Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1898-08-25

ana are without the necessary supplies
for the care of the sick After the
men are allowed to remain in camp
until their disease develops they are
sent to a division hospital where they
are crowded in almost like sheep. as an
officer sid to a representative of The
Times yesterday morning.
A reporter visited the Third division,
First army corps hospital yesterday
morning. He found the hospital in
charge of a number of very genial.
courteous and efficient officials who are
doing all in their power to alleviate the
sufferings of the sick. The hospital is
in an unfortunate place. however, aid
more unfortunate are the soldiers sent
here for care.
Maj. j. D. Griffin, of Kansas City, is
the division surgeon, Maj. T. G. Clark,
surgeon in charga of the hospital, and
Maj. W. S. Stewart as executive officer.
The other regular physicians are
Maj. Burns, who is on Lookout noun
tain i'll of typhoid fever, Lieut.. Hayes,
who is ill at home, Lieuts. Stern and
Logan who are on duty. This cousti
tutes the medical corps of the hospital.
In addition 122 men are detailed for
duty at the hospital. while an extra
sixteen is called from the different
regiments every day. Some of them
have had little experience in medical
work, while two thirds of them have
not. These men are placed in the
wards to look after the sick. The men
are on from O'Clock in the morning
until the same hour at night, when the
second relief comes on. The hospital
officers say they are allowed 104 men
but that was not near enough and that
they are short of help now. Not enough
men are at the hospital to give the sick
proper attention.
This hospital was put up for the ac'
commodation of 200 patients and yes
terday mornings reports showed 326
patients. On Saturday ifty>five new
patients were added. Yesterdays in.
crease in the number of sick was not
great. Up to yesterday S9l patients
have been treated, while the number
of deaths have been forty three This
Included the time between June 10th.
when the institution was opened aud
August 14th.
This hospital was originally laid out
in The shape of cross, but since that
time number of tents have been added
until it is out of shape. The majority
of the tents at the hospital are almost
new, while there are number of them
very defective. In fact the officers
have found it necessary to secure a
Dumher Of heavy flies and placed them
over the tents. It may be said that the
quarters are clean.
During the past few weeks-for
thirty days past-the officers have re-
ceived all the medicine they have need.
ed, while the government rations have
been issued to the soldiers. These ra-
tions are often received in money and
used in the purchase of delicac:es. One
of the surgeons in charge said to The
Times:
''At first we found it difficult to
secure anything for the hospital, but
for the past month we have secured all
the drugs We have needed at least. We
are how trying to care for over 800
patients with accommodation for 9O0
We are short of nurses, surgeons, and,
in fact. almost everything" and this
was very apparent.
All of the men are provided with a
small piece of mosquito net to keep
the flies from tormenting their faces,
but the men are compelled to put their
hands under cover to be free of these
annoying pests. When a reporter pass
ed through the wards yesterday he
found the cots crowded together, al,
most touching each other in many
instances. Their clothing and sur
ropndings were clean, but there was a
great lack of space. An officer said
There is no use in talking; the men
cannot be shown the proper care with
such circumstances existing"
When patient is very ill of fever
he is given an ice bath, but as a rule
the surgeons and their nurses are SO
hard worked that man has tc be very
i'll to enjoy this luxury.
The patients are received into the
hospital in a systematic manner. After
this they are given pajamas and then
transferred to the wards. Yesterday
morning, or, rather, about noon, there