The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-10-19
PRESENT CARE OF SICK
THE WORLD HAS NEVER SEEN
IT'S PARALLEL.
SICKNESS FROM EATING TAINTED MEAT
Testimony Regarding Commissary and Quarter
Master Departments. An intoxicated
Hospital Nurse Sets Fire
tn a Patients Bed.
to a Patients S Bed.

to a Patients Bed
Jacksonville, Fla, Oct. 1S.-The war
investigating commission held three ses-
sions to-day, dealing during the two
day sessions with the general staff Of
ficers of the Seventh army corps, and at
night hearing the testimony of officers
and men of the Second South Carolina
regiment. The general officers examin-
ed included the chief surgeon, the chief
commissary, the chief quartermaster
and the inspector general of the corps,
and all gave detailed information as
to their respective departments of the
service.
The subcommittee, consisting of Gen
eral Wilson and Captain Howell, ap-
pointed to investigate the selection of
Fernandina, as a camp site, returned
tonight and reported their complete ap-
proyal of the selection. They made spe-
cial inquiry into the report that the
camp had been located there for the
purpose of enhancing the value of land
owned by a son of Secretary Alger, go
ing through the county records as
part of their work They failed to find
his name in any of these documents and
their investigation convinced them that
he had never owned any real estate III
that vicinity or had been in any way
interested in any.
COLONEL MAUS TESTIFIES.
Colonel Louis NJ Maus, chief surgeon
of the Seventh army corps, was the
first witness sworn to-day. lie is q
regular army surgeon and has occupied
this present position practically through
out the history of the camp. lie said
that when the order came for the estab-
lishment Of division hospitals there was
some delay in getting supplies suchs~as
tents He made his acquisitions on
Tampa. but finding that all efforts there
were directed to getting the expeditions
off. made his acquisitions upon Washing
ton direct. After this they were prompt
ly filled There was no suffering among
the sick Still they did not Lave the
luxuries at the beginning of the war
that there were in the latter days Of it,
Nor" added the DOCTOR do / think
that the history of the world has ever
seen parallel to our present care of
the sick"
Taking up the present condition of the
hospitals he said there We're BOG trained
said the employment Of these nurses
had proved entirely satisfactory.
Replying to a question, DR.. Maus said
that after the first few days there had
been exceptional promptitude. He had
never seen such utter diregard Of ex-
pense in caring for sick soldiers. AS
matter of fact, the troops had a
greater allowance of rations than they
could use or dispose of in any way.
NE iLIGENCE OF SURGEONS.
He thought typhoid had been intro
duced into the camp by Mississippi and
Virginia troops. Shallow wells and SUR
face drainage had done much to increase
the scourge. He also thought the flies
had done much to disseminate fever.
DR.. Maus said he had found it difficult
to prevail upon surgeons in the voun-
teer service to learn the administra-
tive duties of their positions. Often in
the early history Of the war some of the
volunteer regimental surgeons had been
found negligent in the matter of inspec
ton, but later on sanitation became the
principal duty of everybody about the
camp Much trouble had been expert
enced in keeping the public from
the hospitals. In many cases they had
surreptitiously carried food to the sick.
DR.. Maus also dwelt upon the newspa-
per reports of the suffering in the camp,
saying they had generally grown out of
exaggerated statements from the men
themselves.
DIR. Maus thought the fever was now
decreasing. He mentioned one instance
in which serious sickness had followed
the use of tainted meat and said he had
heard of a few other instances in which
poor meat had been issued.
Dr. Maus was questioned in regard tc
the camp at Miami. He said he had
investigated it and found it to be I'm.
suitable on account of the water, which
analysis had shown to be impure. He
also thought Tampa unsuited to large
army camp He said in response to a
criticism from Jacksonville lady that
General Lee had given the most careful
attention to the hospitals; that he made
frequent calls on the sick men ana did
much 10 cheer them up.
a letter was read from Mrs. Gordon
wife Of General w. w. Gordon, in re-
lation to the hospital at Miami, in which
she made serious charges, among others
one to the effect that hospital nurse
had become intoxicated and set fire to 6
patients bed, burning him somewhat
and another that flies were often founC
crawling into the mouths of dying pa
tients. Mr. Maus had a report from DR.
Villas. in charge of the hospital, read
admitting the statement concerning the
burning Of a patients bed, but denying
all others. DR.. Maus expressed the