, 1898-10-20
WAR INVESTIGATION.
Dr.. Frye Testifies Condemning Sur
geons Employed.

Jacksonville, Fla, Oct. 19.-The war
in vestigating commission held sessions
in the city hall today, examining a
large number of regimental and other
officers. One of the most %outspoken
witnesses of the day was DR.. Frye of
the Third division hospital. He con-
demned some Of the methods in vogue
in the hospitals and said that in many
cases the contract physicians and
members of the HOSPITAL corps were in
competent. He spoke of the cause of
the prevalence of typhoid fever in the
Jacksonville camp. He attributed it
largely to the age of the men, young
people being more susceptible than
those more advanced in age to this
disease. He also thought much was due
to the carelessness Of the men them
selves. DR.. Frye said that in all the
hospitals with which he had been con-
nected there had been a deficiency Of
bed linen. This had been especially
true at Fort Mcpherson. There had
been orders to prepare beds for a thou
sand patients, but this demand had by
no means been met. The hospital
here had also been short Of lighting IA
~cilities. There was not a suficiency Of
candles or lanterns. acquisitions had
been made for them but they could not
be secured from the government stores
owing to the congestion Of orders.
Hence it "a necessary to depend upon
the Red Cross for these articles.
DR.. Frye expressed the opinion that
in several instances convalescents had
been sent away from the hospitals with
which he had been connected before
sufficiently advanced to permit them to
go in safety. He had no personal know
ledge of any individual case of this
kind, but was satisfied that such cases
had occurred. He thought these in
stances were due to insufficient super
vision. to ignorance of physicians and
hospitals for new patients. DR.. Frye
spoke in very uncomplimentary terms
Of the men engaged in the hospital
corps, saying that they had been pick
ed at random owe the country and
were generally a scabby looking lot"
not fit to adorn any walk OF life. He
also spoke depreciatingly of the con-
tract surgeons. saying he would not
be willing to trust his family or friends
to fifty per cent OF them. MANY Of
them" he said, ARE recent graduates
from medical institutions, and | do
not consider the average medical grad
uate capable of taking charge of from
twenty-five to fifty cases OF typhoid
fever
There was, he said, not proper OPP
portunity for consultation with super
ior officers, as the latter were, as a
rule. SO occupied with administrative
duties as to prevent them giving closer
attention to professional matters I'M
less especially called upon He con
sidered this system was wrong and
considered there should be more super
vision in serious cases in the hospital
on the part of experienced men. In
speaking of the hospital in which he
was engaged here. he said the location
was as good us could be secured in the
vicinity, but the general surroundings
were not suitable to hospital service.
The patients had been we'll cared for
by both physicians and nurses. The
hospital supplies were both abundant
and good. Many nurses were females.
They were generally very competent.
There was always one nurse on duty
for every three patients on the aver
age. Up to date LOO patients had been
treated at the hospitals. There had
been only 70 deaths.