Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1898-11-10
B0U7CANP THOMAS
The War Investigation Commission
Takes Testimony at Chicago.
no FACILITIES FOR The SICK.
Dr.. schooler States the Hospitals Were
Short Of Medicines. Nurass aud Beds
DIR. Ward Of kxn.as CITY,
DeuOuncea the Food.


Dsnouncss the Food.
Chicago. Nov Seen. Dodge, Col.
Sexto and DR.. Connor, OF the war In.
vestigsting commission, arrived in Chi
cago yesterday and Immediately began
the examination OF witnesses at the
Auditorium hotel DR.. Lewis Schooler,
Of Des Moines, Ia, was the first wit
ness to testify to-day. From June to
July II DR.. Schooler was stationed at
Camp Thomas as chief surgeon Of the
Second division, Third corps. Cues
toned by DR.. Connor he said that
during the time he was there the
sanitary condition In the hospitals
was not very good; that the sinks in the
whole divisions were bad. owing prin-
cipally TO the character Of the ground,
and the discipline was rather lax.
"At the opening" said DR.. Schooler,
there we're practically no facilities
for the care OF the sick; we we're short
Of medicine and had no apparatus by
which the stewards could prepare the
medicines that we had. There was
scarcity Of beds in the hospitals. AT
one time practically half our nursing
force was sick or in the guardhouse
for insu
Asked to give, in as few words as
possible, his opinion about the general
conditions Ut Camp Thomas during the
time he was stationed there. Mr.
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 he could not issue tents beyond
the prescribed number | think he
based the number Of tents upon 100
patients, and when the number Of
patients became greater we could not
make him understand that we had to
have more tents, 1t was his refusal to
increase that number OF tents that
made the overcrowding. The lack Of
medicines, the lack Of trained nurses,
and the lack OF sufficient number Of
surgeons was material difficulty
Ia 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 At to
drink. And, again, there were not
enough teams at the disposal Of the
officers to enable them to bring suffi-
cient water. On several occasions he
had visited the ground situated around
where the supply was taken from the
river and felt convinced from what
he saw that much of the pre-
vailing disease was caused by the
negligence Of the policing department
in allowing the soldiers to 90 at will
through the woods situated along the
banks OF the stream. He gave this as
a reason for many OF the cases of
typhoid fever existing in the camp
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
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.
DR.. Milo B. Ward, Of Kansas City,
Mo-, who was a brigade surgeon at
Camp Thomas from July 10 to Septem-
Der 10, when asked as to the condition
Of the hospitals, said that there was
great lack Of medicines, only some of
the very simplest medicines being on
hand. "The food which was furnished
the men," said he, 81 would not want
to give to my pet dog" He said that
the food would have been all
right had 1t been properly cooked,
but in the shape in which 1t was
brought to the men, it was enough to
make them sick. The doctor was
then questioned as to the lack Of at
tention shown patients just coming
down with disease. The doctor stated
that he knew Of several cases where
the patient was allowed to lie out on
the ground the whole day and also
during the night before being taken
to the hospital.
DR.. Ward stated that the nurses
were never competent in any sense Of
the word, but they did the best they
could, when You consider their igno-
rance. Some of them could not even
read They were forced to do this
work under protest, and, of course,
did only what they were obliged to do
The acquisitions made 70. supplies
were not brought to the grounds be.
cause of the fault Of somebody. ~
think 1t was the fault Of the doctors
in charge of the hospitals" he said,
"the corps doctors the division doc.
tor and the doctor In immediate
charge of the hospital. They made
acquisitions, but it was necessary to
do more than that; man had TO get
on horse, take a six.shooter and de.
mand the necessary supplies from the
quartermasters."
~xuinaldo Warns Refractory Filipinos.
Manila Nov 2 -. ruipn1dn tho In.