The evening times., 1898-09-05
WE'LL -NURSED PATIENTS
Wounded and Sick Men at the
Washington Barracks.
ON THE ROAD TO RECOVERY
Treatment OF Convafescent Soldiers
From the Field of Santiago-Char-
Observation-Disclosures Menus.
Pathetic Case Of Private Hogan.

illness and good management IL is in
marked contrast with some OF the un-
sanitary, nly-managed field hospitals at
the camps in different sections OF the
country The hospital tents at Washing
ton Barracks are in charge of Surgeon
William @. Ashby, one OF. the most Fn-
ereetic, able and painstaking physicians
in the militry service.
There are about go convalescent SOL
diers at the above hospital. and 2o0 of
the number are in the hospital tents un-
der the care Of Surgeon Asnby- The ma
jority Of them are regulars, VINO partcl-
pated in the hard fighting IN front OF San
tiago. and quite a number are recover
ing from desperate wounds received while
on the fighting line. These heroes are re-
ceiving every attention. and are anNiously
awaiting the time when they can rejoin
their regiments.
The worst wounds are fractures Of the
knee and elbow joints, the work Of Maui
ser missiles and fragments of shells. The
surgeons at the Washington barracks
hospital have had 10 perform many op-
erations owing 10 The imperfect opera
tions in the field hospitals at the front
one 0f the w0rs, wounded men in the
hospital is a member Of the Fifth Mich
igan Volunteers. An explosive bullet en-
tered his leg from the back and eXplod-
ed inside Of that part of his body. The
fragments tore through the flesh and
made Eve wounds. or openings. on the
front Of the soldiers leg. The fact has
been established by the wounds of a
number OF American soldiers that the
Spauiards used explosive bullets at SAN
tiaro in violation OF the rules Of war
fare. In the case Of the Michigan yolun-
ter one explosive bullet made six dis
tinct wounds.
Another badly wounded man is Pri-
vate James Clark. of Company f, Seveo-
teenth Regular Infantry. lie was in the
hastily-duS rifle pits in front Of San
tiago. There was lull in the firing and
Private Clark raised his head above the
mounded ear.h and was gazing at the
Spanish hospital On the outskirts Of San
tiaEO. He turned TO comrade and open
ed his mouth 10 make a remark about the
hospital when bang" went the rifle Of a
Spanish sharpshOoter in a tree, about
800 yards in the front. The sharpshoot-
er's aim was true. The bullet entered
Private Clark's open mouth, tore out six
teeth. paSsed through the entire length
Of the tongue and came out on the right
rear side of the neck.
The Mauser bullet narrowly missed
Clark's jugular vein, and after passing
through the face and neck took down
ward course and graZed his right shoul-
der. In describing the sensation produc-
cd, Clark said il felt as if some one had
struck him a heavy blow on the face
with the butt end of an AK. Then an in
tensely hot feeling pervaded his entire
body and he felt as though his blood was
boiling hot
Private Clark. although dazed and
fa1 %. -
iow in the rifle pss for about two hours
-Intil the Spanish fire slachened. and
chen he crawled several hundred yards
s,n his stomach and had to be assisted
two and a half miles to the nearest field
hospital. For a long time the wounded
man could not utter word and had TO
make his wants known by signs and
writing. Ii was only recently that he has
been able to speak at all.
pathetic case is that of Private Ho-
gan. He had sustained a bad fracture
and il was improperly set in the hospi-
sal at Santiago. He was sent TO the
sEaShington Barracks HosI ital as a con-
Nalescent and several days ago succeed
ed ia getting his discharge. Hogan then
went to the War Department TO transact
mis- final business with the Government
before going TO his home, and while de-
ScendinC the stone stairs from the Ad-
.utant Generals Office he fell blckwl lrds,
Breaking his leg again. He was taken
20 the hospital from which he had lust
been discharged and the operation had
tc be performed over again. Now the
surgeons say it viii be six weeks before
he Is able to start for his home.
There are several wounded colOred
troopers from the Ninth Cavalry under
treatment and convalescing at the hos
pitaL Since the heroic charge of the
Ninth in front of Santiago, in support
OF the Rough Riders, the regiment has
been nicknamed The Black Avalanche -
There is sturdy regular member OF
the Second United States Cavalry. in the
Washington Barracks field hospital who
stopped a Mauser bullet as he supposed
ii was, at FL Caney. The missile passed
entirely through one Of his legs and lodg-
I'd in the other. When Surgeon Ashby
suggested to the regular that the bullet
be cut out the cavalryman objected.
Il want that Mauser ball to stay in
my leg he said. so as when / get home
] can have IL cut out as a relic for my
old woman. If it is cut out here / might
lose il from my pocket. The piece of lead
is safe while it is in my leg"
Several days later pus began TO form
in the wound, and Surgeon Ashby inform
ed the trooper that the supposed Mauser
bullet would have TO be taken out
missile removed, and much to the dis
gus. Of the wounded soldier, instead of
being a Mauser 1t proved TO be brass
bound Remington bullet 46 caliber, such
as were used generally by the Spanish
sharpshooters.
The wounded men from Santiago stat
ed TO The Times reporter that the Span
fish sharpshoo;ers used smokeless pow
der much superior to that used by the
.1,a- j
themselves in tree tops and rifle pits and
IL was difficult almost impossible. for
Ehe Yankee marksmen 10 locate them
Then, too, the Spaniards had meas
ured and marked off all the ground in
front of Santiago so that they could
easily find the range Of the Americans
positions.
There are forty-eight tents in the con-
valescent hospital in charge of Surgeon
Ashby. Each tent accommodates five men
comfortably without overcrowding. Many
of the inmates needed the cook ins.eati
of ,he doctor when they arrived from
Cuba. weak. emaciated and hungry
The surgeon has given particular atten-
tion and study to the question of diet
for the conralescent heroes. Many of the
patients are men whose digestion has
been played havoc with by the coarse
poorly cooked camp fare and he has,
~ use care ana luGEmen. in
preparing his menus.
The kitchen is a model for convenience
and cleanliness. The menus form an in
teresting study:
For breakfast the conValescents are
given oatmeal and milk, hash. beefsieak
potatoes, tea or coffee, bread, butter and
preserves and an unlimited quantity OF
fresh milk. Dinner consists of roast beef
potatoes, canned tomatoes, bread, butter
Ccoffee and generally three peaches al