Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-11-08
THE CONDITIONS BAD.
More Doctors or Camp Thomas
Insa|ubdty,
LACK OF ATTENTION TO SICK.
But for Red Cross Some Of the Soldiers
Would Have Perished.
GENERAL BoYNTON BLAMED.
Kansas City Surgeon Says He
IL Responsible for Keeping Army
at Cbickamauga When Ii Ought
Not ia Have Been Kept There.

CHICAGO. November 7.-General Dodge.
Colonel Sexton. and DIR. Conner. OF tho
War-Investlgating Commission. arrived
in Chicago to-day. and Immediately be-
gan the examination Of witnesses at tho
Auditorium Hotel.
DIR. Lewis Schooler. Of Des Moines. Ia,
was the first witness. From June 7th
TO July 18th, DR.. Schooler was stationed
at Camp Thomas. as chief surgeon Of tho
Second Division, Third Corps. Questioned
by DR.. Conner, he said that during the
time he was there the sanitary condi-
tions in the hospitals were not very good.
the sinks in the whole division were bad.
owing principally TO the. character OF the
ground. and the discipline was rather lax.
"At the opening" Dr. Schooler said.
there were practically no facilities for
the care of the sick. We Were short OF
medicines, and had no apparatus by
which the stewards could prepare tho
medicines that we had. The regimentai
hospitals, all but one or two. were as
poorly supplied with medicines as the
division hospitals Requisitions were
made for more, but they were generally
supply department had certain hours for
issuing supplies, and at other times no.
thing could be obtained. There was
scarcity Of beds i'm the hospitals. At
one time practically half our nursing force
were sick or in the guard-house FOR IN
subordination."
Or. Conner: why was not demand
made by somebody that better or more
nurses be sent TO that placer
GcIooIers | don't know L wrote
the encouragement once, protesting
against the difficulty of securing supplies.
Part Of the blame rested Upon the quar-
termaster's Department
SURGEONS CHARGED WITH NEG
LECT.
DR.. Milo b. Ward Of Kansas City. who
was brigade surgeon at Camp Thomas
from July 18th To September 10th. also
testified TO the lack Of medicine as well
as lack of attention TO the sick. lie was
particularly severe !n his criticism of
Corps Surgeon Hofr and Divsion-Surgeon
Jenney, Of the Second Division, Third
Corps. He charged that they neglected
their duties
In reply 10 further questions. DR.. Ward
said: "The necessities were not avail
able from the army supplies. and had 1t
not been for the Red-Cross Society some
OF the soldiers would have perished
Requisition after requisition was for
warded. and yet no relief came Tho
nurses. as rule, were incompetent,
though some were more faithful than
others. This was not remedied because
We had 10 obey army regulations az to
detailing men for nursing duty"
"The location OF the hospital was ex-
tremey bad. in my judgment and tho
water was never IN such ondition that
we felt safe in drinking IL, and there was
no provision for boiling H. There was
never n plate, saucer. or 6ish boiled, AL
the time / was there"
BLAME or GENERAL BOYNTON.
When asked for his opinion as 20 the
responsibility for the conditions at Camp
| Thomas, DR.. Ward said: For the cordi-
ton OF the camp. first the nan who in
sisted that the camp was perfect. end
that the hospital was well run. That man
| was General Boynton."
Dr. Conner: Had General Boynton
anything 20 do with the quarterInasters
| or commissary Department.
| DR.. Ward: II say he was responsible for
keeping the army there when that army
! ought not to have been kept mere. The
want OF supplies was due 10 ne fact that
/ the quartermasters and commissary de-
| partments were not bounded enough for
| supplies-not followed up enough"
! A number OF other witnesses were ex-
amned. but no new points were brought
| of4t