The age-herald., 1898-10-23
GENERAL QUESTIONED
Troops Should Have Been Moved From
 ChiCkamausa in July.
NO COMPLAINT IN REGARD TO FOOD
Major Henry F. Hoyt, Chief Surgeon, Says That the Death Rate in the Division Hospital at Anniston
 Has Been Unusually Large.

Anniston, Ala, October 22.-The war in- vestigating commission began its work here today by making an inspection of the site of Camp Shipp in the forenoon and then devoting the afternoon to questioning Gen. eral Frank, commanding officer of the camp and his chief surgeon, Major Henry F. Hoyt. Both were identified with Camp Thomas at Chickamauga, General Frank having been in command of the First divis- ion of the Third corps at that point, and Major Hoyt, his chief surgeon there, is here. It was made plain by the general done here would pertain more largely to Camp Thomas than to the camp here, as d majority of the men here were removed from Chickamauga.
 There are, however, two regiments here which were in Cuba, and some of their representatives will also be examined. Gen. eral Frank said he considered Chickamauga a good site for a temporary camp, but not for a permanent camp for a large army. The chief difficulty was in putting sinks down deep enough. Owing to the rock formation near the surface sinks could only be made two or three feet deep, and they were frequently overfiowed. There was also a general impression that the springs in the locality were impregnated by these sinks, and it was impossible to prevent the men from drinking at the springs. He thought the camp should have been moved as early as July.
 No Complaint of Food
 He said he had heard no complaint from the men in regard to the food received while at Chickamauga, but because of the necessity for getting the First corps ready for foreign service, there was shortage in clothing for a time. There was also for time difficulty in securing hospital room for the men when sickness began to increase, but this deficiency was soon rem edied. There had been constant improve men in the command since its removal to Anniston early in September and General Frank thought the improvement was due to the change of site. Returning to Chick amauga, he said the hospital tents were not foored when he went to the camp early in July, though there had been sufficient time to have furnished floors for the en- tire camp. General Frank said that his corps commander had never made an in- spection of the camp with reference to sinks, drains, etc.
 Dr. Henry F. Hoyt was also examined especially with reference to Camp Thomas. He said the increase in sickness above nor nal had begun about the middle of July and had been accentuated from that time
 
 the first division hospital on the 1st of Au- gust At this time it was impossible to receive new patents for perod of twen- ty-four hours. The increase in disease had begun with the rainy season and he thought much of the malaria had been due to the fact that the men were com pelled to sleep on the ground.
 Increase in Typhoid
 He attributed the increase in typhoid to th1 aaf the wells were infected and to the care lessness of the men. The command used water taken through pipes from Chicka- mauga river and the pipe was located only a few feet above the mouth of the stream which drained the camp.
 The doctor thought that some of the wa ter from this tributary stream had been forced into the pipes by means of edd!es. It had also been impossible to prevent the use of surface well water by the men. pr Hoyt expressed the opinion that the sur geons in the division hospital had been competent and in support Of his opinion he adduced the fact that there had been only twenty-seven deaths out of 1,5f9 pa- tients in the hospital for the entire three summer months. The nurses of the hos pital corps while faithful were in most cases unskiled and therefore incompetent He said there had been 636 patients treated in the division hospital at Anniston, and of these twenty had died. There had been an exceptionally high degree of mortality here, but many of the men who came here both from Chickamauga and Santiago were very much debilitated. He thought the change of location from Chickamauga had been very beneficial. Dr. Hoyt said he was familiar with the complains con corning the Eighth New York regiment, and especially with the criticism made by Surgeon General Terry, of New York. There was, he said, an enormous sick rate in this regiment and there were many cases of homesickness yet Circumstances surrounding these men were the same as