The San Francisco call., 1898-08-09
Plenty of Surgeons at the Front, but They Could Not Get
 Needed Supplies.
Captain MuDson Scores tbe Quorternnuster's s DePortment for Failing to Furnish
 Transportation.

l While subsequently, outftting the Chero- | kee and Breakwater this work was con- unued as well as opportunity and limited l facilities permitted; getting supplies from 1 perhaps a third of the transports com posing the fleet. Outside of this It is l believed that no other regimental medical property was ever unloaded up to the time of my departure with wounded on July To-
 Appealing on several occasions for the use of a lighter or small steamer to col feet and land medical supplies, was in formed by the quartermaster' depart ment that they could render no assistance in that way, and the medical department was compelled to rely entirely upon it's own energies and improvise it's own transportation. I feel justified in saying that at the time of my departure large quantities of medical supplies urgently needed on shore remained on transports, a number of which were under orders to return to the United States, Had the medical department carried along double the amount of supplies, 1t is difficult to see how, with the totally inadequate lana and water transportation provided by the quartermaster's department, the lament able condition on shore could nave been in any way improved; The outitting Of transports for the reception of sick and wounded is q duty demanding thought and experience, and should never be entrusted to any one except a regular medicaI o1Ile cer. It includes the proper policing Of the portions of the ship to be used py the wounded, the removal of hunks and partitions to give space and air, the utll- zatiOn of the ships blankets, door mats, rugs and carpets to render the hunks more comfortable, the securing Of extra supplies such as canned soups, lime juice and oatmeal, the establishment of a mess and laundry and the assignment of con ValeSCentS to specific light duties Whlcn materially relieve the overworked hospital corps. Usually it Is necessary to overcome passive resistance and opposition on tns part of the crews and tendency on the part of the captains to disregard or nool- fy orders.
 In several instances In my own experi- ence this action of the crew amounted al most to mutiny, and was only to be dealt with by threats, a show of force, and in once, instance, by the use or the ol irons tls pital Fort Monroe. l learned ofnclatly that the captain of the steamship Seneca positively refused to obey the orders enl- anating from your office, given him by the contract surgeon in charge, to proceed to New York, he remaining nearly an addi- tonal day at Hampton Roads with sick and wounded and asserting that ae would obey no orders given by the medical de- partment. A similar experience of my own at Baiquiri which had to be settled by force, emphasized the fact that no one should be placed in charge of such ship who Is not accustomed to command men and enforce obedience.
 With regard to the Red Cross Society, it would seem as if the lofty purposes of this organization were, on the Santiago expedition. subVerted to individual inter eSts. While at Tampa the Red Cross ship State of Texas was formally placed under
  Corps, by Dr.. Egan, the representative of the society, he acting under telegraphic instructions to that effect. Colonel Pope accepted this offer and directed that the State of Texas accompany the expedition of General Shafter to its destfnatfon. AL though this order was fully understood by pr. Egau the State of Texas did not ac- company the expedition, nor did 1t arrive at Siboney until the forces had been land ed, a battle fought and our hospitals P9i, = es- tablished and in working order. The first offers made by this society dealt largely In generalities and manifested reluctance to subordinate the organization to the cannot be given to the individual efforts of Dr. Lesserand the Red Cross nurses. Their, work. was untrtng and unselhsh of great value.
 In conclusion 1t Is desired to emphasize the fact that the lamentable conditions prevailing In the army before Santiago were due to the military necessity which threw troops on shore and away from the possibility of supply without medicines, instruments. dressings or hospital stores of any kind. Very respectfully.
 EDWARD L. MUNSON,
 Captain and Assistant Surgeon, U. s. A
 This evening General Shafter supple mented his first dispatch with a second one on the same subject, as follows:
 SANTIAGO DE CUBA, Aug. S.-Adju- tant General of the Army: In connection with my telegram of the 3d inst. and the letter of general officers to me of the same date. I have the honor to say that since then I have talked with the Llvision commanders and they join me in saying that the first report was made so strong because of the weakened and exhausted condition of the command, more than 7j per cent of which have been ill with the very weakening nalarial fever, lasting from four to six days, and which leaves every man too much broken down to be of any service. and in no condition to withstand an epidemic of yellow fever. For strong and healthy regiments coming here now and a little later. with plenty of tentage to cover them and not subject to hardShips and with plenty of nourtshing food the danger, in my opinion, and that of the division commanders, would be re- duced to a minimum.
 SKATER, Major General.
 General Shafter speaks in high terms of Dr. Lagardie, and says he has worked under the most disadvan- tageous circumstances" From the day the forces left Tampa until the present time he says that there have never been sufficient medical attendants or medicine for the daily wants of the command Three times since reaching Cuba has the command" he says, "been almost entirely without nedi- cines."
 This statement, he says, Is made to him by the medical directors, and on one occasion they suggested taking medicines away from the Spanish hos rital.