The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-10-17
UNCLE SAM ABLE TO CARE
FOR SICK SOLDIERS

WASHINGTON, Oct. 16.-The follow
ing letter from the Surgeon General Of
the army was written in reply to one
sent to the President by A. E. Orr,
vice chairman of the Red Cross re-
lief committee:
I have received the copy of your letter
to the President. In answer to your ques-
ton as to why the intervention of the
Red Cross relief committee should be
longer needed, and why the Government
does not see to it that its own sick are
provided for l would say:
The emergencies of the war made the
assistance of the relief associations most
valuable, Notwithstanding the fact that
It is the intention of the Government to
provide literally for the care OF. sick sol
diers But, as you know, with ample
means and good intentions supplies cannot
always be provided at the proper place
and time to meet an emergency. More
over, at the outset of the war the ar
rangements made for providing light diet
for the sick, which had proved satiSfac-
tory in time of peace under the careful
management of experienced medical ON
GERS were inadequate under the cOndi-
tons which prevailed IN our camps of in
struction and among troops engaged in
active operations. For this reason the
presence of Red Cross agents with their
abundance of supplies of delicacies for
the sick has been of inestimable value.
But provision was made BY a general
order published August 10 &C. Q. 16) by
which surgeons in charge of hospitals,
general, division or Tegimental, are ena-
bled to draw GO cents per day for each
sick enlisted man of the army in lieu OF
his regular ration. Up to that time the
Communication value of a ration was only
80 cents.
food for the sick in hospitals. This is
obtained from the commissary depart
men or by purchase w3efever It can s6o be
ing the articles which can be purchased
from the commissary, which list, as you
will see, includes canned soups, tapioca,
iallioG hl1tfRr Milk
chickens and eggs, fresh vegetables, etc,
are purchased wherever they can be OBJ
tanned. The medical department furnishes
a few articles under the head of 'Hospi-
tai Stores" including condensed milk,
sugar and tea, but no other food supplies
are furnished by the medical department
or can be properly paid for from the med
ical and hospital appropriation. OF course,
If the commissary department fails to
be purchased in the vicinity of the camp
or hospital, the difficulty of providing
proper food for the sick will be very great
and under such circumstances the sup
plies of relief associations have been most
welcome. But the amount now allowed
by the Government is ample TO provide
able diet for the sick, and when there is
any failure to provide this, 1t is failure in
administration by those Immediately in
charge and not failure of the Govern
ment to provide the necessary means
You will no doubt agree with me that
60 cents a day for the raw material from
which TO prepare a proper dleu Ior the
sick is a most liberal provision. The ex-
perience of medical officers shows that 1t
is not only ample but excessive, and that
for sick men, living for the most part
upon milk weak soups and farinaceous
food, this amount is much in excess of
any reasonable requirement.
Under these circumstances, think that
those patriotic and liberal citizens who
have contributed so freely of their money
and time to aid in the care of our sick
soldiers may now leave the matter in the
hands of the Government without any
apprehension as to the result.