The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-11-21
DOCTOR In DEFENSE
SURGEON GENERAL STERNBERG
SUBMITS HIS REPORT To
SECRETARY ALGER
DEVOTED LARGELY TO WAR


teers, the Head of the Medical
Department Charges, Was in
Some Measure Due to Dissipation
Review of the Steps Taken to
Prevent Suffering in the Camps.
WASHINGTON. Nov. 20.-Surgeon
General George NJ. Sternberg has made
his report to the secretary of war. 1t
relates mainly TO the work of the med
ical corps during the war The follow
ing are the more important features Of
the report:
The number of medical officers, 1872,
allowed by law to the army is made
quate in time Of peace. The INSULT
cheney in time of war was met by the
assignment of over 800 contract sur
geons. The very small proportion of
medical officers having experience of
military character impaired the eff
cheney Of the department at the outset,
but many OF the staff surgeons from
civil life showed great aptitude for the
service and speedily became of value
as administrative and sanitary officers.
No provision was made for hospital
corps men for the volunteer troops, ex-
cept that which empowered the secre-
tary Of war to enlist as many privates
in the hospital corps as the service
may require. The number Of men en-
listed and transferred during the war
was approximately 5000
The want OF a sufficient body of
trained hospital corps men necessitated
the detail Of enlisted men from the
regiments for hospital duty in several
Of the camps and the employment Of
trained nurses at the several hospitals
Over LOO female nurses were employ
ed at first at the general hospitals and
later at the field division hospitals
when it became evident that the field
service purposes for which the latter
had been organized would have to give
place to the imperative need of caring
for the many sick men coming from
the regimental camps.
MEDICAL SUPPLIES.
Immediately upon the declaration Of
war, April q, steps were taken to OBJ
tain medical supplies for the new vol
unteer army. The manufacture was
expedited with the utmost dispatch On
May 3, foreseeing that it would be i'm
possible TO have ready for issue to the
volunteer regiments as soon as they
were mustered in the necessary arti-
cles of field equipment, the surgeon
general telegraphed the governors Of
the several states for authority to use
the medical equipment Of the national
guard in the service of the state until
army medical supplies were ready for
issue. Most Of the governors who hao
field equipment responded promptly
and satisfactorily, but unfortunately
many Of the state medical departments
had no such equipment Meanwhile
the officers In charge Of the medical
supply depots were directed to make
arrangements so that supplies could be
Immediately obtained for 100,0 900 men
for six months.
Whenever notice was received from
the adjutant generals office that COM
mands were to be moved or camps
formed the surgeon general endeav-
ored to anticipate the wants Of the
troops by telegraphing to the officer in
charge of the nearest supply depot to
forward supplies for the stated number
of men. Continuing Dr. Sternberg
says:
I'm my opinion the reduction of the
age limit from q to Is years and the
haste with which the volunteer regi-
ments were organized and mustered
into the service were responsible for
much OF the sickness which was re-
ported in the early days OF their camp
life.
'All military experience shows that
young men under 81 years break down
readily under the strain OF war service,
and every regiment had many OF these
youths in its ranks. Medical exam
liners were appointed to testify to the
physical qualifications of each man be-
fore acceptance. but, Notwithstanding
this, so many men were afterwards
found on the sick lists OF the camp I'M
fit for service from causes existing
prior TO enlistment that special ar
rangements had TO be made for their
discharge. Soon after the newly raised
levies were aggregated in large camps,
sickness began to increase progress
lively from causes that were so general
in their operation that scarcely a regI-
ment escaped from their harmful influ
ences. These causes may largely be
referred 10 ignorance on the part OF
officers OF the principles of camp SAM
tation and of their duties and respon-
sibilities as regards the welfare of the
enlisted men in their commands
SITES OF CAMPS.
THE sites of certain of the camps
have been instanced in the newspapers
as the cause Of the sickness which was
developed in them, but a review of the
whole situation shows that il was not
the site, but the manner Of its occupa-
ton which must be held responsible for
the general spread of disease among
the troops. Practically nothing was
done to make the men comfortable or
to remedy unsanitary conditions un-
til these matters We're brought to the
attention Of the secretary of war by
inspectors sent out from the war de,
partment. Then the camps held for sc
long were abandoned, but not before
the manifestations of typhoid infection
were rife in them. New camps were
carefully selected, regimental camps
were expanded, company tentage in
creased and board flooring provided
Then for the first time the trooDs Hent