Evening star., 1898-08-09

quarternaster's department the laments-
Die conditions on shore could have been In
any way improved
The Quitting of transports for the re-
ception OF sick and wounded is a duty de-
manding thought and experience ana
should never be intrusted to any one ex-
cept regular medical officer. 1t includes
the proper policing of the portions of tha
ship to be used by the wounded the reroov
al OF hunks and partitions to give space
ana air. the utilization of the ships blan-
kets. doormats. rugs and carpets to rem
DER the hunks more comfortable the secur-
ing of extra supplies such as canned souns
ana fruits. lime juice and oatmeal the es-
laDilshment OF a mess and laundry assign
.neht OF convalescents to specific light du-
Ties which materially relieve the over
worked hospital corps
Resistance TO Orders.
Usually 1t is necessary to overcome mas
slNe resistance and opposition on the part
of the crews and tendency ON tho nart
OF the captains TO disregard or modify or
GERS. In several Instances in my own expa-
rlence this action of the crew Announced
almost to mutiny and was only IN ba
oeait with by threats, show OF force and
IN one instance, by the use of the irons
" me executive officer at the general hos
pital, Fort Monroe, L learned officially that
the captain of the L s 8 seneca most
tNeiy refused to obey the orders ernanat-
ing from your office. given him by the
NJ. W surgeon In charge. to proceed to
New York. he remaining nearly an ad1t
uonal day at Hampton Roads with sick
anu wounded, and asserting that ne wouId
oDes no orders given by the medical de-
az a similar experience of my own
at Dalquirt which had to be settled nv
Lorce emphasizes the fact that no ons
SnouId De placed In charge of sucb n sbI,,
VINO Is not accustomed 10 command men
ana enforce obedience.
The Red Cross Society.
with regard 10 the Red Cross Society g.
would seem as if the lofty purposes of THIS
organization were, on the Santiago expe5i-
tlon, subverted to individual Interests
"hlle at Tampa the Red Cross shin STATE
or Texas was formally placed under the
CO.. eohJrol I OF the chief surgeon. Jth Corps.
py Dr. Egan, the representative Of IN. So
ciely' ne acting under teegraphic instr1tc-
tons 10 that effect. Colonel Pope accan.
ed TINS offer and directed that the state of
- aS >, accompany The expedition Of Cen
er.A smarter To its destination Althoua,b
thls order was fully understood nv mr.
ESan. the State of Texas did not accor,,
Eahy the expedition nor did il arrive at
1L,ohey uhtll the forces had been landed a
batue fought and our hospitals established
ana IN working order. The first Offers az
ald made by tEis society dealt largely IN
generalIties and manifested reluctance 20
Subordinate the organization to the. rnedf
cal department. Too much praise carnot
be given to the individual efforts Of Dr
Les ser and the Red Cross nurses Tbei,
work was untiring and unselfiesh and tho
assistance rendered by them was of great
value. 9'N
In conclusion it is desired to emphas,za
the fact that the lamentable rontftfons
prevailing in the army before Santiago
were Que 10 the military necessity which
threw troops on shore and away from, the
posslolllty of supply without medicines, in
struments. dressings or hospital stores of
any kind
very respectfully. your obedient servant
EDWARD l. MUNSON
captain and Assistant Surgeon. L. S A.
commanding Reserve Ambulance Corps