The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-31
Men Sent to the Front with COnstitu-
tiOns Weakened and Quickly
Succumbed to Fever.
GOV. BLACK At CHICKAMAUGA
AGREEABLY SURPRISED AT CONDI-
TIONS PREVAILING THERE.
Found One Case of Neglect Calling for
a Court-MartiaI at Once-Deaths
in the Hospitals.

NEW YORK, Aug SO.-Medical officers at
Camp Wikoff, Montauk Point, deny that
there have been deaths at the camp hos
pital from yellow fever. The two men
whose deaths there yesterday were said to
be attributable to the disease named, were.
according to the surgeons in charge, vic
tins of pernicious malaral fever, which
those unfamiliar with yellow fever fire.
quently diagnose as the latter. DR.. Nicho-
las Sem. assistant surgeon general of the
United States army, is quoted as saying to-
day at Camp Wikoff:
I'm reference to the camp, want to say
that none Of the sickness among the SOL
diers up to the present time and none of
the deaths has been due to the conditions
which prevail here or have in the past.
Sickness has been almost entirely fevers
contracted in the South, and the death rate
would have been much more than now had
the men remained in the South instead of
being brought here The change Of climate
lessened the effects of the fevers and i'm
proved the condition of the men. AS a
consequence the only sickness which can
be attributed to this camp is dysentery or
lesser troubles. which may have been
caused by the change of diet or water.
so far none of the fevers has been indi-
genous to camp. But if the men remain
they certainly will be attacked with typhoid
fever. This will be due to the germs which
they will get in the water. For time this
camp will be healthy one, but in a few
weeks the typhoid fever germs from the
sinks and cesspools, now scattered so thick
ly about. will permeate the earth and con-
taminate the water supply. To make this
place healthy we should have a system of
drainage which would carry away all these
germs. but to build such would cost large
sum. owing to the extent of the camp"
Dr. Sem was asked if he had brought his
views to the attention of the surgeon gen.
eral at Washington.
II have not done so, in regard to Camp
Wikoff." said he. MY protests in regard to
other camps have passed unheeded. In re-
gard to Camp Wikoff 1 have written an
article embodying all my views, which will
be printed in the medical journal The arti-
Gle is over my signature and will be re-
ported to the authorities at Washington.
sure. Then 1 will be asked about it
and will emphasize my opinions want you
to reiterate that unless this camp is cleared
out within six weeks it will be the worst
infected place in the United States. The
and epidemics Will follow. 1t will be worse
than it has been at any time in Chicka-
mauga
I'm regard to that camp / want to say
that I warned the Washington authorities
before the soldiers were sent there of the
danger which would result from massing a
body of men there. I told them that the
water supply was insufficient. There were
not apouoh cprinoc and tho ,ica of rUar
water would result in typhoid fever. My
protests went unheeded. The result was
shown when 1 was sent to Porto Rico with
General Miles.
almost the first men sent him were from
Chickamauga. They were run down and half
sick when they arrived They were in no
condition to stand the southern climate.
General Miles noted their weakness and I
told him the cause of it, j asked him to
notify the Washington authorities and have
the Chickamauga camp broken up. He did
so at once and the evacuation of the place
followed.
Il want to say that as bad as Chicka-
mauga was this place will soon be far
worse. Within three weeks all the disease
contracted in Cuba will be cured. After
that there will be no sickness in this camp
except what is indigenous to it. But the
death rate will be vastly greater than it is
now. The men with sickness die from ty-
phoid fever which will inevitably follow.
Unless this camp is broken up within six
weeks l predict that it will be, instead of
a recuperation camp horror camp
worthy to rank with the infamous pestholes
of the civil war;.
Several hundred cots arrived last night,
and were this morning put in the different
accommodate all the sick Convalescents
are being discharged daily from the hospi-
tai. and their places are being taken by the
sick from the transports.
Mrs Katharine Tingley, president of the
international Brotherhood, a theosophist So
ciety. has established relief tent about
three-quarters of a mile from the Montauk
Point depot. There are four female and
seven male nurses in attendance, and there
are twenty sick in the tent. 1t is place
where a furloughed soldier may stop on his
way to the depot and secure something to
eat gratis.
Mrs. NJ e. Bell, of Chicago, is here look
ing for her son. Deloyne L. Bell of Troop
b. of the Rough Riders. He was stricken
in Cuba with fever and was taken to the
hospital at Siboney. He was to have come
north on the Catania, but suffered from
relapse and was left behind. Mrs Bell re-
ceived word that her son had arrived at
Boston on the Oltvette and she went there,
only to find that the information was in
correct. Then she came here. but as yet has
learned nothing to the whereabouts of
her son.
The following deaths were reported to-
day: Charles Chaplin. sergeant, Second
Massachusetts, typhoid fever; Frederick
sneller. Company H. Eighth Regular In