New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-11-08
CAMP THOMAS'S CONDITION.
TESTIMONY GIVEN REFLECTING ON THE
MANAGEMENT.
LACK OF MEDICINES. NURSES AND PROPER CARE
ALLEGED-MANY WITNESSES TO TESTIFY

mission. arrived in Chicago to-day ana lniine-
dlately began the examination of witnesses at the
Auditorium Hotel. large number OF witnesses
are on the list and IL is not likely that the three
members Of the Commission Will be able TO leave
Chicago before Wednesday. They will then start
for Detroit where the Investigation will be con-
tinued From Detroit the Commissioners VIII go
direct to Washington. Dr. Lewis Schooler. Of Des
Moines Iowa. the first witness TO TESTIFY TO-
day From June to July II DR. Schooler was
stationed at Camp Thomas az chief surgeon OF the
Second Division. Third Corps. Questioned by Dr.
Conner he said that during the time he was there
the sanitary conditions N the hospitals were not
good the sinks in the whole division we're pad'
owing principally to the character OF tie ground.
and the discipline was rather lax.
AT the opening" said Dr. Schooer there were
practically facilities for the Of the sick We
were short of medicines and had apparatus by
which the stewards could prepare the medicines
that had. The regimental hospitals, all but one
two. were as poorly supplied with medicines as
the division hospitals acquisitions were made
for more but they generally dIsapproved at
the camp headquarters The supply department
had hours for issuing supplies. and at other
times nothing could be obtained There was a
scarcity OF beds I'm the hospitals Al one time
practically half nursing force were sick or In
the guardhouse for INSTRUMENTATION
DR. Conner-Why not demand made by
somebody that better or more nurses should be
sent TO that place.
Or. Schooler-T don't know. wrote the surgeon
General once protesting against tho difficulty Of
securing supplies. Part of the blame rested upon
the Quartormastcr's Department.
CAMP CONDITIONS CRITICISED.
Asked TO give in as few words possible his
opinion about the general conditions AT lamp
Thomas during the time he was stationed there
DR. Schoolcr said I'm the first place the quarter
master and surgeons could not agree as 10 the
have 'Ol6 -
contcnded that We were limited 10 n certain num-
her Of tents seventeen. ! think was named IN the
beginning We afterward prevailed upon him 10
give Us tweniy-one. His contention WAS that no
could not issue tents beyond tho prescribed num-
Der I think he based the number Of tents upon
one hundred and fifty patients and when the num-
her Of patients became greater We could not max"
him understand that We had 10 have more tents
II was his refusal IN Increase the number Of tents
that made the overcrowdng. The lack Of nedi-
cnes the lack Of trained nurses and the lack OF
sufficient number Of surgeons was a material ann
Guilty one cause of tho prevalence Of sickness
in tho camp was that had three regiments
which came there with great deal Of sickness
the LIST Mississippi and the list and I'd Arkansas
There was much typhoid and dysentery In those
regiments I think the Quartermasters Depart
ment largely responsible for the SICK
ness the medical department-that Is the supply
department--was also responsible for some things
not even have stationery We were told all the
time that reports must be made.
DR. Conner-So faI you knew. was there on
the part Of any medical officer or surgeon any
wfu neglect IN the care ~ tho sick?
DIT Schooer-No. sir The great difficulty was
in obtaining supplies and I think the hitch came
between Colonel Hartsun and tho Medical Supply
Department
For the successful care OF the sick Or. Schooer
considered the division hospital far superior to
regimental hospitals
Il started on July H." he said before any
epidemic had set in. In my Judgment tho responsi-
hilty for the continuance OF the conditions there
does not upon the division surgeons'
DRINKING-wATER CONDEMNED.
In regard to the water supply at the camp. Dr.
Schooer stated that he did not think any Of the
surgeons in his division considered the water fl to
drink And again there were not enough teams at
the disposition of the officers to enable them to
bring sufficient water. On several occasions he
had visited the ground near whore the supply was
taken from the river. and felt convinced from what
he saw that much OF the prevailing disease was
caused by the negligence Of the policing depart
rnent I'm allowing the soldiers to so at VIII through
the woods situated along the banks OF the stream
He gave this for many Of the cases
Of typhoid fever existing I'm the camp Another
feature which contributed large, 10 the sick list
IN the opinion Of the doctor, the laxty shown
I'm issuing passes the men and allowing them to
,fsit other camps Fifty per cent of the sick
ness" said the doctor would not have been IN
existence had the men not been allowed to leave
Chickamauga Park passes"
lie gave as his opinion that the medical officers
were hammered TOO much by officers Of higher
rank but who had medical training. In regard
to division hospitals the doctor said: II think
there should have been hospital In Chattanooga
where a class of patients could have been taken
who were going to be- sick any length or Time
l4a L
intended for cases where patients were going TO be
When questioned az TO the .ack OF nurses. the
doctor said that he thought both the nurses ana
the officers were overworked
MOTHER TELLS of HER SONS DEATH.
Mrs. Virginia f. Be,z OF Chicago the next
witness She entered complaint in regard 10 the
death Of her SON. Frank r. Beiz. who enlisted with
Company l.. list Illinois Volunteers. He was taken
sick al Santiago and was taken to Montauk on
the transport Berlin From there ne was allowed
to go home furough when he should have been
sent TO the hospital He sent home entirely
unattended and vas compelled to ride In a day
coach instead Of being provided with a berth in
sleeper. lie arrived home on September !. and on
September u h. died u was the opinion OF MIS- I
to the hospital Or If he must be sent home. she
thought that he should have had an attendant
Dr. Milo h. Ward. OF Kansas city. who was a
brigade surgeon at Camp Thomas. from July II to
September 10. when asked as to the condition OF
the hospitals. said that there was great Iach OK
medicines. only some OF the very Simplest HeuI-
cnes being on hand Ihe FOOD whicn was tu -
give to my pct dog" He said that the food would
have been an right had 1t been properly cooked,
but I'm the shape In which IL was brought 10 the
men IL was enough to make anybody sick. The
doctor then questioned as to the lack OF at
tention shown to patients just coming down with
disease. The doctor stated that he knew OF sew
,ral cases where patients were allowed to lie out
on the ground the whole day and also during the
night before being taken to the hospital. The doc
tor was asked what the hours OF duty were sup
posed 10 be- He replied from a. m until p. m.
In this way the patients were without medical at
tendance during the night rs II possible that pet
Ter care could have been secured If night calls had
been made" was asked.
NO. sir. There was nothing TO see them Ter eN-
.ont IA give them medicine. Scventy-fve per cent
Of the patients we're cots and the other - per
cent were on stretchers the ground, where they
we're from four 10 six inches from the ground.
some of the men were put the bare ground, but
within few hours they were always put on cots
DR. Connor-Did you ever see man on the bare