The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1898-11-08
HOSPITAL ABUSES
As Testified To Before the War In
vestigators.
DR.. WARDS STRONG EVIDENCE

Gen. Boynton and Hospital Surgeons.
Chicago, Nov. S.-General Dodge,
Colonel Sexton and DR.. Conner, of the
war investigating commission, arrived
in Chicago yesterday and Immediately
began the examination of witnesses at
the Auditorium hotel A large number
Of witnesses are on the list, and it is
not likely that the three members of
the commission will leave Chicago be-
fore Wednesday. They will then leave
for Detroit, where the investigation
will be continued. From Detroit the
commissioners will go direct to Wash
ington.
DR.. Lewis Schooler. of Des, Moines,
Ia, was the first witness to ~ ify yes
terday. From June Z to July II DR..
Schooler was stationed at Camp
Thomas as chief surgeon of the Sec
ond division, Third corps. Questioned
by Dr. Conner he said that during the
time he was there the sanitary condi-
tions in the hospitals was not very
good, the sinks in the whole division
were bad, owing principally to the
character of the ground, and the dis
cipline was rather lax. There was also
scarcity of medicines. The doctor
thought both the nurses and officers
were overworked.
Another witness was Mrs. Virginia
F. Betz, of Chicago. She entered COM
plant in regard to the death of her son.
Frank T., who enlisted with Company
l., First Illinois volunteers. He was
takn 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 He was sent home
| entirely unattended, and was compelled
| to ride in day coach instead of being
| provided with a berth in sleeping
car He arrived home on Sept. 1 and
on Sept. 10 he died. 1t was the opinion
of Mrs. Betz that the medical officers
should have sent him to the hospital,
or if he must be sent home she claim
ed that he should have had an at
| tendant.
DR.. Milo B. Ward, of Kansas City
who was a brigade surgeon at Camp
Thomas from July IL to Sept. 10, asked
as to the condition of the hospitals
said that there was a great lack OF
medicines, only some of the simplest
of medicines being on hand. The
food which was furnished the men,
said he II would not want to give Il
my pet dog" He said that the foot
would have been all right had 1t beef
properly cooked, but in the shape il
which it was brought to the men
was enough to make anybody sick
The doctor was then questioned as I
the lack of attention shown patient
Just coming down with disease. TIL
= doctor stated that he knew of severa
cases where the patient was allowe
to lie out on the ground the whole day
)" and also during the night, before take
;, to the hospital Seventy-five patient
were on cots and the other rs per Ger
were on stretchers four to six inche
:, from the ground. Some times some
:. the men were put on the bare groun'
W but within a few hours they were a
0, ways put Oh cots or stretchers."
a. Dr. Conner--"Did you ever see a ma
% % on the bare ground propped up again'
8 a tree in a dying condition, who die
$, within two or three hours after /
!. was put there"
o DR.. Ward-"I never saw such a thin
but often heard of it. I don't belieN
1t ever occurred"
DR.. Conner-"What was the reasc
h that the Second division hospital of Il
% Third army corps had, as 1t certain
X did have, the worst reputation of ar
hospital during the war;"
Il DR.. Ward-"The First reason, in II
n Judgment, is that the hospital had 4
its corps surgeon a man who new
l. paid any attention to it whatever. H
l.. name was Hoff The next reason
that the man in charge of the hospitt
~ the division surgeon, very seldom vi
= tied the hospital or paid any attenti'
to It, His name was Jenny The ne
u reason is that there were not enoul
doctors at ana time to take care
the patients without overworking Z
- doctors and making them too i'll to 6
out of bed. The next reason is that t
)0 nurses were never competent in al
m m sense of the word, but they did t
best they could when you consider thu
ei ignorance Some of them could n
o, even read They were forced to do
m. work under protest, and of course
la only what they were obliged to-"
In reply to further questions i
~. Ward said:
Tor "The necessities were not availal
lu' from the army supplies, and had 1t I
been for the Red Cross some of
est soldiers would have starved. Requi
'n' ton after requisition was forward
and yet no relief came. The nurses
q. a rule were incompetent and indiff
ent though some were more faith
. than others. This was not remed
because we had to obey army regu
tions as to detailing men for nurs
duty"
r When asked as to his opinion for
! . responsibility of the conditions
Camp Thomas DR.. Ward said:
WFor the condition Of the camp, f
the man who Insisted that the ca
was perfect and that the hospital '
well run. That man was General Bo
. ton"
DR.. Nicholas Sem gave testim'
before the commission at the even
session. He was at Chickamauga III
- weeks in June. Forty thous
troops were there at the time"
said vand the sick accumulated v
rapidly, When L was there a G
many Of the sick We're on the grou
Medical supplies were on hand to a !
x tied extent"
DR.. Sem said ne thought the
in charge of the hospitals did very
considering that they were new in
service.