The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-08-26
1 Timely visit.

The Secretary of War arrived at Camp
Wikon at Montauk Point on Wednesday,
ana announced his intention to spend sew
eraI DAYS there. inspecting the camp with
the view Of finding out whether the camp
is a healthy one. and whether the sick SOL
diers are being provided with everything
they need.
The visit Of the secretary IS a timely
one. There have been great many com
plants of that camp. and particularly Of
the treatment received by the soldiers suf-
forlng from fever and other diseases. As
far as the camp is concerned it is asserted
that the water is not wholesome, and that
il should he filtered before the soldiers
are permitted to drink it. This assertion
is not one 10 be ignored II Is based on
the statement Of the health officer of New
York city The Red Cross Society offered
to provide plant for boiling all the water
needed for drinking purposes by the camp
but the offer was declined by the medical
department of the army. Why it was de-
chned SIS not stated. The reason was prob
ably that the army doctors did not want
to be put in the position of having made
a mistake in pronouncng the water good
when the question of establishing a camp
at Montauk was first discussed, and for
the further reason that they lid not want
any Interference from the Red Cross So
ciety.
The number Of typhoid fever cases at
the camp is alarminsly large-so large as
TO justify looking for some local cause for
the fever. The water may not be as bad
as represented, but having been pro-
nounced bad by so excellent an authority
as Or. Edison, there ought TO be no delay
in taking steps to purify it before permit
ting The soldiers to drink it.
That there is a great lack of delicaeies
needed by the sick soldiers is shown by
the fact that Miss Helen Gould made a
donation OF $4,000 this week 10 purchase
hospital supplies for the sick, and quite a
number of others have made donations.
There ought to be no need for such dona-
tons. The government is well able to sup
ply every want of the soldiers who are i'll,
and it would do so if the medical depart
ment were equal to the demands upon it.
The probability is that we shall lose
many more soldiers from fevers and other
diseases, as a result of our war with
Spain than were killed by Spanish bullets,
together with those who have died, and
will die, from wounds received at the
hands of the Spaniards. Less than three
hundred were killed in both the army and
navy. AS far as yet ascertained the num-
Der was about $50. The number of the
wounded was less than 1850. It Is quite
certain that the number who have died
from fevers and other forms of disease
greatly exceeds three hundred
Secretary Alger is quoted as saying that
the President is much concerned about
the sick soldiers at Camp Wikoff 1t is not
to be wondered at that he is The whole
country is stirred up about the matter; :
about the sickness not only at that camp
but also at other camps. The belief is
quite general that much of the sickness
is due to neglect in the medical de-
partment of the army, and that many of
the deaths that have occurred could have
been prevented if there had been proper
hospitals at the camps, plenty of medi-
cines and an ample supply of doctors and
nurses. The President is not held re-
sponsible for the failure TO give proper
attention to soldiers sick in the camps.
The medical department of the army is
responsible, at least that Is the popular
belief. There should be a thorough invest
gaton for the purpose of finding out just
why ii is that that department has failed
so signally in meeting public expectations.
Justice TO the SeVenty-First.