The herald., 1898-11-09
A DOCTORS TESTIMONY
CONCERNING AFFAIRS AT CAMP
THOMAS
ALL SUPPLIES WERE LACKING
Nursing Done by Densely Ignorant
and Inefiicient Men or Not Done
at All
Associated Press Special Wire

CHICAGO, Nov. 8.-The War Investiga-
tion Commission today continued the ex-
animation of witnesses. General Dodge,
Chairman of the Commission, says that he
can begin to see an end of the long investi-
cation.
DR.. E. C. Smith of Clinton, Iowa, was
the first witness today. From August 9th
to September 10th he was in charge of the
Second Division, Third Army Corps Hos
pital at Camp Thomas.
DR.. Smith said:
when 1 assumed my duties, July l4th,
l found a shortage of tents and cots. The
patients in the hospital were crowded on
account OF the tent shortage. Some of
the patients were lying on the ground on
account of lack of cots. There was no pro-
vision made for feeding the sick other than
the rations issued to the soldiers in the reg
ular service, except such as were brought by
charitable organizations, principal of which
were the Red Cross Society and the Ma
tional Relief
I'm the pharmacy there were at that time
no intestinal antiseptics, although the com
mandins officers informed me when l made
requisition that he had made repeated
efforts to get them. The pharmacy at that
time-and indeed until it was ordered
closed, and l turned the stores over to the
government on the 9th of September-never
had any proper equipment for doing phar-
maceutical work. There were no scales to
measure with. The hospital stewards used
a board for time. There were no pill
boxes or powder papers. The stewards dis
pensed tablets and pills in any paper they
could secure and they were carried to the
wards in that shape, and owing to the pre-
valence of dampness at night they would
become by morning a sticky mass not fit
for use."
The witness then went on to say that the
medical supplies did improve after the first
of August, but up to that time there had
been a great scarcity of suitable supplies
DR.. Smith said: "The water that was fur
nished for the use of the hospitals up to
August lst was taken from the pipe line
from Chickamagua Creek, and it was so
full OF sediment that it was simply slush
and was not water.
In regard to nursing in that hospital,
we had no trained nurses All the nursing
was done by orderlies, and many of them
were densely ignorant, and when was in
charge OF the wards of the Second Brigade
had two men who could neither read nor
write, and three men who did not know
the meaning of Ma and PA when writ
ten.
Il once wrote report to the surgeon
IVk ~
than Gen. Compton's office. l was asked
Dy zen. compton and Maj. Jenny to with
Draw II, as 1T might get me into disfavor
personally, but L told them there was moth
ing IN 1T that wished to withdraw"
copy OF this report had been preserved
by Dr. Smith and was handed to the com
mission. In it he complains to the surgeon
general about conditions in his hospital
giving facts and details in accordance with
his evidence today.
Charles 5. Bullock, chaplain of the First
Illinois cavalry, with rank as captain. said
that in the great majority of cases com.
plants OF poor food or inadequate supplies
at Chlckamauga were absolutely unpround-
ed and that the stories published in the
various newspapers about inhuman treat
ment of the soldiers were without anv
foundation.
Mrs. Trumbull White of Chicago. who
went to Cuba with Miss Clara Barton on
the Texas and assisted the latter, gave as
her opinion that there was great lack of
attendants at the fever hospitals at ST.
honey and also scarcity of supplies.
Col. l.. d. Smith, purchasing agent of the
United States army, stationed at Chicago.
was then called to enlighten the commission
upon the question of provisions for the
troops, the quality, supply, etc.
Col. Smith said: 'T have no official com.
plants about any supplies purchased ex.
cept in the case of eight barrels of pork
which were reported to have been in bad
condition"
The commission next heard two wit
nesses from local packing houses touching
The character of the canned beef purchased
for the army. They said the same quality
of goods had been delivered to the French
and British governments and no complaints
have ever been received from them. They
thought it possible that the hot weather at
she southern camps might have had some
effect on the canned roast beef.
Rev. George X. Hoover, a Chicago clergy.
man, whose son died in the Second division
hospital at Jacksonville, Fla, said:
"In the hospital there seemed to be a
ack of medicine-some of the simpler med
icines. In talking with ward masters,
nurses and others, found what thought
was unnecessary fear of stating facts. For
no one would talk to me without
saying:
You must not give my name or will
,e subject to punishment
''It seemed to me that there were not
enough nurses there. Having had expert
,nce along these lines in the civil war, 1
vas satisfied at Jacksonville that there was
somebody there either incompetent or else
,ruelly neglectful."
Col. Edward G. Young of the First Illinois
cavalry said:
'At Chickamauga our quartermaster's
mpplies were fairly adequate and prompt.
Water, however, was not fit to drink half
she time"
Col. Marcus Kavanaugh of the Seventh
Illinois infantry, who was at Camp Alger
learly three months, said his regiment had
lot half as much hardship and deprivation
IS they expected when they went into serv-
ce. The mistakes which happened, if they
we're mistakes, were those which resulted
rom lack of experience.
FASHODA THE FAIR
Land Where Lotus Lilies Grow and
People Lead Dreamy Life
The islands of Papyrus lift their fronded
,alma Tn air within the radius Of Foshoda