The Red Cloud chief., 1898-09-16
CH~ICKAMAUGA'S SICK.
BOARD APPOINTED TO IN
VESTIGATE HOSPITALS.


CuIcKAMAUoA, Ca, Sept. lo.-Thc
military board appointed 10y Major
General j.. G. Breckenridge TO invcsti-
gate the alleged abuses practiced on
soldier patients in the Second division
hospital, Third army corps, at Camp
Thomas, finished its work last night
and submitted its report. The report
and the charges comprise over forty
pages Of foolscep, closely typewritten.
The finding Of the court, as forwarded
to Major General Breckenridge, islong
and circumstantial. II censures the
highest In authority, from General
Brooke down through Division Surgeon
J. NJ. Jenne, Major Surgeon J. Van
Rcnzaalacr IIofT, Major Surgeon Hub
bard and the various and numerous
contract hospital surgeons. 1t says in
part:
"The testimony herewith covers the
ground relative to the care of the sick
SO completely that we do not consider
II essential to comment extensively on
it. There are, however, some features
regarding the management OF the hos.
pital that we think demand especial
attention. There was n great deal of
unnecessary suffering and many deaths
resulting from lack of proper attcn-
ton to the sick.
at Is our unanimous opinion that
the basic causes for this unnecessary
suffering may be found in the prin-
ciples governing the management Of IA
hospital of this kind. 1t is not con
ceivable that men taken from the
ranks p~romiscuously aud with no pre-
vious preparation and put in charge of
helpless sick men could do justice to
them, and especially so when forced to
do so against their wills.
"The next cause for i~ll-trcatmcnt of
the sick in this hospital came from n
lack of supplies Of every nature. We
can find no reasonable cx:uSe for the
lack of supplies which could have been
easily obtained and were not, by those
responsible, aud they should be held
strictly responsible. So far as the Of
ficers directly in charge Of the hos
pital are concerned, the evidence
proves conclusively that in most In
stances they did tho best they could
under the circumstances.
"That there was a decentralization of
the medical corps, there is M doubt.
This caused u feeling of indifference
which led to actual neglect. The Off.
GERS in charge of the hospital con
WINGED the board that they had not
failed to make the necessary rcquisi-
tions for supplies, but could not get
them. 1t Is not possible for this board
TO say whether they did all that was
possible to be done to get the supplies,
but that they did not succeed is APP
parent.
1T certainly appears that those
higher in authority, those who were
equipment Of this hospital, should
haze employed some means, whether
In keeping with tho strictest military
routine or not, to have furnished the
common comforts for every sick mau
sent to the hospital. That they cid
not is apparent in the evidence.
1.-THE location OF the hospital was in
a very ~unsanitary part of the park.
II was on the lowest point of the slope
of a hill and in close proximity to the
very lowest ground that could be
found in the entire park. All that has
been stated by witnesses regarding
the %unsanitary condition Of the hes
pital wards and sinks is true during
the early history Of the hospital. but
there was much improvement Of lnte.
although there was InuEh to be de-
sired under the most favorable state
Of the institution"
The report is signed by Major and
Brigade Surgeon Milo Il. Ward. Ma
jor James J. johnson, Second Arkan-
sas volunteers, and Major Emil :. Hell
burn. Second Kentucky volunteers.
Major Ward was chairman OF the
hon I'd md Mn ior uelhnrn .ann.a..