The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-10-17
Surgeon General Stsmberg Says, That II Is
No Longer Necessary.
WHY SUPPLIES WERE LACKING.
To the Government Can Now Be Safely Left the
Duty Of Providing For All Sick or
Disabled Soldiers.

Washington. Oct 1.-THE followin
letter from the surgeon general OF the
sEmy was written in reply to one sent
TO the president by A. Il. Orr vice.
chairman OF the Red Cross relief COM
Hlttee: Il have received the COPY of
your letter to the president In answer
10 your question as To why the inter-
Vention OF the Red Cross relief commit
lee should be longer needed. and WHY
the government does not see to IL that
its own sick are provided for / would
say: The emergencies OF the war made
the assistance OF relief associations
most valuable, notwithstanding the
fact that IL is the intention of the gov
ernment To provide literally for the care
OF sick soldiers, but, as you know. with
ample means and good intentions sun
ples cannot always be provided at the
proper place and time to meet an emer-
sency. Moreover, at the outset of the
WGr the arrangements made for pro-
Vldins light diet for the sick, which had
proved satisfactory in time Of peace.
were inadequate, owing TO the condi-
lions which prevailed in our camps Of
instruction and among troops engaged
In active operations. For this reason
the presence of Red Cross agents. with
their abundant supplies of delicacies
Tor the sick, has been OF inestimable
value
But provision was made by a general
order published Aug. 10 by which sur
seons In charge of hospitals, general
divisional or regimental, are enabled To
draw SO cents per day for each sick en-
listed man Of the army i'm lieu of his
regular ration. Up 20 that time the
commutation value of ration was only
80 cents. The medical department does
not supply food for the sick in hospitals
This is obtained from the commissary
department, or by purchase wherever
IT can be procured. I enclose herewith
list showing the articles which can
be purchased from the commissary.
which list. as you will see, includes
canned soups, tapioca, crackers, jellies,
tea, butter etc. Milk, chickens and
eggs, fresh vegetables, etc, are pur-
chased wherever they can be obtained. |
The medical department furnishes
a few articles, under the head of hos |
pital stores, including condensed milk |
sugar and tea; but no other food sup \
plies are furnished by the medical de- /
partment. or can be properly paid for |
from the medical and hospital appro- |
priation. OF course, if the commissary |
department fails to provide these sup
plies and they cannot be purchased in
the vicinity OF a camp or hospital, the |
difficulty OF providing proper food for
the sick would be very great, and under
such conditions the supplies of the re-
lief associations have been most well |
come; but the amount now allowed by |
the government is ample to provide
everything necessary in the way OF
suitable diet for the sick, and when |
there is any failure to provide this il is
a failure in administration by those i'm
mediately in charge, and not failure
OF the government to provide the neces-
sary means.
You will no doubt agree with me that 4
60 cents day for the raw material from
which to prepare a proper diet for the
sick is most liberal provision. The
experience Of medical officers shows !
that ii is not only ample, but excessive,
and that for sick men. living for the
most part upon milk, weak soups and
farinaceous foods, this is much i'm ex-
cess Of any reasonable requirement.
Under the circumstances / think
those patriotic and liberal citizens who
have CONSTITUTED so freely to aid in the
care of our sick soldiers may now leave
the matter in the hands OF the govern
ment without any apprehension as TO
the results"