The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-08-31
DR.. SENN PROTESTS
Against Keeping the Soldiers
at Camp WickoR.
WILL BE "CAMP HORROR"
When the Typhoid Germs Get
in Their Work.
WILL BE "CAMP HORROR"

New York, Aug. 3o.-Medical officers at
Camp Wikoff, Montauk Point. deny there
have been deaths at the camp hospital
from yellow fever. The two men whose
death here yesterday was said TO be at
tributed to the disease named were, ac-
cording TO the surgeons in charge, vic
tins Of perm cious malariaI fever, which
those unfamiliar with malarial fever fire.
qUently diagnose as the latter. DR.. Mich
olas Sem, assistant surgeon, U. S. A, is
quoted as saying today at Camp Wikoff:
In justice to the Camp 1 want TO say
that almost none of the sickness among
the soldiers up to the present time, and
none Of the Deaths have been due TO the
conditions which now prevail here or have
in" the past. Sickness has been almost
entirely limited to fevers contracted in
the south and me death rate would have
been much more than now had the men
remained in the south instead of being
brought here.
The change Of climate lessened the eff
fects of the fevers and improved the
condition Of the men. AS a consequence,
the only sickness which can be attributed
&c this camp is dysentery, or lesser tgou-
bles, which may have been caused by the
change of diet or water.
so far none of the fevers has been in
digenous 70 the camp. But if the men
remain they will certainly be attacked
with typhoid fever. This will be due to
the germs which they will get in the
water.
TO make this place healthy we should
have system of drainage which would
carry away all these germs. but to build
such would cost a large sum, owing to the
extent of the camp"
DR. Sem was asked if he had brought
MS views to the attention Of the surgeon
general at Washington.
Il have not done so in regard to Camp
Wikoff" said he.
My protests in regard TO other camps
nave passed unheeded. In regard 10 Camp
Nlkoh, have written an article embody-
ing all my views which Will be printed in
medical journal over my signature and
VIII be reported to the authorities in
Washington, L am sure.
Then l viii be asked about It and viii
emphasize my opinions. l want YOU 10
reiterate that unless this camp is cleared
within six weeks it will be the worst in
fected place in the United States. The
soil viii be permeated with typhoid fever
and epidenlics VIII follow 1t will be worse
than 1t has been a any time at Chicka-
manga
In regard to that camp. want to say
that l warned the Washington authorities
before the soldiers were sent that there
danger vUoI,Id roc,,i+ f-o,,,
OF men there. 1 told them that the wa
ter supply was insufficient and that the
use of river water would result in typhoid
fever. My protests went unheeded
The result was shown when l was in
Porto Rico with General Miles. Almost
the first men sent him were from Chick
amauga They were run down and half
SICK when they arrived. They were in
no condition to stand the southern eli
mate. General Miles noticed their weak
ness and I told him the cause of ii.
asked him to notify the Washington au-
thorities and have the Chickamauga camp
broken up. He did so at once and the
evacuation Of the place followed.
Il want to say that. bad as Chickamau-
"a was, this place Will soon be far worse.
Within three weeks. all the disease
contracted in Cuba win be cured After
mat there viii be no sickness in this camp
except what is indigenous 10 1.-THE death
rate Will be vastly greater than ii is now
The men with sickness die from the ty-
phoid fever which Will Inevitably follow.
Unless this camp is broken up within
six weeks l predict that ii via be instead
" a 'recuperaton camp a horror camp
worthy TO rank with the infamous pest
holes Of the civil war"
CAMP WIKOFF NOTES.
Camp Wikoff. Aug. 30.-Several hundred
cots arrived last night and this morning
were put up in the different hospitals.
There IS now enough room 10 accommo-
date all the sick
Convalescents are being discharged
daily from the hospital and their places
are being taken by the sick from the
transports.
Mrs katherine TnEleyi. president Of
the International brotherhood. A theoso-
phist society, has established a relief tent
about three-quarters Of a mile from the
Montauk Point depot. There are four fe-
male and seven male nurses in attendance
and there are twenty sick in the tent. Il
Is place where a furloughed soldier NAV
stop on his way to Che depot TO secure
something 10 eat gratis
Mrs. NJ f. Bell Of Chicago is here look
ms for her son. Dieloyne y. Bell OF troop
j, OF the rough riders. He was stricken
in cuba with fever and was taken 10 the
hospital at Sboney. He was to have
come north on the Cantania. bu. suffer
ed from a relapse and was left behind
Mrs Bell mas as Yet learned nothing as
70 the whereabouts of her son.
The following deaths we're reported TO-
day:
CHARLES CHAPLIN. Sergeant, Second
Massachusetts, typhoid fever.
FREDERICK SNELLER. companv II
Eighth regular infantry. typhoid fever.
- MURPHY. troop r. Second United
States cavalry, dysentery.
w II. NEWCOMB. company H Tween
ty-First infantry. and a man whose name
Is at present Unknown, dysenJery.
The transport San Marcos, which reach
e. New York On sunday. arrived at Mon
tauk Point with her complement Of Texas
N3'unteeris from Cuba The transpo-t Rar-
In also reached Mon;auk Point today
with the First Illinois volunteer imam
try.
There were IS officers and rs men OF
this regiment, Colonel Henry L. Turner
commanding. Private Wa.dron OF com
psny A, died on board the transport Just
before reaching Montauk Point ot typhoid
fever
CHICKAMACGA'S CONDITION.
Chicksmauga, Aug. 2o-General II. V.
Boynton % tue ckamauga-Chsttanoo
ga military commission. ordered BY the
war department TO rhorouSrlv invest,c-srs.