Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-11-15
HUIDEKOPER IS HEARD
Surgeon Who Has Been Much
Talked About Goes Under
the War Probe.
DOES NOT MINCB Els WORDS,


Shortage OF Tents at Chickamauga, and
That the Responsibility for Unsanitary
Conditions in Camp Lies with the Regi-
mental Officers.
| Washington, Nov. 15.-The war in
| vestigating commission resumed the ex-
| apination Of witnesses yesterday with
| DR.. r. S. Huidekoper, lieutenat colonel
I Of volunteers. on the stand. He said
ne had occupied the position of chief
| medical officer OF the First army corps
at Camp Thomas. Chickamauga park,
until the 22rd of July. when he had
| gone to Porto Rico with Gen. Brooke
Speaking of the supply depot he said
| there were large quantities Of some ar
| ticles and a superabundance of others
at the beginning OF the history of Camp
| Thomas. but that this condition of af-
| fairs did not long continue. He had
| Immediately undertaken to so regulate
| acquisitions as TO equalize them in the
| various divisions Of the command. At
| one time ne had to appeal to General
| Brooke to get the supplies necessary,
| the deputy surgeon general insisting
| upon being guided by the supplies on
| the table, which was not fair test.
Many Articles Were Lacking.
DO you not know asked DR.. Con-
nor. that there was a full supply of
! medical stores at the depot at Lytle?"
Il know that many articles were lack
ing" the doctor replied, and added. lit
is not true as has been stated that
there was a full supply" He continued
by saying that he had made constant
representations to the surgeon general
of the shortage of supplies. He had
never turned down any requisition
from the division hospitals except on
one occasion, when he knew that the
articles were not on hand. Also he had
refused his sanction TO a rtquisition for
flooring for hospital tents when General
Brooke had expected to move. He con-
tended that there had been sufficiency
of tentage. saying that no patients had
been compelled to lie without covering
for any length Of time. 1t was true,
however. that there We're occasions on
which the sick men had been kept for
several days at q time under the text
flies.
Two Clean and Well Ordered Hospitals.
The Second and Third division hos
pitals were" he said in reply to a ques-
tion. always clean and well ordered"
Both institutions were we'll built. but
they had suffered throughout for proper
attendance. There was never a suffi-
cient number of hospital corps men. on
the other hand the First division hos
pital was not so well conducted, owing
to lack of discipline due to the prospect
of removal. lie had repeatedly called
attention TO the lack of nurses, and
about the 1st of July there was an in
crease of hospital corps men in re-
sponse to his representations. They
were hospital corps men. and the sup
ply was never equal to the demand.
Speaking of the condition Of the camp
in general he said that some of the
sinks were excessively filthy. Some of
them were never in proper condition.
Who was responsible for that Condi-
tion?" asked Dr.. Conuor.
Responsibility with ReSimentaI Officers.
The officers of the regiment" re-
sponded DR.. Huidekoper
Did not the commanding general
have a duty to perform in that cOnneC-
tion?' the questioner continued. The
reply to this question was not satisfac-
tory. and Dr. Connor insisted upon
knowing whether anything had ever
been done by the commanding general
to secure the punishment Of reEimental |
officers who had refused to obey orders |
for the proper policing of the camps, |
but Or. HuiGekoper declared that he |
knew of no instance of the prosecution |
of any offensc Of this kird. Colonel !
Huidekoper said he had succeeded in !
getting supplies only by being the first |
on hand. as the medical depot was run |
in very parsimonious manner. There |
was not only great scarcity of impor
tant drugs. such as quinine and opium. |
purveyor not 10 give out what there |