
conduct Of the kitchens. AS a matter Of fact. the
to, he mos
Helen Gould had supplied a number OF chefs ana
mos. ~ these were from the kitchens Of the
vealthiest people OF New-York City. He had
talked with one Of them. who had been with W.
u Vanderbilt more than three years.
As A matter % fact hospitals never were so
nbundant'y supplied. The Army rations were sup
yernen,od by everything that could be found in the
laraer o. The Waldorf-AstOria, including roast
turkey. uaeasants. squad. lamb. sheep pigs game
q all kinds mineral waters the finest chanipdehes
and liquors Al one time he had noticed eight
barrels OF brandy and a large number OF cases OF
wine There was so much apolnaris water mat
g. in the way and when nurse came ior a
bottle they would offer her case
He said the newspaper men at Montauk were
gentlemen. hut they appeared to he under orders
70 crlfcise tho camp. He knew OF TWO instances
S. which the reporters had received orders 10
roast everything" He had told them not 20 spare
where they found criticism justified"
I'm closing. DR. Forwood said that many patients
Who had been removed 10y their friends died and
n many instances their deaths were due TO the
Kindness Of those who had taken them in charge
Or Richard A. Pyles. major and surgeon OF the
ist District Of Columbia told the experiences
o. these troops a. Camp Thomas and az Tampa
g. Cubs and al Mouiauk Point. The troops had
camped AT TT Carcv and on San Juan H, and
he6 found the region malarious. At frst me
health Of the good. but later the sickness
Increased from eight cases TO lS9 In hVe daNs
There had been less than Twenty-Five deaths in the
regiment At Montauk the tents were without
floors compelling the men 70 lie on the ground and
causing sickness
GENERAL YOUNG's EVIDENCE
Maio--General NJ. B. Young was before the
Commission at the afternoon session. relating In
detail his experience At Santiago and aner"ard a.
Mortauk lie said he had landed at baiquiT on
Jun d and by the morning OF the 25d MS en'lre
brigade had been put ashore He had informed
General Wheeler. and had received orders to move
o. four or five miles and secure good camp. he
nod accordingly pushed on To Siboney he asker
General Wheeler where the camping ground was,
and he replied that the Spanards occupied H. )
thcn aid Genera Young. asked permission to
& out the ground saying SNouiqq w., II
get il for our own troops. 10 which Goneral "heeF
In accordancc with this arIangement he m n,,t
our AT O'Clock next morning 70 nen ,no D", ,h
o. La. Guasimas. sending the No i drg hN
another IL declared that th,re wa nV heeI Re-
IN this nghi and no ambuscado, as hau pen -,
ported Hc had rtcOnnO.Ued t4t Si4i.' an, hei-
with a glass for half hour before the lsnt H.
gan ana hc attacked the Spanards aii 800 IT, be
S,anards him Speaking Of the Rough hlutas' ~ ~
sail there had been no greater perceIT,,ae 20
casualties among them than among me f'.su%i o;
srd mar fhry were not led into any situ@ ton no
10 be- expected IN war. THE report ma eiiS Zen
allowed 10 be ambuscaded was due. ne sdlu ~, ~,
tirelv 10 The demora.ized reporter ana ue o. H.
allied adfufaut Of the regiment. VINO had Itit ne
Serve, .oon aftcrWard." General Young Sdip ne
occlipied Inc enemys camp that day anu IL was
very good camp he addcd .,a, aiJ ne had
in reply to a question as 20 "hat hII ~ rr.niied
secured from the Cubans IN this night NJ I'lr ,,
none whatever The Cuban guides hdu t uJSe' hs-
al Tho 6rst fire General Castillo. me nlk. -.
fore had told him that ne would send ~ n"Ii 10
win MIN INIT when the next morning Ht 80 "a
frfn,r Getillo shat he prepared TO proceei, "a
messenger found q card on the CUBAN 'ui,,i,,nrhd
e. door saving that b must not De nls' 80,