The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-08-22
THE GENERALS EXPLAIN
Alleged Sanitary Neglect Of
ficially Denied.
LEE AND SHAFTER SPEAK
Pertinent Inquiries Into the Efiici-
ency of the Medical Department
Are Answered-yhe Santiago Com
maRder Unable 20 Account for the
plants increasing in Volume.

Three bulletins relating to the heath
conditions in the army were made public
lsst night by the War Department. Two
of them are in apology for and in answer
to attacks made in the newspapers and
by personal letters against the medical
department. The third is the regular
health bulletin from Gen. Shafter at
Santiago.
The first of the explanations is made
by Gen. Lee, at Fernandina in answer to
a letter from Senator Gear of Iowa. to
the Secretary of War. Senator Gear
made the statement in his letter that the
health condition of the Fiftieth Iowa was
appalling. owing TO the incapacity of the
hospital service. Gen. Lee says:
jacksonville, Fla. Aug. 81
Gen. Corbin, Adjutant General U. 5. A, Wash
ington ID. c.:
Replying to dispatch from Hon. John H. Gear.
Burlington. Iowa, to you, will state that the
condition Of the Fiftieth Iowa Is exaggerated.
Yesterday mornings report shows LOIS enlisted
present; 20 sick IN hospital, and 81 IN
quarters The total number OF sick in the hospital
in the Second Division. to which il belongs, Is
<04 out OF l0.7g7 enlisted men present.
fhe division hospital is ably managed and
well taken Of; has electric fans and comfort
able appliances OF all SORTS, and has now 100
soldier nurses. many of whom have had expert
eRce in civil hospitals. In addition. the
geon general has ordered trained women nurses
here. who Will arrive soon, and an officer has
been sent north 10 enlist 80 trained nurses froin
the large cities of the North The Fiiteth Iowa
has lately had its camp moved, and is getting
along wei.
The trouble at home seems TO be the result
of want OF knowledge OF these existing facts.
The Forty ninth Iowa. the ether Iowa regiment
here, has. by yesterdays report, l.251 enlisted
men present. Of whom twelve are SICK in the
hi ar.arf
from climatic Summer feveIs, there is very little
sickness this corps LEE,
Mai Cen. Commanding Seventh Army Corps
The second explanation is from Gen.
shafser in regard to the alleged over
crowded condition Of the Mobile which
arrived at New York on Saturday. The
dispatch reads:
Santiago. Aug 20.
Adjutart General. L. S A.. Washington:
RelJr Ing TO your telegram about oTercr0wd-
ing the Mobile, her captain reported that. loaded
she was, going 10 Porto Rico, he could carry
5000 men, and that he could carry 1908 COM
fortably; therefore did not consider few less
than LOO too many. Ship was carefully in-
spedted by a board OF officers, and DIR. Ives.
Ircmher Of the board, states it not over
crowded
Accommodations for officers were, however,
somewhat deficient. The large number of deaths
can protal Is be accounted fer by the fact that
this brigade took nearly all their sick with them;
,.,ait--t are has been taken in this respect.
Transports have been loaded with from zoo 10 800
men les than the ship brought down.
SHAFTER, General
The health bulletin Of the Santiago
army yesterday was as follows.
Santiago de Cuba via Haiti, Aug. 81.
TIE Adiuiant General of the Army, Washington:
Sanitary report for August 2l: Total sick,
LOIS; total fever cases 6!s; number OF new
fever cases -; fever cases returned to duty, l29
Deaths-August 10: Private Norman Mcmillan.
Company NJ Seventy first New York Infantry,
veli9w fever: Private Frank Z. Sharp, Company
c Thirty-third Michigan, typhoid fever; Private
VI seley Gains, Troop b, Tenth Cavalry, typhoid
fever; Corp. Walter C. jarvis, Company A, Ninth
Infantry pernicious malarial fever; Private
Richard Rique. Company c, Ninth Infantry.
typhoid fever; Justice W Harwood, civilian,
acute dysentery; John c. Wright, civilian, per-
nief0Js malaria; +. \. Saftzger, Company ID,
Sixth Ohio yellow fever.
August 20: Private August L. johnson, Com
pany T. Thirty-fOurth Michigan, typhoid fever'
James : Smith, Company B. Second Infantry,
yellow fever. SHAFTER, MAJOR General
The number OF complaints against hos
pitaIs. transports. and camps received by
the War Department every day is stead
lily growing larger The members of
Congress are making themselves heard
Hardly a mail is received by Secretary
A,ser that does not contain a letter or
two similar 10 that from Senator Gear
The Department is compiling matter IN
refnlation of the charges made