The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-30
STERNBERG'S DEFENSE
THE SURGEON GENERAL SAYS HE
WAS NOT HOSTILE TO RED CROSS.
Did Not Relieve in Woman Nurses in
the Field, but Gave Society Plenty
of Opportunity Otherwise.

| WASHINGTON, Aug 29.-The following
statement regarding the medical corps of
the army and the American National Red
cross Society was given out by Surgeon
| General Sternberg to-day:
Owing to the pressure of my official du-
| ties have not heretofore felt justified in
| taking the time to make an explanation
| with reference to my attitude towards the
| American National Red Cross 1t has been
repeatedly charged in the newspapers that
I am hostile to this organization and have
refused to accept its assistance in the care
of our sick and wounded soldiers, and that
as result of this refusal there has been
unnecessary suffering.
These charges without foundation
except in so far as 1 have objected to the
sending of female nurses with troops in the
field engaged in active operations We have
a Red Cross hospital corps in the army. of
enlisted men, whose duty it is to render first
aid to the wounded on the field of battle
and to care for the sick in our division
field hospitals, and have been Of the opin-
ion that female would be an incum-
brance to troops during active operations;
but soon as serious sickness developed
in our camps and it became necessary to
treat typhoid fever cases in our field hospi-
tals, L gladly accepted the services of
trained female nurses for the division field
hospitals, and in our general hospitals we
have employed them from the first. The
| general testimony from the surgeons in
| charge of these hospitals has been that
| their services have been of great value.
| Very many of these trained nurses have
| been obtained through the kind assistance
| of the Red Cross Society for Maintenance
| OF Trained Nurses Auxiliary No. 8, and I
| desire to express my high appreciation of
the valuable services rendered to the medi-
cal department of the army by this organi-
cation. My attitude towards relief organi-
| cations is shown by Endorsement dated
May on letter addressed by Rev. Henry
c. McCook. of Philadelphia. to the Presi-
| dent. and referred to me for remark:
May 5. $685. Respectfully returned to
| the adjutant general of the army: The plan
| proposed for the organizatio of a relief as
| ISOLATION appears to have been we'll consid-
| cred, and the object in view will commend
| itself to every patriotic citizen. But it is
| question whether the President should give
| special privileges to any particular organiza-
| ton. Other prominent individuals in differ
! ent parts of the country may be organizing
| for the same purpose. One such proposition
| has come to me from Chicago. While APP
| prove in a general way of organization for
| the relief work proposed. it appears to me
| that it will be best not to give, in advance
| exclusive privileges to any one particular
| organization. In case of need assistance
| should be accepted from any organization
prepared to give it.
This has been my guiding principle
| throughout, that relief when needed should
| be promptly accepted without reference to
the source from which it comes The re-
liof affn
Siboney was promptly accepted by the sur
geons on the spot, but it is evident that it
was entirely inadequate to meet the emery
ency.
"A committee of the American National
Red Cross Association called upon me in
my office in Washington some time in adj
vance of the landing of our troops in San
tiago, making an offer of assistance. re-
ceived them most cOurteously and advised
them to use their resources in fitting UP a
hospital ship, telling them that a hospital
ship was now being fitted up for the use of
the medical department, but that it was not
at all improbable that an emergency would
arise which would overtax our resources
and that in such event a hospital ship
properly equipped, having on board corps
of doctors and nurses would be most valu-
able auxiliary.
'Furthermore: The American National
Red Cross Association has had full authority
to send agents and supplies to all our camps
since July 9, 1898, and if there has been suf-
fering for want of needed supplies they must
share the responsibility with the medical
department of the army for such suffering
The following letter was sent by me to every
chief surgeon of a department or independ-
ent army in the field on June 9, 1898:
THE secretary nf war hos opprox,ad of
the following proposition made by the
American National Red Cross Association,
and the chief surgeons of army corps and
divisions will cooperate with the author
lied agents of this association for the pur-
poses indicated.
We can put any desired amount of hos
pltal supplies-ice, matted milk, condensed
milk, etc.-into any of the volunteer camps
in few hours. Will you be kind enough to
bring this letter to the attention of Secre-
tary Alger and ask him if there is any OBJ
lection to our appointing a Red Cross rep
resentative to report to the commanding
officer and the chief surgeons in every
camp, confer with them as to their immed-
ate needs and if anything of any kind is
wanting, open the Red Cross station and
send in the supplies. We can do this, not in
few weeks few days, but in few
hours, and can furnish any quantity of any
desired luxury or delicacy for hospital use.
We hereby tender our aid and put our or
ganization at the War Departments service
for cooperation in this field
10 show my cordial rela tons with the
national Red Cross relief committee / VEN
ture to quote from letter of Aug. IL, re-
ceived by me from Mr.. Cleveland Fl. Dodge,
chairman of the supply committee Mr.
Dodge says:
Il want again to assure you personally,
and on behalf of our committee of our
earnest desire to assist you in every possible
way and to thank you for calling upon Us
SO frankly
I'm a recent letter from Mrs. Winthrop
CoWdin, vice president of the Red Cross
Society for Maintenance of Trained Nurses
she says: We greatly appreciate your cour-
tesy to us and feel most grateful to have
been permitted to serve you in any way
GEORGE NJ. STERNBERG
Surgeon General. United States Army"