The state herald., 1898-11-11
VERY BAD HOSPITALS
WAR BOARD STILL INvEsrI-
CATlNO.
1t Holds Session at Chic igo At Which
tho Medical Authorities Are Scored
Severely.


Chicago, Nov. 7.-Coloncl Dodge,
Colonel Sexton and DIR. COnnOr of the
war investigating commission arrived
In Chicago today and Immediately be-
gan the examining of witnesses Mt the
Auditorium hotel.
A large number of witnesses are on
the list, and 1t is not likely that the
three members of the commission will
be able to leave Chicago before We'd
ncsdny. They will then go to Detroit,
where the investigation will be con-
tinued
| Mrs. Virginia Il. Betz of Chicago
was the next witness. She entered COM
plant In regard to the death Of her
son, Frank l., who enlisted with Com
pany l., First Illinois volunteers. He
+ was taken sick at Santiago and was
taken to Montauk on the transport
Berlin. From here he was allowed to
go home on furlough when he should
have been sent to the hospital.
DIR. Milo B. Ward of Kansas City,
Missouri, who was II brigade surgeon
at Camp Thomas from July 18th to
September 10Th, when asked as to the
condition of the hospitals, said there
was a great lack of medicines, only
some of the simplest medicines being
on hand.
1.-THE food. which was furnished the
men," he said, ~ would not want to
give my pet dog" He said that the
food would have been all right had 1t
been properly cooked, but In the shape
in which 1t was brought the men, 1t
was enough to make them sick
The doctor was then questiQped as
to the lack of attention shown to pa
tients just coming down with disease.
The doctor stated that lie knew Of sew
eral cases where the patient was al
lowed TO lie on the ground the whole
day and also the night before taken to
the hospital. The doctor was ques-
toned as to what his hours of duty
We're supposed TO be. His reply was
from s n. IN. to p. IN. In this way the
patients were without medical attend
ancc during the night.
''Is it possible that better care could
have been secured If night calls had
been nader was asked.
mo. sir. There was nothing to see
Them for except to give the medicine.
Seventy-tivc per cent. of the patients
were on cots and the other ~ per cent.
We're on stretchcrs on the ground, four
TO six inches from the ground. Some
times some of the men We're put on the
bare ground. but within Il few hours
they We're always put on cots or
stretchcrs.
DIR. Connor- Did you ever see man
on the bare ground. propped mp against
a tree in n dying condition, who died
within two or three hours after he
was put there?
DIR. Ward-I never saw such a thing.
but often heard of II. | don't believe
1t ever occurred.
DIR. Connor-What was the reason
that the second division hospital of the
Third army corps had, as II certainly
did have. the worst reputation OF any
hospital during the war?
DR.. Warl-The first reason. in my
judgment, is that the hospital had for
its corps surgeon man who never
paid any attention to II whatever. His
name was Hon. The next reason is
that the man In charge of the hospital.
the surgeon, seldom visited the hospit
al or paid any attention TO II. His
name was Jcnney.
'The next reason Is that there were
lot enough doctors NJ any time 10 take
care OF the patients without overwork-
ing the doctors and making them 10 III
to get out of bed. For the first two
weeks that | was there, there was not
a man on duty who was physically tit
for duty.
THE next reason Is that the nurses
were never competent In any sense Of
the word. but they did the best they
conld when you consider their igno-
rance. Some OF them could not even
read. They We're forced 10 do this work
under protest. and OF course. did only
what they were obliged to do.
lone day visited the typhoid fever
ward and found all the men splitting
on the ground. ] said To the man In
charge that would have them all ar
per or something on the ground for the
men To spit on. But the next day things
We're just as had as ever.
"Jenncy left everything with the men
In the hospitals. I know that the rcqui-
sitions made FOR goods and supplies
Were approved by the doctors. hut they
We're not brought to the grounds be-
cause Of the fault OF somebody else. !
think II was the fault OF the doctors IN
charge Of the hospitals. the corps doe
tors. the division doctor and the doe.
tors In immediate charge OF the hos
pitnl. They made acquisitions, but II Is
necessary 10 do more than that. u man
hal 10 get on n horse. take n six.shoot-
cr and demand these necessary sup
piles from the lunricrmnstcrs."