Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-10-31
CLOSE AT cHICkAMAUGA PARK
of the Investigation OF the Conduct of the
War-Local Doctors Testify.


War-Local Doctors Testify.
Chattanooga. Tenn, oct. 31.-Maj. W. T
Comegys was a witness before the war
investigators Saturday. He was medi-
cal purveyor of Camp Thomas. He
stated that there had never been any
delay in filing his acquisitions on the
surgeon general. and he was always
able to meet all acquisitions. Major
Comegys hadrefused to fill some requisi-
lions from the hospital because salts
fed the articles demanded We're not
needed. He accounted for the sickness
in Camp Thomas by saying the men did
not know how TO take care of them
selves. He blamed the regimental Off
GERS for anything that was deficient.
Lieutenant J. NJ. Arrasmith had
charge of the Tations of the camp, and
his criticism was that the sinks were
badly cared for, making a stencil in
camp at night that was sitting; dis
cipline, also, was very slack.
Drs. Baxter and Boyd. local physi-
clans. were called to testify in regard to
the case of Sergeant Frank, who died
here during the summer as the result of
a railroad accident. DR.. Baxter said
that Notwithstanding the man was in a
state of profound shock after the acct
dent DR.. Samuel y. Hubbard surgeon
ing the wounded man to ChiekamauEa
Park. The man died on the way out. as
he (Baxter) had predicted he would
DIR. Baxter told of one train of Wiscon-
sin sick which he had seen on it's way
home without a medical officer or medi-
cal supplies. a number of residents in
the vicinity of Camp Thomas were ex-
amined. and stated their observation of
the condition at Chickamauga Park
10 fr-..r
their conclusions as to the causes of the
sickness of the soldiers. They defended
the climate as salubrious and healthful.
and generally attributed the prevalence
of disease to the habits of the volun-
teers.
). c. Howell, a railroad station agent.
told Of at instance in which ffty-four
sick Cien, being part of q Wisconsin
command. had been placed on train
and started to their homes without
medical supplies or physicians. and
without furloughs or transportation pa
pers. Ira j. HaineS, private acting as
a member of the hospital corps, who
said he had been n practicing physician
in Louisville. KY, FOR eight years, was
examined on q communication he sent
to the commission in which he charged
that patients had been treated for ty-
phoid fever when they had pneumonia. |
nois. was one of theIn-as plain a case
Of pneumonia as he had ever seen. Upon |
being pressed he modified his state
ments, saying that he had no consulta- |
tions with the physicians as to their line |
Of treatment. He said, however. that |
he considered some of the physicians in
competent. |
Captains Daniel Z. Mccarthy and NJ |
C. Zalinski, of the quartermaster's |
depot at this point, gave testimony as
to the conduct of this Office. They
agreed that the administration of this |
department had been as efficient as |
could have been expected under the cir |
cumstancs.
DR.. f. b. Stapp, local physician, de- |
tailed visit to the hospital of the Sec |
ord division Of the Third corps in Au-
gust, saying he had found it over |
crowded and dirty, and with no physi- |
clans in attendance at the time. DR.. |
Stapp said he had seen drunken soldiers |
lying IN the streets of Chattanooga, and /
he was sure much of the sickness at |
Camp Thomas was due TO the habits OF |
Z he