The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-11-08

last was examined to-day by Colonel
| DENLY Of the war investigating conl-
mission concerning the conduct Of the
Inn from 2 medical point of view. He
criticised various features in the man
OF the camp. beginning with the
location OF some OF the regiments tie
said that the park. was on general prln-
cipIes. a good camp ground. but that
some Of the regiments were located III
swampy sections and others on rocky
ground where il was impossible 70 get
the sinks Of sufficient depth. In other
cases the camp was poorly drained ana
in most instances the tents were too
close together. He said the sites We're
selected by General Brooke, and not
w~ithstanding his own position as cher
medical officer. he had not been con
suited in regard to the location lie had
made = formal protest at the time. but
the protest was not needed. Or. Hart
~Uff took positive ground against the
establishment Of division hospitals at
the expense of the regiments. lie and
that the law for the organization OF vol
unteer forces did not provide for the
establishment of n hospital corps, ana
that as 4 consequence there was no force
for the hospital work. and the only way
TO get one was TO lIdlISItI ulth
the volunteer force to the regular force.
and oftentimes these men We're not the
most efficient that could be secured.
He thought Il division or field hospital
was a necessity. but he did not think it
should be built w as at present by
aking surgeons. stewards and ambu-
Iances from the regiments. but rather as
an independent institution. tie had
found that regimental surgeons AMI
nurses transferred to a division hospital
were not 50 capable of rendering good
services: many We're quite useless.
Others were almost paralyzed. Further
more there was immenSe confusion III
transferring the regimental effects to the
hospital. and in sending them back when
the regiments were ordered away. 1t
was. he said, Il case of confusion worse
c~onfounded.
DO YOU asked Colonel DENLY,
think the establishment of division hos
pitfalls Il bad policy:'
Very bad as DONE" responded the
witness.
.Couldn't you. as chief medical officer.
have controlled the matter:' he was
next asked.
No, sir: it was an order of he ecre-
tary of War. and under this order no
re9Ilnental hospital could De nlalntalneu-
In my opinion added the Doctor.
"the sickness at Camp Thomas was due
largely to the ineXperience and i'll many
cases the inefficicncy Of the medical Off
GERS. and also to the inefficiency and in
experience of line officers who did not
furnish the support they should have fur
to the medical department. The
execution Of any plan of operation rests
largely with the line officers, the duties
of the surgeons being limited to recon-
mendatio1:s. They are, therefore,. I'M
able to correct abuses themselves and
must depend upon others to do that.
This applies to the officers Of regiments,
as well as to general officers
DIR. HartSuff holds the rank of Colone!
in the regular army. and is now chief
of the Department of the Lakes,
with headquarters at Chicago.
1t was explained at the War Depart
ment that this first movement of troops
to Cuba was ordered in advance Of the
date originally intended, for the reason
that the Spanish evacuation commits
sioncrs had unexpectedly notified the
American commissioners that they in
tended to evacuate Puerto Principe on
the 22nd of the present month. Con
seQuently it became necessary to have
United States troops on hand IN Cuba to
replace these Spanish forces to maintain
order and protect life and property.