The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-10-20
DR.. FRYE IS OUTSPOKEM
Says That Contract Physicians
Were Generally Incompetent.
"A SCABBY LOOKING LOT"
The Witness Thus Characterizs I'd the
Men Engaged in the Hospital Corps.
Condemned the Methods in
Vogue in the Hospitals.

| Nvestigating commission held its ses-
sions In the city hall to-day. examin-
ing a large number of regimental and
other officers. One of the most out
spoken witnesses of the day was DIR.
Frye OF the third division hospital. He
condemned some of the methods in
vogue In the hospitals and said that
in many cases the contract physicians
and members OF the hospital corps
were incompetent. The commission has
decided that one of its members should
be In the commission office at WASH
ington. and Colonel DENLY has been
selected for this service. He was Sc
| lected partly for the reason that his
| health has not been as robust as when
i'm Washington.
The war investigating commission re-
sumed its work to-day with Major
Noble Creager. auartermaster. on the
stand. He said there never had been
any serious shortage of supplies In the
| 9TH corps. and he was sure there had
been no suffering caused by a defic-
iency of supplies.
Congressman ]. r. Campbell, colonel
OF the 9th Illinois volunteers. was ex-
amined. He spoke in complimentary
terms OF the administration of officers
OF the army, saying acquisitions OF all
kinds had been promptly filled and in
quality the articles sunplied were gen.
orally good.
| Lieutenant Moore. acting commissary
OF the 9th Illinois. was questioned in
regard to the quality of rations. He
said there had been no difficulty ex-
vept as TO the fresh beef. and agreed
with Colonel Campbell that there had
| been no trouble on account of meat
| since the arrangement had been to take
cured hams instead of beef.
Lieutenant Tolliver. quartermaster OF
the same regiment, also testified favor
ably as to the quality and quantity OF
the supplies reaching the command
through his office. He thought the
tent material poor but had made no
requisition for other tents.
Commissary Sergeant Lay OF Com
pany A of the regiment suggested there
should he greater supply or variety
OF vegetables than the present ration
| includes. ---.-...aa --.fa-.
DR.. II. u. Frye testified as to the
management OF this institution. and
also as To the management of the Sec
ond division hospital at Montauk Point
from which place he was transferred
to this camp. and the military hospital
at Fort Mcpherson. Ca. where he was
also stationed for a time. He said the
Montauk patients had lacked for moth
ing and were excellently taken care OF
by both physicians and nurses. At
Fort Mcpherson there were at one time
925 natients. There was no material
shortage in drugs at this point. but oc-
casionally there was a slieht deficiency.
which was. however. quickly overcome
Speaking of the hospital in which he
Is engaged here. he said the location
was as good as could be secured in this
vicinity. but that the general surround
ings were not suitable 10 hospital sery-
ice. At times the hospital has been
slightly overcrowded. as manv as seven
or eight men being crowded into one
tent This was due to emergency. The
patiepts. however. had been well cared
for by both physicians and nurses. and
the hospital supplies were abundant
and good. Many OF the nurses are fe-
males. They are generally very COM
petent There was ALWAYS one nurse
on duty for every three natients on the
average. Up TO date I 700 patients had
been treated at those hospitals. There
had been only 70 deaths. About 90
cases were from typhoid fever This
was a smaller per cent than the aver
age mortality In civilian hospitals.
Resuming his testimony. DIR. Frye
spoke or the causes OF the prevalence
OF typhoid fever in the Jacksonville
camp. He attributed II largely to the
age OF the men. young people being
more susceptible than those more ad-
vanced In age to this disease He also
thought much was due to the careless
ness OF the men themselves. DR.. Frye
said that In all the hospitals with
which he had been Connected there had
been a deficiency OF bed linen. This
had been especially true at Fort Nc
Pherson. There had been orders TO pre-
pare beds for a thousand patients there.
but this demand had by no means been
met. The hospital here had also been
short OF lighting facilities. There was
not a sufficiency OF ndles or lanterns
acquisitions had been made for them
but they could not be secured from the
government stores. owing to the con-
gestion of orders. Hence II was neces-
sary to depend upon the Red Cross for
these articles. DIR. Frye expressed the
opinion that In several instances con-
valescents had been sent away from the
hospitals with which he was connected
before they were sufficiently advanc-
ed to permit them to go in safety. He
had no personal knowledge OF any in
dividual cases OF this kind. but was
satisfied that such cases had occurred
He thought these instances were due TO
insufficient supervision. to Ignorance Of
physicians and to a desire TO clear the
wards OF the hospitals for new patients
DR.. Frye spoke in very uncompliment-
airy terms OF the men engaged in the
hospital corps, saying they had been
picked up at random over the country
and were generally a scabby looking
N'' hot ny 10 aooTn any Walk othte.
He also spoke deprecatingly of the con-
tract surgeons. saying that he would not
be willing TO trust his family or friends
- 80 per cent. Of them. Many OF
them" he said. ARE recent graduates
from medical institutions. and do not |
consider the average medical graduate |
capable ~ taking charge Of from IS to |
80 typhoid fever cases"
There was. he said. no proper oppor- |
tunity for consultation with superior |
officers. as the latter were. as a rule. so |
occupied with their administrative du- |
ties az to prevent their giving closer at |
tention TO professional matters. unless |
especially called upon He considered |
this system all wrong and considered |
there should be more supervision in Sc |
riOus cases In the hospital on the part |
81 experienced men. In reply TO re |
quest from General Dodge. Major Frye !