The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-04
VOLUNTEERS THE WORST OFF
RULES OF HEALTH BETTER UNDER
STOOD BY REGULARS,
And the Latter Are Not Worried with
LOngings for HOlMe-TrOubIe on
Board the Transports.
Copyright, 1898. by the Associated Press.)

army in Porto Rico that the condition of
the volunteer forces here necessitates their
removal north. Sickness is increasing and
has been increasing during the past three
weeks at an alarming rate. To-day the sick
report shows over 2700 in hospitals in
quarters, out of a total command of 10000
men; that is, over % per cent. of the troops
are on the sick list. This, however, does not
mean that there is an effective strength
of $500 men. The soldiers discharged from
the hospitals as fit for duty are in nine
cases out of ten incapable of service and
If ordered duty are almost invariably
back in the hospitals within a few days.
The medical officers have found that the
convalescents do not, and seemingly cannot,
recover their strength in this climate, and
for this reason they are being sent north
as rapidly possible, several hundred leav-
ing every week. Tomorrow over five hun
dred will go on the OLDHAM and the Re-
lief
1t is a significant fact that there is a
wide disparity between the sickness in the
volunteers and regular commands. In the
two regular infantry regiments, the Nine
teenth and Eleventh, the sickness averages
only about 10 per cent, while in the volun-
teer regiments-the Sixth Massachusetts,
First New York Engineers Fourth Ohio
Third Illinois. First Kentucky, Third Wis
consin and Sixteenth Pennsylvania-it av-
erages "a per cent. In the last-named two,
where the conditions are the worst. the
sick report to-day shows a percentage Of
46 In the Sixteenth Pennsylvania and AZ in
the Third Wisconsin. Over half of these
two regiments, which, with the First Ken
lucky, comprise General Ernst's brigade
are unfit for duty and yesterday, when
General Ernst moved his headquarters up
to Aibonito, on the summit of the mountain
range, it was found that it would be i'm
possible for the brigade to follow. The COM
mand is PROSTATE where it is
Undoubtedly the wide disparity between
the percentage of sickness in the volunteer
and regular organizations is largely due to
the fact that the former are better able to
care for themselves. Most of them are vet
Grams, who understand the rules of health
in camp, and their officers from the very
outset have enforced with untiring energy
the sanitary regulations so necessary for
the preservation of health. But more than
that, the regulars are making soldering a
business. They did not enlist for the war,
but for five years, and they look upon their
assignment for service in Porto Rico philo-
sophically and make the best of the situa-
ton.
VOLUNTEERS HOMESICK
The volunteers, on the other hand, enlisted
for two years, but with the almost univer-
sal expectation that they would be mus
tered out when the war closed Almost to
a man thew desired to go home and ever
since the protocol was signed they have
lived in the daily hope of being recalled.
For days they have talked of nothing else
Inconsistencies depressed their spirits and
made them easy victims to the malarial
climatic conditions. 1t is said that some of
ham No. c,IH -
ly exposed themselves to the wet or ate
freely of tropical fruits, despite the regula-
llons, that they might become i'll and be
sent nome Some, it is alleged, even feigned
sickness and quite a number of these sue
ceeded in their designs
The other day a number of men from one
nome as cOnvalescents, came into Ponce
miles ahead of their wagon train, singing
Iaughl ne . ana making merry at the pros
athletes. They appeared to be more can
aple OF service than hundreds. of the SOL
diers who remained. and one of the regular
army officers in Ponce, upon looking Them
over, suggested ironically that they should
s StOP at New s YORK on their way home and
ma n, putting the shot, etc.. at the Gale
The medical staff of the army under direc-
ton of Major Snowden has 1abored unceas-
ingly to stay the progress of disease and
sickness, but the sick report grows longer
at~the rate of fifty or sixty a day despite
their efforts Every tent on the island was
provided with board flooring by the order
or General Brooke, and camps, cooking
places and sinks were carefully inspected
time after time until their sanitary condi-
ton to-day seems perfect yet the number
or sick SWellS daily.
The weekly report of a week ago shows
300 cases of typhoid fever, 565 cases of ma
laria, one case of smallpox and 145O cases
of climatic fever, diarrhoea etc. Since then
about 300 cases have been added to the list
The worst feature of the situation is the
steady increase in the number of typhoid
n1aoe
For time it appeared probable that the
typhoid fever in the army, most of which
and Camp Alger originally. would he
stamped out, but about three weeks ago new
gases began to appear, at an alarming fate.
Major Snowden and his associates do not
believe that there is a new source of con-
tagion, but rather that the cases are due to
infection from the old cases.
PEOPLE OF PONCE IMPERILED.
A few days ago the whole city of Ponce
narrowly escaped being utterly depopulated
by a typhoid epidemic. Some of the men of
the First Kentucky, who are camped near
the aqueduct which carries the water sup
ply Of the city, in order to secure good water
close at hand, carelessly but thoughtlessly
tapped the aqueduct. They broke through
the masonry and for whole day were
hosting water in buckets from the aque.
duct. Fortunately Major Snowden discov-
cred the nianhole while on a tour of in
spectation the next day. He was mortified
at the discovery. Typhoid fever existed in
the First Kentucky and the entire water
supply of the city might have been con-
taminated with typhoid germs. He ordered
the manhole stopped up Immediately
1t is possible that when the troops cross
the mountains after the evacuation of the
island is completed by the Spaniards and
get in barracks out of the rain which falls
almost daily, their condition will improve,
but as to this, the physicians are very skep-
teal There are spacious barracks in every
large town in the island, more than suffi-
cient to accommodate any garrison we may
leave there and at San Juan. Five thousand
men can be accommodated easily in the bar
racks and the San Cristobal and MORO for
treSses. At Aibonito, which might be used
as a sanatorium in case 1t is decided to
keep the volunteer regiments in Porto Rico,
sand men. In most of the towns there are
also fairly we'll equipped hospital buildings
1t is said to be the opinion of many of the
general officers that the volunteer organiza-
items could be withdrawn and that the two
regular regiments with the three troops of
cavalry and the four batteries of artillery
now in the island would be amply sufficient
for garrison duty. The Eleventh and Nine
teenth have already been informed that
they Will remain here and preparations are
being made by the officers to bring their
Lieutenant Lawton, of the Nineteenth left
to-day on the Philadelphia for Fort Wayne
Mich, TO arrange for the removal of the
property OF his regiment at that place and
at Fort Brady Mich.
II Is not improbable that one, or perhaps