The age-herald., 1898-11-15
DR. HUIDEKOPER
 ON THE STAND Ample Supply of Medicines Were Fur
 niShed the Surgeons. 0RnFRS HAD REIN ISSUED
ORDERS HAD BEEN ISSUED
To Eliminate the Sick from Regiments
 But Here DiSreSaFded.
TRANSPORTS WERE ovERcROwDED
When the Troops Set Sail from Tampa for Santiago, and No Room Was Left for Ambulances Sick at
 Chickamauga Were Filthy.

Washington, November H-The war in- vestigating commission resumed the exami- nation of witnesses today, with Dr. R 5. Huidekoper, lieutenant-colonel or voiun- teers. on the stand He said that he had occupied the position of chief medical ofh- cer of the First army corps at Camp Thomas Chickamauga park, until the 23rd of July, when he had gone to Porto Rico with General Brooke. Speaking of the sup ply depot he said there were large quan- titles of some articles and a superabund- ance of others at the beginning of the his tory of Camp Thomas, but that this condi- ton of affairs did not last long.
 He had immediately undertaken to regu- late reauisitions so as to equalize them in the various divisions of the command. At one time he had to appeal to General Brooke to get the supplies necessary, the deputy surgeon general insisting upon beng suided by the supplies on the table, which was not fair test.
 Do you not know" asked Dr. Conner. ''that there was full supply of medical stores at the depot at Lytle?
 q know that many articles were lack ing," the doctor replied, and added: "lt is not true ,as has been stated, that there was a full supply"
 Turned Down Acquisition
 He continued by saying that he had made constant representations to the surgeon- general of the shortage of supplies. He had never turned down any requisition from the division hospitals except one occasion except when he knew that the articles were not on hand. Also, he had refused his sanction to requi- sition for flooring for hospital tents when General Brooke had expected to move. lie contended that there had been sufficiency nf tapto hof no ha been compelled to lie out without cover ing for any length of time. It was true, however, that there were occasions on which the sick men had been kept for sev- eral days at time under the tent flies.
 '"The Second and Third division hospi- tals were,' he said, in reply to a question, always clean and well ordered" Both in stitutions were well built, but had suffered throughout for proper attendance. There was never a sufficient number of hospttai corps men. On the other hand, the First division hospital was not so well conducted, for lack of discipline, due to the prospect of removal. He had repeatedly called at tention to the lack of nurses, and about the lst of July there was an increase of hospital corps men in response to his representa- tions They were hospital corps men and the supply was never equal to the demand. Reverting to the question, Dr. Huidekoper said he knew of his knowledge that the sur plus tentage at the reserve hospital was turned over to the division hospitals and that tents had not been held there to the detriment of other hospitals. However, he stated, that there were always unoccupied tents at the reserve hospital.
 Speaking of the condition of the camp in general, he said that some of the sinks were excessively filthy. Some of them were never in proper condition.
 olaeors We're Responsible
 ''Who was responsible for that condi- tion?" asked Conner.
 The officers cf the regiment" responded Dr. Huidekoper.
 Did not the commanding general have a duty to perform in that connecticut" the questioner continued. The reply to this question vas not satisfactory and pr. Con ner insisted upon knowing whether any thing had ever been done by the command ing general to secure the punishment of regimental officers who had refused to obey orders for the proper policing of the camps, but Dr. Hudelkoper declared that he knew of no instance of the prosecution of any offense of this kind.
 Dr. Hudekoper said he had succeeded in getting supplies only by the first on hand, as the medical depot was run in a very parsimonous manner. There was not only a great scarcity of important drugs, such as quinine and opium, but disposition on