The record-union., 1898-11-21

met at the outset by the apparent inn
possibility of securing men for service
as cooks, nurses, litter-bearers, ambu-
lance drivers, teamsters, etc.
As a result the hospitals were kept
in campaigning conditions; that is, the
tents were neither framed nor floored
until the increased prevalence of ty-
phoid fever attracted attention to
their crowded condition, when the OBJ
ject of their existence became sudden
ly changed from a school for field SER
vice to a hospital for the treatment OF
disease Special diet kitchens, under
the management of capable individu-
ais, We're opened at most Of the hos
pitals. Money for this purpose was
sent to them by me from funds con-
tributed and placed at my disposal.
Money was also sent directly by indi-
viduals and representatives of aid So
cieties. and the Red Cross committees
supplied quantities of ice and milk,
chickens, eggs, lemons, etc., and art1-
cles of hospital clothing were provided
by the Red Cross and other aid socle-
ties Subsequently. the order placing
the communication of the sick soldiers
ration at 60 cents rendered these hos
pitfalls independent of outside assist
ance.
About July 20th the troops for the
lvasion of Porto Rico embarked and
sailed. The field hospital accommoda-
ton with this force was ample and the
supplies abundant.
TROOPS ON THE PACIFIC COAST.
The precautions taken to secure
good sanitary condition on the yessets
the sanitary
supervision exercised over the men dur
ing their long voyage must be creolteo
to the excellent condition of the troops
at Manila. The want of hospital corps
men was the main cause Of the failure
of chief surgeons to establish their di-
vision hospitals promptly; instead OF
organization for field service, thelr
time was occupied, and their energies
spent in endeavoring to procure the
necessary men by enlistment or trans
fer. After time, when sickness IN
vaded the camps and the division hos
pitals became filled, operations for field
service had to give place to the imme-
date necessity for caring for the sick.
The division hospitals became expand
ed, as at Siboney and Tampa, into base
hospitals with increased needs and
increased responsibilities.
GENERAL HOSPITALS.
UP to September 3Oth, eleven gen.
eral hospitals were established and
fully manned and equipped. These
had a capacity of nearly 1000 beds. At
the same time certain post hospitals
having good accommodations were used
for the treatment of army cases, gen
orally without alteration of their Off
cial status as post hospitals.
My report presents tabulations COM
piled from monthly reports of sick and
wounded received from May to Septem-
Der, inclusive, and representing a
strength present of 167, 16S men. These
give full particulars. One thousand
seven hundred and fifteen deaths, of
which number $40 were occasioned by
typhoid fever, 81 by malarial fevers
and 1913 by diarrhoea and dySentery.
The death rates for May and June
0.46 and 0.10-were not in excess of
those of the army in time of peace. In
July the rate became somewhat higher
than that of most we'll cared for cities
-2:15 for the monitor, the equiva-
lent of an annual rate of $3.50 per ZOO
living. In August it became excessive
4.0S-equal to annual rate of 1896
per LOCO In September the influence
of measures taken in July and August
to improve the health of the army, be-
came manifest in the falling off of the
death rate to 2.45, or the equivalent
of an annual rate of 29.40 The same
progression came to an acme in Au-
gust with a sudden fall in September
in various ratios given under the spe-
cific titles, typhoid, malarial fever and
diarrhoea and kindred diseases This
is exceedingly gratifying and must be
credited, as stated, to the sanitary
measures adopted, for our experience
in the civil war demonstrates that in
the absence of these measures the high
ratio of August would have been con-
tinued for many months to come
From tables of absolute number and
of ratios by which the incidents of
sickness and mortality of the regular
and volunteer troops may be contrast
ed, it will be seen that the exposure of
the regular troops in the Santiago cam
paign gave them from June to Septem-
ber a higher death rate than the VOL
unteers, and that the rate of the latter
for August, the month of maximum
mortality, was 362, as compared with
5.93 among the regular troops.
VOLUNTEER RELIEF WORK.
My guiding principle throughout the
war has been that relief, when needed,
should be promptly accepted, without
reference to the source from which it
came The relief afforded by the Ma
tional Red Cross at Siboney was
promptly accented by the surgeons on
the spot. but it is evident that that
was entirely inadequate to meet the
emergency. This association has had
full authority to send agents and sup
plies OF various kinds in a most liberal
manner for the use of our field hos
pitals. Other organizations which have
rendered very valuable service are the
National Relief Commission. having it's
headquarters in Philadelphia. and the
Massachusetts Volunteer Aid Associa-
ton, with headquarters in Boston Both
OF these organizations fitted out hos
pltal ships, which were placed at my
service Tor the transportation of our
sick from Porto Rico, and I take pleas
ure In testifying to the valuable service
rendered by the yacht May of the Ma
tional Relief Commission and the hos
pltai snip Bay State of the Massachu-
setts Volunteer Aid Association.
THE MEDICAL CORPS.
BEFORE concluding my report of the
operations of the medical department
during our short and glorious war with
Spain, l feel it my duty to call special
attention to efficient services rendered
by the medical officers of the army IN
the various reSnonciblo ,,oS;+;-X,x. x.-l,;a ~.