The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-11-22
MAJOR IVES coNvERTEp.
He Now FaVOrs Employment of Fee
male Nurses In the Army.

mAJOh AtES CON v EHEEDs
He Now FavOrs Employment of Fee
male Nurses I'm the Army.
NEW YORK, Nov. 21.-Major f. ]. Ives,
chief of the Third, or provisional division
OF the Fifth Army Corps was the first wit
ness before the war investigating commits
sion to-day. Replying to questions by Gen.
Wilson, Major Ives said that while at
Chickamauga he saw no distress among the
soldiers for lack of medical supplies. He
left Tampa in the transport Saltwater with
the Second Cavalry. The transport was well
furnished and fairly comfortable, but there
were no suitable accommodations aboard for
the horses
Were the horses placed above the men?"
mo, sir. The men were on the upper
deck and the horses on the lower deck"
y Major Ives told of his experiences il at
tending the wounded of the Ell Caney fight
He said the condition of some of the sick
men was deplorable and I'VE had no oppor-
tunity to establish hospitals fast enough. We
obtained some medical supplies from the
Red Cross Society,""
If you could get supplies from the Red
Cross, why could you not get them from
your own department.
AT that time there were no supplies
available for the establishment of an extra
division hospital. All the supplies were in
Siboney and at that time there was a rush
of work to establish depots for rations and
the depots for issuing other supplies were
not yet equipped"
'EIad you ample medical help?"
'1'here was a lack of competent hospital
stewards Female nurses were offered to
as, but at that time 1 was opposed to the
employment Of female nurses. / am a con-
vert now, and think the women did admir-
able work whenever they had the oppor-
tunAty."
What deaths occurred between the es-
Establishment of your hospital and the re-
ceipt of government medical supplies, as the
result of the lack of supplies"
None at all. There were only 81 deaths
out of 967 cases treated. As far as i could
learn there was an epidemic of yellow fever
at Siboney while there were only a few
sporadic cases on the firing line, and there
fore did not send any cases to Siboney.
Major Ives said of the transports used
for the soldiers returning to the United
States they were well found and equipped
in every respect. Regarding the Mobile,
which he had heard criticised as horrible
cattle ship, he said 1t was thoroughly
cleaned and whitewashed before any SOL
diers were allowed on board and was In per-
feet sanitary condition.
will you tell us before you CO." asked
General Dodge, ''the conclusions you nave
drawn as to the condition of the army in
Cuba What, if anything, was lacking and
the reasons for complaint
My personal opinion is that the army
was well equipped in every respect, except
that at times there were not enough ambu-
lances, and at times there was lack OF
medical supplies. never Knew a TIME tim .
for medicine, that he failed to get all that
was needed. When ] wished supplies l
mounted my horse and rode after them. ana ana
when could A0t get things which We're not
at headquarters, / bought them with the
permission of my SUPERIOR
DIR. Louis A. Stimson, of New York, testl-
! ioH q visits
to investigate the reports of lack OF pre-
cautions against an epidemic or Lyphold
fever. All the surgeons told Ut. StlmSon
that they suffered from lack of competent
male help. Il find no fault" said the doc
tor with the physicians who yielded 10
pressure and permitted patients TO leave
before they were we'll. 1 criticise the syS-
tenn that permitted such a copdition OF af-
fairs. The pressure came from governors
senator's wives mothers and sweethearts.
What / can't understand is why the United
States government should have suffered
them to leave the hospital before they were
cured. Seventy-four typhoid cases picked
up in the streets of this city were treated
in the Hudson-street Hospital. They snould
not have been allowed TO leave Montauk
AS DR. Stimson concluded his testimony a
message was brought to General Dodge
from Robert B. Roosevelt to the effect that
he knew nothing of interest to the commls-
sion except as a matter OF hearsay. On
motion of Ex-Governor Woodbury. 1t was de-
cided TO invite Mr. Roosevelt to appear and
place himself on record to that effect Mr.:
Roosevelt said meeting or the solulerS
protective committee is TO be neld to-mor-
row. and that at that meeting list or WIT
nesses and the SUBJECTS on which they VIII
testify is to be prepared for presentation TO
the commission.
Miss Julia Halstead Chadwick one of the
women who worked for the sick at Camp
Wikoff, submitted written statement OF
the conditions she found there in the latter
part of August and told of the dlstribu-
ton of food and drink to the Rough Riders,
negro cavalry and Eighth and TWenty-sec-
nd NJ She told of the 1ne1lc1enI
supply of bed clothing and undertaking,
She heard there was plenty of both in store,
but she knew the soldiers ala not nave
DR.. william Gilman Thompson, of New
York, was the first witness at the afternoon
session. Asked if he had any criticism to
make of the conduct of the hospitals of
Montauk, he said: 'Well, hardly. l was
not there long enough to make proper crit
cism | was told that there was not sufi-
Gent disinfectants My own observation In
one instance showed me that this was true.
found at least thirty such instances out
side the general hospital in the general
camp. The sanitary arrangements in the
camp were bad and myriads OF flies We're
disseminating fecal matter exposed In the
sinks / do not know much about the gen.
eral condition of the hospitals.
Samuel l. ParriehI a i lawyer OF this, TINS city.
the next witness. All the trouble and
suffering at the camp Mr. Parrich de-
ciared in summing up his views, was due
to a lack of foresight and the neglect of
some one. / cannot say who is responsible
for the conditions that prevailed, but can
testify that very undesirable conditions did
prevail"
did you see any officer of the army or
doctor neglecting his duty in any way?"
asked General McCook.
General. that is a hard question, because
II you had the power of punishment for con-
tempt / would have to answer, and that is
the trouble with this commission, a man
does not feel he is protected, because every
thing he says Is really volunteer testimony"
After further questioning DIR. Conner said:
'sYou are the first man who has said to this
commission that you decline to give infOr-
nation because you are not compelled to
give It."
After a considerable discussion on these
lines the witness still continued to decline
which led General Beaver to say: If there
are other gentlemen like you who want tC
with trip to Washington, you may moi
have an opportunity 10 do so. IT would be
better for you to testify before us now"
There were no other witnesses present
when Mr.. Parrish concluded his testimony
and the examination was adjourned until to.
morrow morning. when Col a. s. Kimball
of the quartermaster's department here, will
appear. An invitation was sent to Col
Theodore Roosevelt to appear before the
commission. No time has been fixed for his
examination, but II is thought he will ties.
tify tomorrow.
DIR. Cox's Testimony.
WASHINGTON. Nov. 21.-Dr. S. Clifford
Cox, an assistant surgeon in the First Vol
unteer Regiment of the District of Columbia
to-day explained to Colonel DENLY, of tn,