Evening star., 1898-09-09

EP
First Lieut.. and Asst. Surg. Cox.
OF suffering soldiers yet our regiment was
deprived OF his valued minstrations at the
time when they were most necessary
Daily about $50 or 4u0 sick men would
pass before me at sick call. Many would
De brought in in semi-conscious state
and Others would faint from sheer exhaus-
tion while being examined.
The heat al this time was intense and
to aggravate the condition fresh beef was
issued daily and the men not having had
any for so long it soon showed its bad
ELECTS This issue stopped immediate
ly after Its harmful influences became ap-
parent, and to this action / credit the fact
that this regiment lost no men from either
diarrhoea or dysentery.
Men Grew Weaker.
THE condition remained about the same,
the general condition gradually growing
verse. the Enen growing weaker and ty-
phoid fever becoming more prevalent, one
more private dying of that disease in the
divisional hospital there. On our trip from
Santiago to Washington Assistant Surgeon
Cox, with Acting Assistant Surgeon Eb-
bert, accompanied the 2d and Sd BattaIions
on the 5. 5. Hudson and were proVid ID
with full supply of medicines and a fair
supply of nourishment and stimulants
while headquarters and the 1st Battalion
came away some days later on the s s
Minne waska. On this vessel were sections
OF eight commands, and 1 had the vessel
amply provided with medicines, foods.
stimulants, beef extracts, ginger ale ice
ana dlslnfectants. l had six acting assist
ant surgeons on board and quickly organ
lied temporary hospital corps and set
aside sections of the transport for hospital
use.
The sick men. of which there were not
or any day less than BOO, received far bet
ter care and attention than they had re-
eeived in the field hospitals in Cuba. One
man died of Bright's disease on this trans
port. while one man died the trip of
the Hudson Also the remains of both be-
ing committed to the deep. At Camp
Nikom all of our i'll men have been ad-
mitted to the general or detention hospital
here, where their treatment is far better
than at any other point they have been,
but our men marked quarters were i'm
properly fed, We're compelled to sleep
upon rubber blankets placed on the ground
and could not have rest.
The regiment at Camp Wikofr was al
most to a man suffering from the effects
of malarigl diseases. manifesting them
selves in the form OF catarrhal diarrhoea
and dysentery, enlarged and infiamed
livers and spleens and various disturbances
OF digestion. There was no question about
the advisability of these men going home
promptly. Every man should have rest
and proper diet, which are absolutely es-
sential to restore them to health.
What Physicians should Judge
Physicians may come and look but they
cannot know their condition as the sur
geons who have seen them pass through
the various stages, who have watched
them as they have slowly failed and who
know the great need of rest and diet for
IL EN-.
I'm conclusion 1 want to add that the
universal expression from all surgeons and
others who visited the hospital tents OF
this regiment in the field at Santiago was
that it was the best equipped of any regi-
in hn 4fA1l T1a r1af
absent from his duties one day while there,
and the men received better treatment
than those in any other regiment il was
my fortune to visit. The supply of medi-
cine was never permitted To become eN-
hausted, as a reserve was constantly kept.
Il also want to add our record OF deaths
is the smallest of any regiment entering
Cuba. and numbers but nine since leaving
Washington in May. | know Of no other
re giment that can number less than twenty.
While this is remarkable 1T is unquestion-
ably due to the discipline first and next to
the constant administration OF quintne TO
both the well man AMI the sick man, and
the prohibition of fresh beef an article
Of food in the heat of the tropics.
There was never an army surgeon that
was popular with the men. There never
will be, as his duty rs not always COM
patible with the wishes of the men. but
the medical men sent out with the list
Regime Mt of Infantry, District of Columbia
Volunteers. have done their duty as they
saw it," concluded DR.. Pyles.
Changes i'm Medical Department.
The changes in the medical department
of the regiment were few. At Tampa, on
July 2Assistant Surgeon Clarence A.Weaver
was transferred from the regiment 10
the divisional hospital. then forming at
that point. DR.. Weaver is now on leave OF
absence, i'll at Washington, with typhoid
fever
Assistant Surgeon Cox was taken from
the regiment at San Juan Heights Tor spe-
cial duty at division hospital, but has since
returned to the regiment.
Acting Assistant Surgeon kbbert con-
tract surgeon, was assigned to this regl-
ment before il left Santiago, and is still on
duty with the regiment
Charles R. Bradbury and Marcelius X
Woodbridge, hospital stewards. were as
signed to duty at the division hospital IN
Ssntiaso. along with DIR. Cox. steward
woodbridge returned to the regiment before
I, left Santiago, while Bradbury only re-
sumed his duties at Camp Wikon Septenl-
Der 4. -
THE friends and families OF the men OF
the District regiment owe debt OF grau-
tude to the surgeons and hospital attend
ants. who so bravely and patiently fought
for their loved ones, that they can never