Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-08-04
SICK SOLDIERS LACK CARE
Nothing Done for Their Comfort at Egmont
Key.
A Voyage Without Proper Food,
Medicine OF Aforementioned
to Stay on Shipboard.

to Stay on Shipboard.
Still another complaint has come in re-
| gard to the Incompetence of the medical
corps with Skaters army at Santiago.
The story of the conditions on the trans
pert Santiago is similar to that told by the
sufferers on the Seneca, Alamo, Leona and
the Concho. Stanhope Sans. the CORE
spondent OF the New York Times. himself
a convaiescent on the Santiago, has writ
| ten that paper as follows:
we reached Tampa bay yesterday and
went into quarantine at Egmont Key to-
day. The reason we did not come ashore
yesterday and enter quarantine at once
was that the War Department did not
think it worth while to make any prepara-
ton for the feeding and proper treatment
| of $50 sick men,
| 1t sent these men, one-third of wbap are
convaleseent from yellow fever, and all of
whom are suffering and too weak to take
care OF themselves, on a voyage of four
Gays without physicians and without proper
iood, and made apparently no effort to
nave them cared for when they reached
our shores: The agonies endured by these
victims of the Cuban climate during their
voyage, when they had to eat the ordinary
army rations, and had medicine to al
leVlate their constant suffering, were awful
TO behold The two sick physicians aboard,
Or. Gu1teraS and Dr. Vaughan. were poWer-
less to lessen the pain of the inyalids They
themselves needed attention and care and
| rest, but had to work night and day be-
Cause no physician had been detailed TO ac-
company the sick.
Alter most distressing voyage, in which
many of the convalescents and other fever
cases had grown worse because of the I'M
necessary hardshps they had endured the
santiago's sick eagerly hailed the first
sight of our shores. They expected conf
IDENTIFY that they would at once be received
INTO comfortable quarters. have all their
wants attended to and get, after a half
famine OF six weeks, good food and neces-
sary medicines. But these small details
mad been overlooked. The station keepers
at Esmont Key knew more of our
whereabouts than If We had been making
Congo. " ''''
An Unfurnished Hospital
The ship is really a hospital without the
Usual corps of physicians and nurses and
the comforts that tighten the burdens of
the sick. True to the plan of managing
the ambulance and medical work of the
campaign not single well physician or
nurse was sent out with this shipload OF
sufferers. There is one woman aboard
VINO came down to nurse her brother and
Is now returning home, who has yolunta-
Iliy gwen up ner whole time on the voyage
TO attending to the wants of some of the
SICK. but she has nothing to do with orr
hospital service. All the physicians aboard
are gong home on sick leave. DR.. Cutie
fas anu DR. Vaughan are quite weak and
rot able to look after the other sufferers
out both are devoting their entire time to
alleviating pain.
Again, in perfect harmony with the way
We managed the sick and wounded after
Ell Caney and Ell Pozo, the Santiago was
sent out with its burden of sick men with
cry the common rations of the army, and
with no delicacies for the invalids who
nad not eaten anything for eight or :an
days and could not possibly swallow the
coarse fare of the soldier afield little
condensed milk and a few trifes in the
way of food were got aboard at :Ie last
clans.
There were also no medicines sent with
me snip. Dr. Guiteras said it was heart
breaking to have to watch men suffer and
bot be able to do anything for them The
oiiy nealcines aboard were compound
cathartc and quinine pills.
No. Provision for the Sick.
Dr. Guiteras and Dr. Vaughan imms-
e1ately went ashore to arrange for the re-
ception and care of the sick They were
thunderstruck to learn that Dr. Giddirgs.
who is in charge of the United States No
rine Hospital here, was in Port Tampa
ana knew nothing of the VOYAGE of the
SantlaSo and her passengers. They tele-
graphed to Dr. Giddings but he did NOT
get down to the key until today at noon
mere was not even a hospital steward at
me statlon-absolutely no one to look after
the SICK who must have been expected
daily from Cuba. The subordinates who
were lett at the station reported that there
as no food and no provision for the sick
except that forty-elght tents had been mn
up recently. fN
IL was a very cheerful prospect. indeed.
Tor $50 sick men. No food no prepara.ions
TO take care of them, and forced TO add
one more day of suffering to their regular
ten days Of quarantine.
III appears that the Treasury Depart
ment which has charge of this marine
hospital, knew nothing of the coming of
me santiago. Not a word had been re-
celVed mere from the officers of the War
department at Siboney or at SANTIAGO de
CUBA The station here was established
eSacriy Tor this purpose. 1t was thought
ADVISABLE that all troops returning from
CUBA should be detained for ten DAYS and
thoroughly inspected before they shouId he
permitted to go into the states Eemont
pay was CHOSEN as suitable point for
such station, and work was pushed on
II SO as to have it in readiness for usa n,
TINS war. Yesterday the first shfpIoad of
SICK men came into the bay for rest
proper 1000 and care and for medical az
tention; and they not only were moi ahie
10 get any OF these things promDtIy but
because of the dlatory or negligent course
OF the representatives of the War Denart-
ment. they have had another day of mis-
cry to their already long ordeal of fatiamn
and suffering. " t-'su e