The herald., 1898-09-22
SAVAGE CONDEMNATION
OF METHODS PURSUED IN CAMP
HOSPITALS
BRECKENRIDGE SPEAKS OUT
Colonel Leonard Objects to Putting
Horse Doctors in Charge-The
Camp Merritt Case
Associated Press Special Wire.

Associated Press Special Wire.
CINCINNATI, Sept. 2l.-The Times-Star
special from Lexington, KY. says:
General Breckenridge, who Is In COM
mand Of Camp Hamilton here, and Sur
geon-General Sternberg had long confer
ence just before the Surgeon-Ge General left
here with secrtary Alger. General Breck-
inridge wanted to know just who had a
right 20 command the hospital surgeons.
He said that at Chckamauga these indi-
viduals were a sort of do as you please"
fellows, under nobody's command. Gen.
Wilson had requested certain things to be
done in the hospitals at Chickamauga and
RIO attention had been given the demands.
Investigation, General Breckenridge said,
showed that the surgeons considered them
selves subject only to the orders of Cen
eral Sternberg. General Breckenridge said
he found the same trouble at Camp Haml-
ton and he wanted to have distinct un-
Outstanding regarding the matter. General
SternberS said that the surgeons at Chick
amauga were subject to the orders of Cen
eral Wilson and that the General should
have found this out. II he saw his orders
were not obeyed he should have found the
reason for such disobedience and had the
matter settled at once. General Breclsin-
ridge said the same was the case right here
and he wanted General Sternberg to inform
General Sanger that he was the proper
person TO command the surgeons
Savage Condemnation
LEXINGTON, KY, Sept. 21.-Yesterday
no. =
chief officer OF the third division, at which
General Sanger said:
'Sir, your chief cook and bottle-wa sher
down at Chickamauga. refer to DR.. Hui
dekoper, was nothing but the very rank
est sort OF veterinary surgeon, and did
not know the word 'disinfectant.' I issue
order after order for materials and medi-
cines, and could not get them. failed vi
terly to get what 1 wanted. I sent requisi-
tlon after requisition. and not one OF them
was honored. Finally, I sent requests more
pointed and received the reply that such
stuff was not needed"
Colonel Leonard condemned the divi-
sion hospital. System he said, strips
the regiment of Its surgeons, its company
nurses and its proper stewards, and the
men who are taken away are left to die
among strangers, with little guarantee
that If they escape death they will he
better off in the division hospital. If We
had had man at Chickamauga who under
stood his business, and not a veterinary
surgeon, we might have had a healthy
camp. The horse doctor you have down
there, MIR. Secretary Here Colonel
Leonard was stopped
Several argued that DR.. Huidekopei
was q graduated surgeon, holding diplo-
mas from the best medical schools In the
country. but Colonel Leonard and General
Wiley would not have 1t so. They sale
| that II he ever knew anything he had for
gotten 1t, and. in their judgment, was un.
fit even for a horse doctor"
The Camp Merritt Case
CLEVELAND, O.. Sept. 2l.-Mr. c. W
Metcalf. living in this city. whose son, Bur
ten Metcaf, died recently In San Francis
co. of typhoid pneumonia, contracted while
at Camp Merritt, as member of the United
States regulars. will take steps to- have
charges preferred against General Otis
row with the American forces In the Phil
ippines.
Mr.. Metcalf said today:
Il am member Of an organization made
up of people all over the country, who have
lost relatives or friends, who had enllst ed
In the regular army for service In the Phil
ippines. These men died through exposure
on that pestilential spot known as Camr
Merritt. Each member Of this organiza-
ton Will bring pressure to bear on his Con-
gresham to have charges preferred agains,
General Otis, who located the camp where
1t was. The organization is large and In
fuential one. and 1 believe 1t will be able
to accomplish the object for which 1t was
formed"
Mr.. Metcalf recently returned from San
Francisco, where he went to bring home the
remains OF his son. He states that he in
vestigated the conditions at Camp Merritt
and that more unhealthful spot for a
camp could not have been found on the Pa
cific Coast.
More Charges Coming