Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-11-08
THEY ALL AGREE
That the Camp Thomas Man
agement Was Poor.
Chief Surgeon SchooIer, I'd Division,
Bird Corps, So Testifes.
Statements Substantisted by Or. Ward. Bri.
gade Surgeon at Same Place.

Chicago, Nov. 7.-General Dodge. Col
Sexton and DR.. Conner of the war in
vestigating committee, arrived in Chi
cago, today, and Immediately began
the examination of witnesses at the
Auditorium hotel
DR.. Lewis Schooler of Des Moines. it
is said, was the first witness. From
| June to July II, DIR. Schooler was sta
toned at Camp Thomas, as chief sur
geon of the I'd Division, Sd Corps Dur
| ing the time he was there the canitary
condition in the hospital was not very
good The sinks in the whole division
were bad. owing principally to the
| character of the ground and the dis
cipline was rather lax.
"At the opening" said DR.. Schooler,
there were practically no facilities for
the care of the sick; we We're short of
| medicines, and had no apparatus by
which the stewards could prepare the
| medicines they had. The regimental
| hospitals, all but one or two, were as
| poorly supplied with medicines as the
division hospitals.
Asked to give, in as few words as
possible, his opinion about the general
conditions at Camp Thomas during the
| time he was stationed there, DR..
| Schooler said: I'm the first place the
quartermaster and surgeons could not
agree as to the number of tents that we
should have. Col. Lee contended that
| we were limited to certain number
of tents-17. think it was in the be-
ginning. We afterwards prevailed up
on him to give us q. think the quar-
n
sponsible for the great sickness; the
medical department. chat is the sup
ply Department. was also responsible
| for some things. Then we lacked facil-
tiles to make reports on; did not even
have stationery. We were told all the
| time that reports must be made
DR.. Connor-So far as you know, was
there on the part of any medical officer
or surgeon any wilful neglect in the
care of the sick?
| DIR. Schooler-No sir, the great diff
Guilty was in obtaining supplies. and l
think the hitch came between Col.
Hartsuff and the medical supply de-
partment.
In regard to the water supply at the
camp, DR.. Schooler stated that he did
not think any of the surgeons in his
division considered the water fit to
drink. Again there were not enough
teams at the disposition of the officers
to enable them to bring sufficient
water
Another feature which contributed
largely to the sick list, in the opinion
of the doctor, was the laxity shown
in issuing passes to the men and al
lowing them to visit other camps.
Fifty per cent. of the sickness" said
the doctor, would not have been in
existence had not the men been al
lowed to leave Chickamauga Park on
passes"
He gave as his opinion that the med
zeal officers were hampered too much
by officers of higher rank, but who had
no medical training.
When questioned as to the lack of
nurses, the doctor said that he thought
both the nurses as we'll as the officers
were overwOrked.
Mrs. Virginia F. Betse of Chicago, was
the next witness. She entered complaint
in regard to the death of her son, Frank
T., who enlisted with Co. L, 1st Illinois
Volunteers. He became sick at Santiago
and was taken to Montauk on the trans
port Berlin. From there he was allowed
to go home on a furlough when he
should have been sent to the hospital.
He was sent home unattended and was
compelled to ride in day coach instead
of being provided with a berth in
sleeper. He arrived home, Sept. /. and,
Sept. 10, he died.
DIR. Milo B. Ward of Kansas City, who
was brigade surgeon at Camp Thomas.
from July II to Sept 10, when questioned
as to the condition of the HOSPITALS, said
that there was q great lack of medicines.
THE food which was furnished the
men, said he, Il would not want to give
to my pet dog
The doctor was then questioned as to
the lack of attention shown patients just
coming down with disease. He stated
that he knew of several cases where the
patients were allowed to lie out on the
ground the whole day and also during the
night before being taken ITO the hospital.
He said the hours of duty were from
A. NJ. until p. M. In this way the pa
tents were without medical attendance
during the night.
"Is it possible that better care could
have been secured if night calls had been
NADER was asked.
No sir. There was nothing to see
them for except to give them medicine.
Seventy-five per cent. Of the patients
were on cots and the other 25 per cent
were on stretchers on the ground, where
they were from to 6 inches from the
ground. Some of the men were put on
the bare ground, but within few hours
they were always put on cots or
stretchers."
DIR. Conner-"Did you ever see a man
on the bare ground propped up against a
tree in dying condition, who died within
two or three hours after he was put
there?"
Dr. Ward-"I never saw such thing,
but often heard Of 1T. ! don't believe 1t
ever occurred"
DR. Conner-"WI1at was the reason that
the I'd Division hospital of the Sd Army
Corps had the worst reputation of any
hospital during the warp
Dr. Ward-"The first reason, in my
Judgment, is that the hospital had for its
corps surgeon a man who never paid any
attention to it whatever. His name was
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