The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-07-18
THE HOSPITAL WORK.
What the Government Is Doing and What
the Red Cross People Can Do,

Some very interesting statements con-
corning the medical department OF the
army and the outside relief work are
made in Jacksonville letter to the New
York Evening Post. 1t is stated that
recent incident at Miami illustrates an
unfortunate condition, the existence OF
which 1t is necessary to admit. MIR. d.
NJ. Flagler, doubt less from wholly dis
interested and philanthropio motives, has
very kindly presented to the Red Cross
Society desirable plot of grou nd not far
from his Hmammoth hotel, and the UNI
of $4,000. with which to erect a hospital
on he land donated. The Red Cross was
proceeding with its work, the ground
was being cleared, and arrangements
were being made for the erection of the
bu ilding. While this was in process an
ord er was received to suspend operations,
and the reason given for the suspension
is that there is mild clash between the
society and the military authorities. An
other instance of similar character came
under my immediate notice when | heard
the accreditedasagent Of another relief as
ISOLATION criticise, in what seemed to me
to be wholly unwarrEnted terms, not
only the methods of the Red Cross, but
the efficiency of the government hospita al
service as we'll. Such instances as these
cannot fail to be harmful.
The government has called out thous-
ands oflmen from their homes and occu.
pations. 1t is sending them into places
where life and health are in jeopardy. 1t
is no more than fair proposition that
the government should provide the fullest
and best care for those who are injured,
L.Ix, II Ia Ia, 4ta.
vice. Ii this is not done, or in just so
far as the government fails to do it, or to
make due provision for its being done, the
government is to be censured. This is the
side of moral obligation. There is also
the side of financial interest. Our pension
roll is now an affair of enormous proper
tions. An inefficient hospital service
would open at once a wide gateway to a
wholly needless and undue extension of
the pension list.
Out of this there naturally arises the
question of the efficiency of the medical
department. of the United States army,
and It's need of assistance in its special
branch from any relief organizations.
While there may be some slight .sdiffer-
ences in details among the different army
corps, very good idea of tho present
system is to be obtained from the general
order recently issued from the headquar-
1t appears from this order that, attached
to the corps, which numbers, broadly,
$4,000 men, there is a detail mum bering
some 1900 men, or one hospital man to
every twenty five in the command. As
ten per cent of the force engaged con-
stitutes high percentage of casualties,
we thus have ratio of two members of
the hospital service to every five soldiers
injured, assuming that the proportion OF
casualties runs beyond the general aver
age. 1t is true that in some engagements
OF the civil War, and in some of the bat
ties of European armies, the percentage
has been much higher. 1t has even run
as high as IS and 30 per cent But such
figures are rarely reached.
Each corps has seventy-fye ambulances
and Sixty-fiye escort wagons, each with
driver, who is really to be added to the
foregoing list as member of the corps
who can be called upon for service. Thus
it would appear that SO far as the num-
erical sire myth of the hospital department.
Is concerned the provision is ample. AS
for equipm emit with instruments, BAN
dages, appliances, and medicines, an in
spection of the field cases provided for
preston of thoroughness and entire fit
ness. Gen. Sternberg, the chief surgeon
of the army, assisted by an able staff OF
consulting and working surgeons and
| physicians, has certainly made very ex-
haustive study of the subject of complete
and compact appliances for use in camp
or in field. Their work is approved and
complimented by representatives of Other
| nations who have Investigated 1t. Behind
all this. there are the post and army hos
pitfalls to which the sick and injured are
sent for recovery. OF the efficiency of the
| camp and field service there can be nc
| question.
| Wherein, then. does there lie any op
| portunity for any clash between the gov.
eminent department. and any auxiliary
societies? With no purpose of criticisine
those who are engaged in noble WORK
| for the relief of the sick and the suffer.
| ing, it seems to the writer that these so
cieties have sought to assume a too in
dependent position. Their enthusiasm
| for their work has led to zeal which
| has somewhat lost sight of the fact thai
their work is auxiliary and not princi
pal. Their attitude has reflected to some
extent upon the efficiency of the medica
department. Their calls upon the public
! imply that the department. is in som,
| way remiss in the preparation for ait
and the performance of it's work. Very
naturally, this is resented by the official
upon whom the responsibility really
| falls.
| The most minute system is an absolut,
necessity IOr Un6 welfare OF the injured
| themselves, and as well for the protection
| of the government in its future fnancia
interests. The Red Gross and other re-
! lief institutions are independent organi
cations supported by the liberality of indi
viduals. But in their general operation
in hospital service their work properly i
subordinate to, and comes under the su
peryision of, the medical department O
the government. There are certain mat
tiers which are not, though they Nigh
| we'll be, included among the functions O
| that department. The supply of palamas
of Ice, fans, literature and deiicacies fol
the sick, is almost as essential as th'
supply of bandages and iodiform. TIL,
| furnishing of such as these would seen
to be the proper sphere of these auxiliar.
societies, just as it comes within thei
| field to feed the hungry and clothe tn
naked. 1t is of doubtful wisdom for then
to essay the work which the government
ought to do, and which l have ever,
reason to believe it is doing.
The government is responsible for tn
comfort and well-being of those who ar
in its service. 1t should be held RESPONSE
BILE, and it should be the directing head O
all relief work in camp or field. 1t is tn
great honor of our country that we hay,
SO many citizens who are willing ant
ready to give of their means for the relief
of the suffering, but 1t certainly seem