Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-09-01

GO IN any way serious, and when 1t was
rumored that the regiment was to be sent
nome. several Of those in the hospital
asked not TO be sent, but to be allowed to
remain throughout their convalescence."
The report states that. in times when
the hospital was crowded, there was a
lack of nurses. the deficiency being sup
piled by details from the regiments, which
were not as satisfactory as trained nurses.
AS a result of this inadequate force,
says the report, 1.-The force provided has
been hard worked. but in all cases they
have stuck to their posts and performed
their work with great energy, until sick
ness overlook a considerable number. The
places OF the sick have been filed by nurses
from the surgeon generals department.
The exhausting character OF the work per-
formed by these nurses is shown by the
fact that about one-fourth OF them have
thoroughly exhausted their strength and
are now resting in quarters
General Boynton shows that there is a
full refrigerator capacity for this hospital,
porcelain lined baths, steriliZed and Ice
water. and every convenience. In the ma
lgnant typhoid ward there have been but
two deaths out Of thirty cases in three
weeks. He says that both the medical Of
fcers and the hospital attendants at this
hospital have undoubtedly performed their
duty with energy and efficiency and the
best test OF all this is shown by the fact
that so many OF them have thoroughly eX-
hausted themselves and fallen sick under
their labors. 1t is also true that many of
them have continued to work after they
had been pronounced sick by their asso-
ciates.
The next hospital inspected was the Third
division hospital, First corps. in charge OF
Major Thomas Clark. Here the attendants
were found sufficient. though in the earlier
days there were not enough surgeons OF
attendants The grounds were in excel
lent condition, the tents clean. most OF the
tents foored and all foored between the
cots and in the aisles.
For a time the hospital was week be-
hind in obtaining its medical supplies. but
this was before the government had collect
ed its medical stores in great quantities
AS In other hospitals. the force OF at
tendants here, both officers and men, have
worked with great persistence. but over %
per cent Of the hospital corps has fallen
sick from ifs exhaustive labors.
For the last six weeks there has been no
difficulty whatever in obtaining medical
supplies of every character. The Red Cross
had made liberal donations TO this hospital.
and friends in Minnesota have Gent great
quantities of delicacies. The hospital fund
for July amounted to sil5. and with that
IL has been possible TO purchase all the
milk needed.
Taking up the last OF the field hospitals.
that of the Third corps. Second division.
under Major Smith, the report states that
the fifty-three tents are at present not all
occupied, though during the epidemic of
measles they were crowded. There were
no Red Cross nurses. and detail of two
ladies from the Chattanooga Association
has visited the hospital daily to cook the
lighter food for the sick. When the hos
pital was crowded. the number of attend
ants was insufficient. There were also
strong complaints of the failure to get med
ical and surgical supplies in the early days.
before the government had been able TO
furnish itself, and when It was impossi-
BILE to avoid delays inciden: to rushing out
supplies to great army camps. The req
utsition papers on file. however. show that
the hospital officers made every effort to
obtain full supplies.
Leaving the details about the hospitals.
the report proceeds to treat the whole sub
5ect generally follows:
I'm two of the hospitals opportunities oc-
CURED for discovery OF what undoubtedly
originated many Of the sensational stories
which have been printed over the coun-
try to the effect that patients in the hos
pitfalls lacked Sufficient food. and In many
cases had been on the verge of starvation.
In the wards where the convalescent ty-
phoid patients were FOUND many of the
men were constantly asking for food, and
as matter of course, were as constantly
denied everything except the lighter forms
of food which can alone be safely admin
istered TO recovering typhoid patients This
refusal of food throughout the hospitals
by which care alone, as is perfectly under
stood, can the lives of typhoid GONZALES
cents be saved, has been distorted into the
report, which has been spread throughout
the country. that patients were being
starved In the government hospitals. There
has been no lack of perfect food in the
hospitals, and competent cooks for pre-
pairing II have been present, and the only
reason for depriying the patients of what
SO many of them have clamored for has
been the necessity of such dieting as the
disease demands.
1T will be easily observed that the con-
ditions set forth in this report are mainly
present conditions. 1t has not heretofore
fallen within the range of my duties at this
park to make critical observations OF hos
pital conditions. although as a matter of
course, many features OF this division of
camp administration have fallen under nv
notice. i am constrained to believe that
there has been no neglect on the part of
either the medical or the quartermaster de-
partment to furnish such supplies as
have reached the camp.
1T will be observed that the report in
each case has been made with reference
10 the maximum number of patients in
each hospital and so far as 1t was possible
10 obtain the conditions then existing they
are set forth In this report. Undoubtedly
there have been serious Inconvenience,
and, at times, Of the greatest crowdins-
those lacks of conveniences and full at
tendance which 20 TO make up that pain
full condition Of affairs, which, as every
veteran knows. are inseparable from the
field hospitals of great armies even when
all concerned exert themselves 10 secure
the comfort of the patients. These are con-
ditions which, in times of rapid increase OF
disease-a condition which was reached at
this camp solely, in my judgment, from the
filth which too many OF the regimental off,
GERS allowed to dominate their camps. in
spite Of the orders which would have pre-.
vented all this trouble from the surgeon
general and from the commanding officers
OF this camp-create a situation which can
not be Immediately amelIo-ated.
$50 far from believing. as n result of my
observations. that medical officers have
been heartless or negligent, believe that
these officers and the hospital attendants
as a whole. have exerted themselves to dis.
charge their duties faithfully. It would
seem us II this were sufficiently showr
by the fact that they have worked un-
ceasingly until Quarter of the whole force
has been stricken by disease resulting from