The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-08-09

ditions on shore could have been in any
way improved.
1.-THE outftting of transports for the
reception of sick and wounded is duty
demanding thought and experience ana
should never be entrusted to any one put
a regular medical offer. 1t includes
the proper policing Of the portions OF the
ship to be used by the wounded, the re-
moval of hunks and partitions to give
space and air, the utilization OF the snip's
blankets, door mats, rugs and Carpet "
render the hunks more comfortable, uhe
securing of extra supplies such as canned
soups and fruits, lime. juice and oatmeal
the establishment of q mess and laundry
and the assignment of convalescents 10
specific light duties which materially re-
lieve tho overworked hospital corps,
usually it is necessary to overcome passive
resistance and opposition on the part OF
the crews and tendency on the part OF
the captains to disregard or modify
orders. In several instances in my own
experiences this action of the crew
amounted to almost mutiny. and was
only to be dealt with by threats. show
of force, and in one instance by the use
of irons. While executive officer at the
general hospital at Fort Monroe, learned
officially that the captain OF the steam
ship Seneca positively refused to obey the
orders emanating from your officer, given
him by the contract surgeon in charge to
proceed to New York, he remaining near
II an additional day at Hampton ROADS
with sick and wounded and asserting
that he would obey no orders given by
the medical department. A similar ex-
perience of my own at Baiquiri which
had to be settled by force, emphasizes the
fact that no one should be placed IN
charge of such a ship who is not accus-
toned to command men and enforce
obedience. With regard to the Red Cross
society, it would seem as If the lofty pur-
poses of this organization were on the
Santiago expedition subverted to individal
interests. While at Tampa the Red Cross
ship State of Texas was formally placed
under the control of the chief surgeon,
9TH corps, by DR.. e gan, the representa-
tive of the society, he acting under tele-
graphic instructions to that effect
"Col. Pope accepted this offer and
directed that the State of Texas, accom-
pany the expedition of General Shafter to
its destination. Although this order was
fully understood by DR.. Egan. the State
of Texas did not accompany the expedl-
ton, nor didit arrive at Siboney until
the forces had been landed, a battle
fought and our hospital established and
in working order. The first offers of aio
made by this society dealt largely in
generalties and manifested reluctance to
subordinate the organization to the
medical department. Too much praise
capnot be given to the individual efforts
of DR.. Lesser and the Red Cross nurses.
Their work was untiring and unseltsh
and the assistance rendered by them was
of great value.
SIN concluding, it is desired to en-
phasize the fact that the lamentable con-
ditions prevailing in the army before
Santiago was due to the military necessl.
ty which threw troops on shore without
medicines, instruments, dressings or
hospital stores of any kind.
Every respectfully,
''Your obedient servant,
-"EDWARD l.. MUNSON,
captain and Assistant Surgeon, Com
manding Res. Amb. Corps"