The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-11-04
SOME STRONG TESTIMONY.
INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE HEAR
WITNESSES ON CAMP THOMAS.
HOSPITALS Were Overcrowaed. Ow-
fng TO the Rapid Increase OF
Sickness, and the Nurses Detail
ed rron Reginents Were Poor.

CINCINNATI. Nov. 3.-The afternoon
session Of the war investigating committee
was occupied in hearing three witnesses.
mostly on the condition OF the division hos
pitai al ChickamAuga.
The first witness was MAJ. r. z. Heiburn,
Of the Second Kentucky, now mustered
out. The death list OF his regiment, ne
stated, was tweniy-six, most OF whom oiso
at home on furiouga- The sickness IN
Ch.ckamauga increased very rapidly. He
knew that there was a shortage Of cots In
the hospitals, as well as tents. In answer
10 questions by DIR. O'Connor, he stated
that he served on the commission appoint
ed on account of a complaint OF the colonel
Of the First Arkansas to investigate the
division hospitals. DR.. Ward, the witness
and Mai Johnson formed the commission
This commission was appointed III the lat
ter par. Of August and reported about Sep
TENDER 5. The patients were then beng
removed to the hospital, and the hospital
was In a chaotic condition. The sinks were
as close as 80 feet from the wards, and
were in an unciean condition. There was
dumping ground where otner refuse VAS
thrown. There was a gully running right
through the site. The sick were IN fairy
good condition. The committee examined
two or three hundred witnesses, including
commander, chaplain, prisatss, nospitai
corps nurses and visitors.
The committee concluded that at first the
hospital was In a bad condition. but it got
-.
was in good condition.
The committee found that the cause for
its bad condition arose from the TACT that
it was not intended to be more taan tenn
porary hospital, but the sick increased so
rapidly that 1t was overcrowded. Another
cause was the ineompetency or men Detail
ed from regiments for nurses. In many
regiments the most worthless men were de-
tailed for that duty. The detail. was made
according 10 regulations. The fault was not
Of the medical department, but of the sys-
tenn. The committee found unnecessary
suffering because Of lack OF tents and cots.
SO that the patients were exposed to the
rain and compelled TO lay on the ground.
This was the fault OF the quartermaster's
departments
acquisitions were not filled for from two
TO ten days. and in some instances were
not filled at ALL
When asked If there were many. deaths
resulting from these negiects, he said there
was an order from DR.. HoH to Maj Smith
10 send fifty Of the worst patients TO Stern
berg hospital. OF these. two died in a short
time after the removal. 1t was claimed by
DR. Hon that the order was to send fifty
patients, and not fifty OF the worst pa
tients. The original order was not intro
duced.
The witness admitted that he would not
charge these deaths TO neglect, but to want
of Judgment in sending men out not mt TO
bear the fatigue.
Tho only complaint against the medical Ica
bard. who required the sick TO -stand at
attention" while attending sick calls. The
medical corps was not negiectfu. but was
supplies medicine and proper NURSES. The
witness cited an instance OF a thermometer
given to an orderly 10 he used for taking
the temperature OF patients. and when ask
ssd for it the next day he said he did not
know what Il was for and had given 1t
away AS to instances of neglect, the wit
ness said his committee had much tesu-
mony that patients were allowed 70 remain
filthy in their beds and were actually n.y.
blown. This neglect was chargeabie 10
a as n esanTed and The ne o a in charge
were also frequently changes. some were
asked 10 resign and others broke down.
the ground The wards We're not all floor
ed until In August The evidence before
the committee showed that the medical
officers were conscientious and did Their
utmost TO remedy the evils prevailing in
the HOSPITALS. The witness read the state
ment OF Mai Smith and OF Col Hon. made
10 his committee. The former was a
scathing arraignment Of the inefiiciency OF
the supply department Medicines. medi-
ca, appara tus, ice and drinking water and
other necessities were not furnished. He
potency OF the nurses In answer TO a
question By Gen. Dodge. the witness said
he did not know at the time ne made THIS
Investigation that the hospital command
ant had any authority 10 purchase any
medical and commissarv supplies. and he
did not thi1k the comma ndant knew it.
for all the medical corps complained OF in
ability 10 get supplies.
Speaking OF the water supply being un-
wholesome he said he got his impression
Of it's Embellishments from an order is
sued By the commander that ali drinking
water should be bos.ed
col HofY's statement before the commit
tee dealt with a defense OF the field hoe pi-
tails which. he said were originally in
tended TO accommodate 90 sick but the
sickness increased so rap'd ly and unexpect-
eddy that the supply department was not
able 10 meet the demand. acquisitions for
supplies met many obstacles. Tile rail-
roads were said TO he unab.e To carry goods.
Then the equipment OF the First corps he-
fore tho Third was given az a reason why
supplies could not he furnished The wit
ness. being asked his own opinion about
the great amount OF sickness at Chicka-
manga. said he thought that two-thirds OF
it was due TO negligence OF the men them
selves In ais own command men
who were temperate and reasonably careful
OF their health Kept healthy. Many OF
ard would lay about. cooling or suddenly.
There was a vast amount of unwholesome
food and drink sold by hucksters until they
Eighth ard Ninth New York regiments.
which had can;eens, and he sad almost
the entire regimen; were stricken by dis
ease This witness also read the state
mens Of Capt Charles Price. ~ the Second
Kentucky who told OF hearing shrieks
from he Ninth Nssw York ward and upon
Investigation he found that Maj Hubbard
patient The major was brutal. Price
interfered and Hubbard said that was the
only way 10 hsunor a pat ent.
The only explanation be gave was that
tht patient refused 10 take the medicine.
The reading was ~ this point Interrupt.
Ell by the appearance of Capt. Prize and
nc was examined He testified thai on
one occasion when he Went 10 the hospital
10 see one If his men who was Ill with
measles he was Informed that the patient
had been detailed to carry water. The
hfa.f h.
ing weG-ei in like sandwiches. The same
WAS true Of the typhoid and malaritl
wards The witness. In describing the
action Of Maj. Hubbard. said that ne
choked TIE patient ami forc!b'y pressed
him down on the COT tie then caught the
PATIENTS hands and wgenehesi them
l.ltsi The poar man shrT1s1ed w.th pan At
this point thT witness said 20 Hubbard:
II IL, n1t KNOW your mama or your rank
tut fhis brutality must stop
Hubbard d3 not stop. bat said somethin :
about showing Il patient how to refuse 10
sake medicines.
Capt Prlce said &c made IL poin. 10 70
~ N4S 4 a tA.tsrs 30