The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-11-04
THE TIMES. RICHMOND. VA FRIDAY. NOVEMBER 4, 1893.

ol 'lle sixth Reglm'nl. Nhich II III rents
on the grounds adjoining the hospitals.
his regiment was cut To pieces III The
Santiago campaign and has since been To-
| cruited
General Dodge put many questions 70
the patients IN the hospitals concerning
their treatment. but found 10 one COM
planning
The Inspection OF the camp was thor
ough. IL extended into the dinner hour.
and General Dodge ana Colonel Sexton
went 10 the mess tents and inspected the
food.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The afternoon session was occupied IN
| the HEARING OF three witnesses mostly on
| the condition OF the division hospitals ot
Chickamauga. The first witness was Ma
| j0r l.. T. Helburn, of the second Ken
| lucky. now mustered out. The death iist
of his regiment. he stated was per cent.
most of whom died al home on iurl0usns.
The sickness in ChicAamiusl increased
very rapidly. lie knew that there was
shortage OF cots Ia the hospitals as well
as tents
When questioned. he said he served on
committee apg9i8te1 on account ol COM
plant by the colonel OF the First Arkdn-
sas 10 investigate the division hospital
| Dr.. Ward. the witness. and Major Jonn-
| son. formed The committee. The commit
| tee was apDolnted in the latter part of
August and reported about September 9Th.
| The patients were then being removed to
the hospital and the hospital was IN q
| chaotic condition.
The sinks were as close as $50 feet rom
! the wards and were IN an unclean CON
clifton. There was q dumping ground
where other refuse was thrown There
was a gully running right through The
site2 The sick were IN fairly good con-
dition
MANY WITNESSES.
The committee examined two or three
| hundred witnesses. including commander
| chaplain. privates. hospital corps. nurses
and visitors The committee concIuue1
| that at first the hospital was ~ 1ad
condition. but IL got better and during
Major Smiths control IL was in good con-
diuon. The committee found tnat the
cause for this bad condition arose from
the fact that it was not intended TO o'
more than a temporary hospital, but the
sick increased so rapidly that il was
! oyer-crowdod Another cause was the
incompotencv of men detailed from reEi-
ments for nurses.
I'm many regiments the most worthless
men were detailed for that duty. The
detail was made according 10 regula-
| ton. The fault was not Of the medical
department. but OF the system.
The committee foona aHHoeeee"Fr soi-
forinr. because from lack Of tents and
cots tho patients were exposed to the
rain ana compelled 10 iic ON the ground
This was the fault Of the Quariermas-
ter's DEPARTMENT. acquisitions were not
filled for from two 10 ten days, ana I'D
some instances were not filed 40 all.
THE DEATHS.
when asked II there were many deaths
resulting from these reg'ects. be SAID
that there was an order from Dr. Hon
TO Major Smith 10 send nifty OF the
worst patients TO Sternberg Hospital oi
these two died in "a short time after their
yeDoyaJ j. was claimed by Dr. Hon
that the order was 20 send nfiv patients.
and not fifty Of the worst patients The
original order was not produced. The
witness admitted that be would not
charge these deaths % neglect, but 20
want OF judgment IN sending men out
not ht 10 bear the fatigue.
4 1{ARVINET.
The only complaint against ire meuloW
corps was I'm the case of one Major Hub
bard. who required the sick to sland an
attention while attending sick calls.
The medical corps was not n'sieciui'
but was dispisitel by inability 20 get sup
plies. medicine and proper nurses.
The witness cited an instance vi ~ tier
mOmeter given 10 am orderly % ne used
for taking the temperature Of patients
and when asked for 10 the next day Dee
said he did not know what b. was sooa
for and had given 10 away. As instances
of neglect. the witness said his commit
foe bad much testimony that patients
were allowed TO remain filthy in lt'r
bed and were actually fy blown bhls
neglect was charged 20 the nurses direct
lv The nurses We're frequently changed
and the officers in charge were also irr-
nuentlv changed. Some were asked 10 re-
sion and others broke down. the witness
saw maay P2tje0is on cots ON ti-e
grounds The wards were not an hoofed
until in August ........,-,.,
OFFICERS CONSCIENTIOUS.
Tho .tilonca before the committee
showed that the medical officers were
conscientious and ala their utmost TO
remedy the evils prevailing in the hospi-
tails Tho witness reed tho statement OF
Major smith and OF Colonel Hon made
a. his committed The former was
ecatbing arraienment OF the clIlci-hcy vi
the supplv department Medicines iHeul-
cal apparatus fee ana drnkns M9ir'
and other necessities were not furnished.
lie also complained bitterly OF l"' i"'''''
potency of the NURSES
Ia answer TO- question hN 'rheral
D'.ioe tra witness said he dii not know
a. tba tfoa they held This Investigation.
tb,t tbe commaudlnt had authority 10
,,-,r,e, orr medical and c0mmssary
s,,nnfioe and Dc did not think the com
mandant knew &C.. for all the medical
corps complained of inability To- ttl sup
plies ,,.... ,,.,,,.bcro-
some ne said Doe got his impression oil
its unwholc-omcnces from an ordel l5-
sued bv tle division commando ina. All
drinking water should be bonel
TIM SYSTEM DEFENDED.
Colonel H0n's statement uel'ie ,nD
commission doalth with defence OF lne
field hospital system. which, ne -aia' was
originally intended 10 ACCOMMODATE SIX
hundred sick hut the i,kness haH rap
IAN, ana unexpectedly increased go that
the supply department was .ot "9'e 20
meet the demands. re h0ught supplies
himself that could not otherwise be sup
piled
The witness being asked his own opn-
,o, about tho great amount OF sickness
at Chiclamauea said he thought that
two thirIs az BE- was due 10 the negl-
oo9co of tbe men themselves.
This witness also read the statement
NJ Captain Charles Price. OF the Second
Kentucirv Who told Of hearing shrieks
fror, thc Nfrth New York ward, and
rnon Investigation he found that Major
Hubbard vas trying 10 administer medi-
cina IN a nafient. The Major was brutal
price interfersf and Hubbard SAID that
that vas the only way 10 humor a pa
tiont nv v,av or an explanation he said
tho natte,t refused the melicine.
SICK MEN AT WORK.