Evening star., 1898-10-17
WILL DEPEND ON GOVERNMENT.
Gen. Sternberg Says That Red Cross
Hospitals Are Not Needed Now.


Hospitals Are Not Needed Now.
Surgeon General Sternberg has written
letter to Mr.. Winthrop Cowdin of New York
thankfully acknowledging the receipt of
5000 for the benefit of sick and wounded
soldiers. and saying:
Il do not think favorably. of the estab-
lishment of a hospital in Cuba or Porto
Rico by the Red Cross Society. for the rea-
son that the war is over and the garrisons
which are to be stationed in these islands
will require fully equipped hospital which
it is the duty of the government to provide.
and which we intend 10 provide Dur
Ing the rush incident to bringing large
numbers of volunteer troops ipto the field
, and during our active operations in Cuba
and Porto Rico emergencies constantly
arose in which there was a failure to get
necessary medical supplies and proper light
Diet for the sick to the places where they
were most urgently needed. Such emer-
gencies arise under similar conditions not
withstanding the intention of the govern
ment to provide everything necessary for
the comfort of our sick and wounded SOL
diers.
Il appreciate very highly the valuable
assistance which has been rendered by the
lied Cross Society, but l think it would be
demoralizng to our medical officers and TO
the service generally IL we should continue
to depend upon the contributions and vol
untary assistance Of patriotic citizens for
the care of our sick in the islands which
nave COme lHlO our pOSSeSSiOn
The surgeon general has also written the
following letter to Mrs A. f. Orr vice
chairman of the Red Cross relief committee:
Il have received copy of your letter TO
the President. In answer to your question
as to why the Intervention of the Red
Cross relief committee should be longer
needed and why the government does not
see to 1t that it's own sick are provided for
l would say:
The emergencies of the war made the
assistance of relief associations most val
liable, notwithstanding the. fact that 1t is
the intention of the government to provide
literally for the care of sick soldiers But
as you know. with ample means and good
intentions, supplies cannot always be pro-
vlded at the proper place and time to meet
an emergency. Moreover, at the outset Of
the war the arrangements made for pro-
viding light diet for the sick which had
proved satisfactory in time of peace under
the careful management of exp ar,enced med
ical officers were inadequate under the con-
ditiOns which prevailed in our camps of in
struCtion and among troops engaged in ac-
tive operations. For this reason the pres
ence of Red Cross agents, with their abnn-
dant supplies of deicaces for the sick has
been of inestimable value. But provision
was made by general order published Au-
gust 10 &c. O., 116), by which surgeons in
charge of hospitals. general, division or
regimental. are enabled to draw sixty cents
per d@y for each sick enlisted man of the
army in lieu of his regular ration Up to
that time the Communication value of a ra-
ton was only thirty cents.
THE medical department does not sup
ply food for the sick in hospital This is
obtained from the ,commissary department
or by purchase wherever it can be pro-
cured. l incose herewith a list. show
ing the articles which can be purchas-
ed from the commssary, which list.
as you will see, includes canned soups,
tapioca, crackers jelies, tea, butter. etc.
Milk, chickens and eggs. fresh vegetables.
etc, are purchased wherever they can be
obtained. The medical department furnish
"a few articles under the haa of ito1
stores including condensed milk sugar
and tea: but 70 other food supplies are fur
nished by the medical department or can
be properly paid for from the medical and
commissary department fails TO provide
these supplies and they cannot he purchased
in the vicinity of a camp or hospital the
difficulty of providing proper food for the
sick Will be very great. and under such cir
cumstances the supplies Of relief associa-
t1ons have been most welcome. But the
amount now allowed by the government is
ample to provide everything necessary in
the way of suitable diet for the sick and
when there is any failure to provide this
1t is a failure in admin isiration by those
Immediately in charge and not failure of
the government to provide the necessary
means.
You will no doubt agree with me that
sixty cents a day for the raw material
from which to prepare a proper diet for the
sick is most liberal provision. The ex-
peTienee of medical officers shows that il
Is not only ample but excessive. and that
Tor sick men, living for the most part upon
milk, weak soups and ,farinaeeous food
this amount is much in excess OF any rea-
Sonable requirement.
Under these circumstances | think that
those patriotic and liberal citizens who have
contributed so freely of their money and
time to aid in the care of our sick soldiers
may now leave the matter in the hands of
the government without any apprehension
as to the result"