The Saint Paul globe., 1898-11-08
NOT Fit FOR A DOG
TESTIMONY AT CHICAGO OF THE
KIND THAT CONVINCES
sKEPTICS
MANY ABUSES POINTED OUT
Dr.. Milo b. Ward Would Not Have
Fed His Pet Dog with Such Ra-
hons as Were Served to Soldiers
DIR. HOR Denounced for His
Brutality, and Gen. Boynton Ar
raiSned-LiyeIy Session.

raiGned-LiyeIy Session.
CHICAGO, Nov. 7.-Gen. Dodge. Col.
Sexton and DIR. Connor, of the war in.
Vesdgating commission. arrived in Chi
cago today and Immediately began is
examine witnesses at the Auditorium
hotel.
Dr.. Milo B. Ward, of Kansas City,
Mo-, who was brigade surgeon at
Camp Thomas from July IL to Sept.
10, when asked as to the condition OF
the hospitals, said that there was a
great Lack Of medicines. only some of
the very simplest medicines being ON
hand.
The food which was furnished the
men, he said, "I would not want to
give to my pet dog
DT. Connou-What was the reason
that the Second division hospital of this
Thlrd army corps had, as it certainly
did have, the worst reputation of any
hospital during the war?
Or. Ward-The first reason In my
judgment is that the hospital had for
its corps surgeon a man who never paid
any attention to it whatever. His mama
was Hoff. The next reason is that the
man In charge Of the hospital, division
surgeon, very seldom visited the hos,
pltal or paid any attention to it. His
name was Jenney. The next reason Is
lhAt tnere We're not enough doctors at
any time to take care of the patients
without overWorking the doctors and
making them too i'll to get out of bed.
tor the first two weeks that I Was
tnere, there was not a man on dutz
VINO was physically fit for duty. The
next reason is that all the nurses were
never competent, In any sense of the
word, but they did the best they could
when You consider their igornance.
some or them could not even read.
Ihey were forced to do this work url.
DER protest and, of course, did only
Wnaf they were obliged to do. One day
visited the typhoid fever ward and
found all the men splitting on the
ground. 1 said to the man in charge
that would have them all arrested
IL they did not provide some paper or
something on the ground for the men
TO spdt ON But the next day things
We're just as bad as ever. Hoff had no
respect for individuals. 1t made no Diff
ference what an individual wanted, he
was only one out of thousands. Once
when 1 was physically exhausted and
not able to do the work, he saidi 7
don't care a - for you, sir; you are
the hospital and 1 cannot spare you.'
But I told him 1 was not able to con-
tinue the work, and must be relieved
for two weeks. Jenney left everything
with the men in the hospitals. I know
that the acquisitions made for the
goods and supplies were approved by
the doctors, but they were not brought
TO the grounds, because of the fault Of
somebody else. I think it was the fault
of the doctors IN charge of the hos
pitals, the corps doctors, the division
doctor and the doctor in Immediate
charge OF the hospital They made
acquisitions, but 1t Is necessary to do
more than that; a man had to get on
q horse, take a, six-Shooter and demand
these necessary supplies from the quar-
teTmaster.
In reply to further questions, DR..
Ward said: '"The necessities were not
available from the army supplies, and,
had 1T not been for the Red Cross,
some of the soldiers would not have
survived. Requisition after requisition
was forwarded, and yet no relief came
The nurses, as a rule, were incompe-
tent and indifferent, though some were
more faithful than others. This was
not remedded because we had to obey
army regulations as to detailing men
for nursing duty. The location Of the
hospital was extremely bad in my
judgment. 1t was in a very low sort
of place and the sinks were in a.
filthy condition most of the time. I
want to say that that is one of the
causes Of the spread of the typhoid
fever. And the water also, was never
In condition so that we felt we had
safe drinking water, and there was no
provisions for boiling 1T. There was
never a plate, saucer or dish boiled
all the time / was there"
When asked for his opinion as TO
the responsibility for the conditions at
Camp Thomas, DR.. Ward said: For
the condition of the camp, first, the
man who insisted that the camp was
perfect and THAT the hospital was well
run. That man was Gen. Boynton."
DR.. William Cuthlbertson, surgeon of
the First Illinois cavalry, said sinks at
Chickamauga had TO be dug with axes
and shovels. the supply of which was
insufficient.