The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-11-17

on the trip.
DR.. Edward L. Munson, who for a
time was on duty at Tampa and in
Cuba, chief being for time on the
Olivette, and also adjutant to Gen.
Pope, surgeon of the fifth corps, said
he had understood that acquisitions
were promptly approved and that all
the difficulty there was in getting med
icines and supplies was due to the lack
of transportation. Each regiment had
been expected to take the supplies that
would be necessary. There were no
! orders to leave any of the medical sup
plies except the ainbulances at Tampa.
He had understood that the medical
supplies in Cuba We're short They
were taken on the transports, but it
was impossible to get them landed. Dr.
Pope had made application to the
Quartermasters' department for trans
portation for this purpose, but was
told there was none to be had. Later
small boat had been furnished for
one trip only.
Gen Shafter had ordered the use of
the boat for this trip, and had after
ward revoked it to the extent of having
the boat take some officers aboard.
The medical department had to rely
upon its own energies, AS result,
there were medical supplies which had
never been landed
Colonel W. H. Forwood, who
was the chief medical officer at Mon
tauk Point, testified that his instruc-
lions We're to have on hand at all times
tents, beds, etc, and the representa-.
tions that they were not there, We're
not correst. The hospitals were over
crowded at times, but only for a few
days. He asserted that Not for
minute" had patients remained outside
the hospitals without protection from
the weather, though there were times
when cots were not on hand In these
cases the patients were laid on hair
mattresses spread on the tent floor.
DR.. Forwood said that much of the
crowding Of the hospitals was due to
the fact that many soldiers sought to
gam admission as means of getting
furlough home. This condition of
affairs might have resulted in keeping
deserving men out. I'VE did not do
much business with the letter pad,
said the witness; I'VE did not use the
pen nor resort to red tape, but we got
on our horses and went with vim to
| do what was to be done.
| But" said DR.. Common, these facts
| do not explain the other fact, that
there were occasions when the tents
We're overcrowded, when there We're
more sick men than could be accom-
| modated. What steps were taken to
relieve this condition ?"
DIR. Forwood said: 1--WE increased the
number of carpenters alsc the laborers
| generally, and if possible would have
increased the time We redoubled our
own personal exertions, worked late at
night. going through rain as well as
shine"
DR.. Conner asked; aBut how did it
happen that after receiving an order
early in August to get a thousand beds
! ready in the hospital the latter part of
that month, this had not been done,
and there We're sick soldiers who were
not able to find hospital accommoda-
tion. Whose fault was it-that of the
medical department or the qhartermas-
ter's, that such was the case? Surely,
! somebody was at fault and you, as the
chief surgeon of the camp, ought TO be
able to tell us who it WAS
| DR.. Forwood replied: mo; you have
not made a case yet. Our first order
was for 500-bed hospital and that for
another of the same capacity but by
the time you speak Of we had not only
room for 1000 beds but for 2O00."
| DR.. Conner asked: Even then you
had not sufficient tentage2"
| DIR. ForWood said: Not to cover the
whole earth, but we had all that was
necessary to cover the sick; there was
never a moment when we did not have
| tents to put up
At this juncture DR.. Forwood was
| excused. for the night. Gen. Dodge an
nounced at the close of today's ses-
sion that the commission would leave
here at II o'clock tomorrow night for
New York. While in that city the
Fifth Avenue Hotel will be headquar-
| ters, and meetings will be held there
first, beginning Friday at 10 O'Clock.