New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-10-20
THE ARMY INVESTIGATION.
HOSPITAL SERVICE SEVERELY CRITI-
CTSED BY DR. FRYE.


THERE WAS 80 LACK or SUPPLIES.
Jacksonville Fla. oct ls-Thc War Department
investigating Commission held It's sessions in the
city Hall to-day. examining large number Of
regimental and other officers ono Of the most
outspoken Witnesses OF tho day was Or. Frye, Of
tn Third Division Hospital fie condemned some
Of tho methods vogue in the hospitals. and said
that IN mauv cases the contract physicians and
members Of the hospital corps were incompetent
Tie Commission has decided that one Of its MEM
bers should he In the Office in Washington. and
Colonel DENLY has been selected for this service
He selected partly for tho that his
health has not been so robust as whom he IN
Washington
Major Noble H. Creager depot quartermastcr
was the first witness. He said that there never
had been any serious shortage Of supplies in the
Seventh Corps. and he there had been no
suffering caused by deficiency OF supplies
Major Creagcr was followed 10y Congressman
James r. Campbell colonel Of the 9th Illinois Vol
untcers. who questioned in regard 20 the treat
mcnt Of the troops in the field, and asked for sus-
gcstons for the benefit Of the service He spoke IN
complimentary terms Of the administration Of tine
officers of the Army. saying that acquisitions ~
all kinds had been promptly filled and that the
quality of the articles supplied generally good
He complained Of the red-tapc methods Of the
Army hut made 30 specifications
Lieutenant Moore. acting commi-sary OF the 9th
Illinois. was questioned IN regard 10 tho quality OF
rations He - here had been no difficulty
cept to the fresh beef
Lieutenant Tolliver quartermaster Of the same
regiment. also testified favorably as 70 tho quality
and quantity OF the supplies.
DIR FRYE OF THE HOSPITALS.
DR. r. y. Frye. major and executive officer %
the Third Division Hospital testified as TO the
management Of this institution. and also as to tho
ma
Montauk Point and the military hospital At Fore
Mcpherson. Georgia. He said that tho Montauk
patients had lacked for nothing. and were excel
lcnty taken care Of by both physicians and nurses
~ Fort Mcpherson there were at one time 92j
patients There was material shortage in drugs
or food this point hut occasionally there
q slight deficiency. which was. however. quickly
overcom" Speaking Of the hospital in which he is
engaged here he said tho location good as
could be secured. but that tho general surroundings
were not suitable 10 hospital service The patients
however. had been well cared for by both physi-
Glars and nurses. and the supplies were abundant
and good. Up 10 date 100 patients had been
deaths. This was a smaller percentage than the
average mortality i'm civilian hospitals
Dr. Frye said that in all the hospitals with
ficirncy Of bed linen This had been ospeciaiy rue
AZ Fort Mcpherson. He expressed the opinion that
in several instances COnyalescents had been sent
nectcd before they were sIfiicontly advanced to
permit them TO go in safety He had no personal
knowledge of any individual cases OF this kind but
was satisfied that they had occurred.
mon In the hospital corps saving that they had
been picked M at random over the country. and
were generally a scabby-lookng lot not H. To /
adorn any walk Of life he also spoke deprecatng- /
ly of the contract surgeons saving that he would /
not be- willing to trust his family or friends TO 81
per cent Of them.
I'm reply to a request from General Dodge Dr /
Frye gave his opinion To the origin Of the pop
ular excitement concerning conditions az Montauk |
Point while the troops were stationed there. He /
said that from ~ 10 - per cent OF tho men were /
sick whom they landed there. and that insufficient
provision had been made for them. Az 4 conse- /
quence. many were compelled 20 lie on the bare /
ground. and they naturally suffered from exposure
He also asserted that reporters from many news
pa pers had been sent to the camp under instruc- |
lions to find all that was bad and nothing that /
rD@ you know fnii Of {Gnr own personal knowI-
NO. but was told II by men who talked with /
the reporters"
Colonel BOWS. Of the 18Th Iowa Regiment. fol- |
lowed Or Frye, and was in turn followed by sev- /
oral members Of his regiment Colonel Dows said |
here had been no deficiency in the Commissary !
supplies "Tho men have the regular Army ra- |
lions" he said. and II they have not had enough |
the fault is theirs
GEN. WIr.LIsTON PRAISES MONTAUK CAMP. /
General f.. r. Williston. in command of the First ,
Brigade Of the Seventh Corps was questioned /
about various points having been stationed az
lamp Thomas Montaut Point. Admission and oth"r /
points before coming to Jacksonville He said the /
principal objection TO Camp Thomas was the fact :
mat II was impossible on account of the formation |
~ the ground to have sinks moro than two or /
hrec feet deep There had also been m insult /
icicncy Of w"tcr I'm the beginning OF The history |
If the camp.
or the conditions AT Jacksonville he said that he /
lid not soc that any fault could he found with 7
'ii her the administrative officers or the service
by them in either the medical. commits .
'ary or quartermastcr departments ~
General WllliSton had been AZ Montauk Point /
rom August TO September - and had super
Intended the dcbarkation of the troops and the
ocation of the infantry regiments in camp.
Never" he said. was n prettier camp pitched
n the United States than was that camp at Mon
aux"
Tents for ten thousand men were erected before
he troops arrived. and all they had to do was to
walk into them and far as tho men who were
10, sick wer" concerned they We're well provided
or The site was splcndidly adapted to camp ser
ice and tho camp abundantly supplied with :
tores of all kinds.