The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-09-01

As in other hospitals, the force of at
| tendants here, both officers and men,
have worked with great persistence and
over % per cent. Of the hospital corps
have fallen sick from its exhaustive la
bors. For the last six weeks there have
| been no difficulty in obtaining medical
supplies OF every character. The Red
Cross has made liberal donations to
this hospital and friends in Minnesota
have sent great quantities OF delicacies
The hospital fund for July amounted
to s4l5, and with that amount, il has
been possible to obtain all the milk
needed.
Taking up the last of the field hospi-
tails, that of the Third corps, Second di-
vision, under Major Smith, the report
says that the SO tents are at present not
all occupied. During the epidemic of
measles they were crowded. There were
no Red Cross nurses and a detail of 20
ladies from the Chattanooga associa-
tion have visited the hospital daily TO
cook the lighter food for the sick When
the hospital was crowded the number of
attendants was insufficient. There were
also strong complaints of the failure to
get medical and surgical supplies in
the early days before the government
had been able to furnish itself and
when IL was impossible to avoid delays
incident to rushing out supplies to great
army camps. The requisltlon papers on
file, however, show that the hospital
officers made every effort TO obtain full
supplies.
Leaving the details about the hospi-
tails, the report proceeds to treat ,he
whole subject generally, as follows:
In two of the hospitals opportunities
occurred for discoveries of what un-
doubtedly originated many OF the SEN
4gal -.
over the country to the effect that pa
tients in the hospitals lacked sufficient
food and In many cases had been on the
verge OF starvation. In the ward where
the convalescent typhoid patients were
found many of the men were constantly
asking for food and, as a matter of con-
sequence. were as constantly denied
everything except the lighter forms OF
food, which can alone be safely admin
istered to recovering typhoid patients.
This system throughout the hospitals
has been distorted into the report which
has been spread throughout the country
that patients were being starved in the
government hospitals. There has been
no lack of perfect food I'm the hospitals
and competent cooks for preparing IL
have been present, and the only rea-
son for depriving patients of what so
many Of them have clamored for has
been the necessity of such dieting as
the disease demands II will be easily
observed that the conditions set forth in
this report are mainly present condi-
tions.
so far from believing as a result
of my observations that medical Off
GERS have been heartless or negligent,
| believe that these officers and the
hospital attendants, as n whole. have
exerted themselves TO discharge their
duties faithfully. My attention was
especially directed in the order which
! received to some remarks credited to
General Terry, surgeon general OF the
state of New York, in reference to the
condition of the camp OF the Sth New
York. General Terry is reported i'm
the New York Herald to have said as
he was leaving Camp Thomas: Gen
eral Terry found the camp in a bad
sanitary condition. 1t is situated in
an open field, in the hot sun. with no
water to be found within five miles.
The water the men drink Is hauled in
barrels and is of a kind that in New
York would be refused as bathing
water. This stuff Is what the men
drink daily and is declared to be the
chef cause of the sickness. General
Terry told me that II was the most
terrible sight he had ever witnessed:
and that not in the slums Of New York
city could be found a place so filthy
and dirty. lie said he would insist on
the Sth regiment being returned to New
York. and had wired Governor Black |
ard the secretary of war of the situa-
ton. II the soldiers are not taken
from Chlckamauga park they will
soon follow those who died yesterday
and to-day
This camp was moved to the open
field at the special request Of the off,
GERS concerned. as they were inclined
to think that their camp in the open
woods had something to do with the
increasing sickness of the men. Here
II may be pertinent TO remark in pass
Ing that this New York regiment had at
the time OF its moving. and had main |
one OF the filthiest and most
disgusting canteens to be found in the |
entire army. From personal observa- |
t1on OF this canteen some two weeks |
since, | am prepared TO assert that 1t I
was little better than serving beer to 4
the soldiers Of the sth New York in a |
hog pen. 1t is also true that the reports /
show that since this regiment moved. |
Is health conditions have improved
Instead OF there being no water |
within five miles OF this regiment two
II the largest and finest springs of clear
water in this entire country, pronounc-
ID by eminent medical and chemical ex-
)erts TO be pure water. are less than
NO miles from their camp. The sth
ground where General Terry observed
I, less than 10 days. IL was perfectly
lean ground when they occupied IL
md had not been previously occupied
~ any troops. II IL had been trans
ormed within this brief period by the
tn New York into a place dirtier than
an be found in the slums of New York.
I would become the officers and men
II that regiment to explain how such
transformation could be made by
hem in this brief space OF time.
In closing, beg leave TO express my
opinion that most OF the interviews with
haplains. regimental surgeons and
'thers. both officers and men. now ap-
earring at the North in many OF the
newspapers in regard to this camp, are
eckless and false, except as 10 the
ilthy conditions which their own GRIM
nal neglect has caused. In my judg-
nent the recent increase in the outcries