Evening star., 1898-09-27

| competency, addressed to the secretary of
| the commission at Washington, ID. c.
| Medical Department Questioned.
| The seventeen questions addressed to the
| medical department are:
| l. What was the organization of the
medical department en- April /, 1898? How
many officers, with their rank, how many
| hospital stewards and what was the size
| of the hospital corps?
| =. How many ambuances and Htters
| We're available?
! 3. An army of what size was the de-
| partment able to completely fit out with
| medical officers, stewards ard hospital
| corps. and necessary surgical instruments
| and supplies of every character?
| t. Between April l and August 81, 1898,
! what steps Were taken for fully supplying
\ an army OF 25O.OO0 men with all necessary
| surgeons, stewards, hospital corps ambu-
| lances, litters, surgical instruments and
| medical supplies of all and every char
| actcr?
.. How many general hospitals were or
| ganized, where located. how equipped and
| managed, number of patients and number
| of deaths in each case between April l
and August 81, 1898?
| G.. How many hospitals were established
| at various camps what were the arrange
ments for the care and comfort of the
| sick and wounded. how many sick were
cared for a each camp hospital and how
many deaths occurred?
| (. What, if any, railroad ambulance
! trains were established, where were they
located and used?
&. How many hospital ships were Oh
| tanned, how were they equipped, how man
aged and what work did they perform /?
w nat arrangements were made and how
Were the armies operating in Cuba, Porto
! Rico and the Philippines supplied with
medical officers, medical supplies and food
| for the sick and wounded?
9. What number of surgeons of volun-
teers, hospital stewards. nurses attend
Y1r,1r rNypI hatp mil
and August 81, in addition to those in the
service of the United States on April /,
1898?
| 10. Were all vess9 IS used in TRANSPORTING
sick ard wounded thoroughly inspected by
| a medical officer before troops were per
mitted to embark, and were they fully sup
piled with surgeons, surgical instruments,
medical supplies of every character, pot
able water and proper food for sick and
cCnvalescentS?
II. Were The armies operating in Cuba
Porto Rico and the Philippines fully sup
piled with efficient surgeons. stewards and
hospital corps and with ambulances, lit
tiers, surgical instruments, medical supplies
OF all kinds and proper food for the sick
and wounded?
Il. Were the CHEF surgeons in the var
ious cafps instructed to carefully watch
their sanitary condition; to look after their
cleanliness; to demand the proper supply of
water, to test the water as TO its charac-
ter, to look into the cooking arrangements,
TO locate the sinks and to to their
proper care?
49, Why were regmental hospitals in
camps abolished and division hospitals
substituted? Were the results satisfactory? :?
IA How were the surgeons employed in
the field. in camps and in general hospitals
| Sc ected? Was there any regular examina-
ton required. and as rule have they
proved efficient and faithful?
10. How We're the hospital stewards
nurses and attendants selected?
IL. What, if any, complaints in writing
have been received by the surgeon general
in reference to the prompt compliance with
acquisitions, the lack of proper medical at
tendance, the lack of surgical Instruments,
the lack of proper care food and water for
the sick and wounded with armies in the
field, or with troops in camp, or men in
general hospitals and field hospitals, or on
railroad trains, or transports at sea; in
fact, what, If any, complaints have been
made in writing in reference to the issu-
ing of proper supplies or the performance
Of any duty appertaining to the medical
department of the army?
II. What funds were at the command of
the department on April /, and what addi-
tional funds were available by August 81
under general or special legislation?
The Subsistence Department.
The information required of the subsist-
ence department is outlined as follows:
/. What was the organization of the sub
| sistence department April l. 1898, the num-
| ber and rank of officers and number of
cOmmiSsary SeTgeantS?
. What additions in number and rank Of
| regular officers and what number of volun-
| teer officers were appointed in the sub
s.stenCe department between April 1 and
August 81?
| 3. On April /, 1893, an army of what size
vas the subsistence department prepared
| to fully supply with officers and the nee es-
| sary field rations, and Of what does that
ration consist?
4. Between April 1. 1898. and August 81.
what arrangements were made for fully
| supplying with food an army of 80 900
| men serving in the field and in camp; what
| was the field ration, and what was the ra-
| tion in camp?
| .. What arrangements We're made for
| supplying the army in Cuba. the army in
| Porto Rico and the army in the Philip
| pines, and of what did the ration actually
consist IN each case?
| 6. Were the troops IN the field and those
in camps fully supplied at all times with
| proper food? If not, why not?
| 4. What, If any, complaints in writing
! have been received by the commissary gen
| eral in reference to the prompt compliance
| with acquisitions. the lack of food, poor
| character of food. or complaints of any
| character whatever in reference to fur
| nishing supplies or the performance of any
duty appertaning to the subsistence de-
partment?
s. What funds We're under the command
| of the department on April 1 and what ad-
| ditional funds were available by August 81 .
under general or special legislation?
{ The Place of Meeting.
| The meeting room of the commission is on
| the Sd floor of the Lemon building and
| faces New York avenue. 1t is a very large
| apartment, giving about double the space
| contained in most of the congressional COM
| mittee rooms. 1t is well lighted and airy
| handsomely furnished and all the fittings
make it p very elegant home for the COM
! mission. The room is provided with d
| long table, about which the members of the
! commission sit. while abundant space is
| given in an adjoining apartment for clerks
typewriters and the storage of records.
The commission has adopted a re, ,ution
| to the effect that only representatives of
| the press associations will be present dur
ing the taking of testimony, but. it is not
! generally thought that this view of the
matter will be taken when witnesses are
| actually examined. for the reason that by
SO doing the purpose of the investigation
would be rendered Ineffective The com
mission has commodous room, ample for
all purposes of an open investigation
which It is believed will be given.
Effect of Closed Sessions.
| Both republican and democratic poll
| ticians agree that any attempt of the COM
mission to hear testimony with closed doors