Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-10-29


der the guidance OF General Boynfo,
General Stewart, a member OF the Chief,
amauga Park Commission, and Mr. T. II
Belts, the engineer OF the Park Comm.
sion. The inspection began at I.ytlo So
ton, and included all points Of lntere,,
in the park and near its borders. v.b.,h
have been in any way involved I'm la
controversy concerning the sanitation u,
the park, including Sternberg and Ieifl~
hospitals, the various springs from vb..o
water was secured by the troops. inol1l-
ing the famous "Crawhsh Spring" AM,
the point on Chckamauga creek no vlI.,
the water OF the pipeline Supply vss
taken out. Special attention was given ID,
this aforementioned place because OF tb.
criticisms that have been made upon f.,
source of the camps water supply. Tho
found the intake pipe submerged ato.,
twenty feet above the mouth OF "a tr.l.-
tary creek, locally known as Cave sur.u,
creek, which drained the camp
CONTAMINATION OF WATER
The charge had been made that r.
water from the tributary stream had con-.
taminated the pipe water. being carried
hack into IL by means OF eddIcs and n
one case by an overlooking freshet. Gone.
raj Boynton and Mr.. Belts, both Of whom
had been concerned in the location of tt.
pipe line. admitted that there had been
one occasion when Cave Spring creek had
overlooked and broken dam, thus throw.
ing It's water into the main stream allow.
the intake; but they explained thl. g.s
freshet had occurred at night. WHOM Nh.
humps were shut down, and no water w.s
being taken In. They called attention D
the rapldity OF the flow, and th. H.-tl
of the stream, and urged the imp0 .t,
OF infection from this source
The commissioners listened attontya'y
10 all that was said, but naturally U.s
we're conservative in heir eNpr. ..us
General Wilson gave especia. attention
TO the question as an engineer prob m
and while refusing 10 allow himself .a %.
quoted. IL was manifest from cXpr ions
he dropped that he was imprcss.i with
the strong improbability, II not tfe lm.
possibility, Of infection from this source
| II was also equally evident that 1 mae
foritv OF the commission formed The same
| opinion.
APPROVAL OF HOSPITALS.
There were many expressions of com.
mendation Of the methods of the work at
the Sternberg Hospital Major GiG.n. .n
command of the hospital, said .t would
soon be abandoned
The commission also gave attention 10
| the proximity Of the various camps t1
one another, and the depth and location
| of the sinks. The conclusion seemed
quite general that many of the regiments
were thrown more closely together Than
| they should have been, and that this
| fault could have been ayerted by moving
as there was, in the opinion of at least
some OF the commission. sufficient sl8..
| that was not occupied for the accomm.-
J dalton OF many thousands more 0f troops
than were ever present there. Many ~
the sinks were also found 20 have been
nearer TO the tents than proper Ideas 0f
sanitation encourage, and I'm some c8s.s
the character OF the surface was found
| to warrant the conviction that tho sinks
We're shallower than they should have
been, but this was true only of parts ot
| the camps.
After the inspection Of tho camp. Major
Giffen, who had been before tho commits
sion before. was asked 20 make q stat.-
ment concerning the criticisms of h0s1.a.
physicians. He denied that dying men
had been neglected.
FLIES AND INFECTION
Dr. Charles +. Craig, bacterl0,orst %
the Sternberg Hospital, was also eXlm-
| ined. He was questioned especially With
reference TO the water supply of The
camp and expressed the opinion that tls
water taken from Chickamluga river
! through the pipe system was purer than
that in the wells ana springs VI tae
! grounds.
Or. Craig expressed the decided impress
/ sion that common house flies are capable
| Of proving a decided source NJ disease
| infection. and he detailed b1ear.opsciI
| tests showing that they carried typhoid
germs upon their feet. He said that Dr..
| had macerated a number of il..s which
had been placed I'm sugar imrlsHa'el
with the germ, and had produce from
them pare typhoid bacillus culture.