The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-11-22
MOBILE.
Maj. Ives onIts
Condition.
HAD
Stirring Testimony Yester-
day Before the War Board.

New York, Nov. 21.-Naj. F. ". Ives
chief surgeon Of the third or provis-
fonal division of the fifth army corps,
was the first witness before the war
investigation commission today
Replying TO questions by Gen. VIII
son, he said that while at Chicka-
manga he saw no distress among the
soldiers for lack OF medical supplies.
He left Tampa in the transport Still
water, with the Second cavalry. The
transport was fairly comfortable, but
there were no suitable accommoda-
lions aboard for the horses.
Were the horses placed above the
mem"
mo. sir. The men were on the up
per deck ana the horses on the lower
deck"
Mai Ives told Of his experiences IN
attending the wounded Of the Ell Ca
1ey fight. Asked as to his previous
experience i'm action. ne said he was in
the Indian wars. in the Victoria war
IN 1850, the Geronimo in 1855 and 1856
and ia the Sioux wars OF 1890.
In view Of those experiences. 90
asked Gen. Wilson. what do you
think was the condition Of the men in
the Cuban campaign as compared with
that Of the men in the Indian wars o.
Il think it was as good as could
have been expected under the circum-
stances
Was anything left undone that
would have alevated the condition Of
the men ?"
There should have been more am
balances. There were only three at
hs
know u more could have been obtained
and i cannot think Of anything that
could have been done for the men.
which was leEt uEdone"
What was the condition Of the
wounded after rhe battles p"
The condition Of the sick men was
aeplorable and We had no opportunity
10 establish hospitals fast enough"
What deaths occurred between the
establishment Cf your hospital and the
receipt of government medical sup
I'8leS as the result Of supplies2'
None at all: there were only 81
deaths out of 561 cases treated. I re-
gard this as splendid record"
Regarding the Mobile, which ne
heard uniUstiy criticised as horrible
eattleshiD, he said it was thoroughly
cleaned and wnitewashed before any
soldiers were allowed aboard, and was
IN perfect sanitary condition
VIII you tel US before you go
asked Gen. Dodge, the conclusions
you have drawn as to the condition Of
the army in CUoa. what If anything
was LACKING, and the reasons for COM
pia.nt2"
My personal opinion is that the ar
my was well equipped in every re-
spect. except that at times there were
not enough am5uiances. and at times
there Wss q lack of medical supplies. /
never knew a time when if a surgeon
took the trouble to hustle for medi-
cine. that he failed to get all that was
needed When / wished supplies 1
mounted my horse and rode after
them, and when I could not get things
which were not at headquarters /
bought them with the permission Of
my superior
DR.. Louis A. sumson Of New York
testified that he had made two visits
10 Camp Wizon to investigate the re-
port ct lack Of precautions against an
epidemic Of typhoid fever. The sur
Geon IN charge OF the general hosDitaI
told him he recognized the unsanitary-
situation, but was unable to obtain the
necessary ZIP to carry out his orders.
II / want thing done the surgeon told
nm, l have 10 take a man by the ear
and make him do it,
t}n september A Dr. StlmSOn said he
vent again to MOntauk Point to inves-
tigate q report that soldiers were starry
ing there. Il found many men who
told me they had had nothing to ear
for "A hours. OF course there was
enough food in the camp for well men.
But there We're a great many men i'm
camp who We're sick and were not
cared for and not in hospitals. I know
of 40 men in one regiment who were
put on milk diet when there was no
milk in camp"
Might you not go a step further and
say there was hardly well man in
can1g
Yes; may say that except
the few men in charge and an oc-
casional robust negro, all the men in
camp were in a very poor condition. ]
find no fault with the physicians who