New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-10

SURGEON-GENERAL VAN REYPEN PLEASED
WITH THE NEW NAVAL HOSPITAL SHIP.

Washington. June 9.-Surgeon-General Van Rey-
pen. of the Navy. is back from trip to New
York where he inspected the naval ambulance
ship. the Solace, and the sick and wounded
brought up from Admiral SIMPSONS fleet, fifty
four in all. The wounded include those who par
ticipated In the engagements at Cardenas. Glen
fuegos and Matanzas. The men are doing we'll.
and there will be no fatalities resulting. One Of
the men will lose arm, as that member was so
blown TO pieces by a shell that amputation above
the elbow was necessary. All the other patients
will be fortunate.
Surgical science has made great advances since
the Civil War, and there will be no such loss OF
limbs and other permanent Disbursements as oc-
CURED thirty years ago. Not only is amputation
avoided. but the present methods OF treatment
do away with much Of the intense suffering the
soldier OF the Civil War had to pass through Tho
other wounds under trea tment are not OF serious
character. and call for special surgical skill.
The sick men. about forty -four in number, have
no signs Of contagious diseases. their ailments
being chronic. such consumption. heart disease.
etc. They were taken from the fighting ships. as
the Northern latitude will aid in their recovery.
and also because sickness board ship has de-
pressing influence the fighting The suf
ferers both sick and wounded. showed their de-
light when taken aboard the Solace II is APP
pointed like modern hospital. with cheerful
wards and every facility toward restoring health
THE TCE-CREAM SHIP"
Some OF the old speedily named the Soace
the ice-cream ship" as the ice-makng machine
aboard permitted the nurses 10 give the sick and
wounded ice-cream as one OF the decacies. When
chicken was served 70 some Of the patients they
declared that they were living In hotel. The
substantials furnished ny the Navy. but many
delicaces such as lemons. oranges. jeles chick
ems, etc. have been furnished by private contrbu-
tion and are locked upon in the Of the sick
as almost essential solid foods.
Or. Van Reypen is gratifed with the success OF
the Solace. II Is distinct departure In the OF
sick and wounded and the outset looked
tho Federal sick and wounded were kept in hos
pitfalls at the mouth OF the Mississippi River, at
Key West and AT other points near the scene OF
the distress Of the wounded. largely increasing the
death rate. DR.. Van Reypen determined upon
now policy in the present He intends 10
move all the sick and wounded TO the North the
Solace making trips back and forth between the
fleet and Northern ports. He feels that the OK
Of an ambulance ship, continually moving the sick
and wounded from the scene Of action, is
ta5lIshed improvement on the old methods.
The British naval observer visited the Soace at
Key West. and said that It was tho first hospital
ship OF the kind he had ever seen. lie was i'm
pressed with the completeness Of the Soace's out
n and indicated that this modern device for miti-
eating the horrors Of would attract the at
iention % foreign countries and he generally
adopted.
The Solace arrived at the Brooklyn Navy Yard
last sunday and transferred her fifty four patients
{ o'clock Wednesday afternoon 10 rejoin Admiral
Sampsons feet and take away such further sick
and wounded as may ne there Or. Van Reypen
sent aboard $1,000 worth Of deicacies contributed
gave the chief surgeon Of the snip 500 FOR further
use IN this line This is in addition 70 the sub
parched throats Of the sick and wounded who
come from SIMPSONS fleet