The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-10-06
M0NTAUK.
Testimony OF
Wheeler.
CAMP THOMAS.
What Gen. Boynton Has to
Say About the Place.

The examination on the line of the
New York World charges was resumed.
He said that if there were any camp
horrors" on the 9th of August. as
charged, the commander of the camp
was responsible, for he had full pow
er to furnish relief. There probably
were individual cases of suffering. but
as rule he knew the soldiers were we'll
cared for. There was certainly no lack
of food. The surgeons were authoriz-
ed to expend so cents per day on each
invalid soldier In addition to this sup
ply, there were his own purchases and
the contributions Of the good women
by whom the tents were filed with
edIbles. Furthermore, many individu-
ais forwarded sums of money to him.
AS many as 80 checks were sent him,
the largest being for S5000 He had in
each case returned the checks because
the money was not needed and be-
cause he did not think it proper that
he should undertake the distribution Of
food
Gen. Wheeler admitted that in many
instances there We're men i'll in their
camp quarters. Often men not very i'll
preferred to go to the hospitals, and
the hospitals We're teo crowded to make
room for them. He also said there were
times when it was necessary to put four
men in tent, saying that this arrange
ment did not necessitate unnecessary
crowding or render the men uncom-
Portable.
Gen. Wheeler also explained the cir
cumstances concerning the death of
Hugh Perret. He said Maj. Beach had
investigated the occurrence and had
made q report MY INQUIRY" said he
No1 he 70 ot f1a4 nv. To
little gruff to the men, but it alsE de-
veloped the fact that he had proved so
efficient in the field that they were de-
voted to him, and had petitioned for his
retention in the army
Continuing, he said that the charge
was that the man was not sent to the
hospital when he had complained Just
before his death. This, he thought,
was one of those individual case of
neglect, and he thought it was to be
explained by the fact that DR., Taber
was probably Ill himself.
Gen. Wheeler said it was true that
many soldiers would fan on the streets.
He thought that all Of them had been
weakened by their experiences IN Cuba,
and most of them had the germs of fe-
yer in them. Many had no exercise
and the climatic conditions were
against them. Even before they left Gu
ba they were very greatly weakened.
II was not slrduge, CuSrSlOr6, Il SOIu6
of them had fallen to the ground at
Camp WikoR.
The general took up a statement at
tributed to DR.. Sem concerning the
sinks. He said the sinks were covered
every hour with earth and lime. He
had examined the ground and found
that the soil was not porous. He also
found that other physicians did not
agree with Dr.. Sem as to the danger
from typhoid. The wells were a long
distance from the sinks, and the soil
was very compact, effectually avoiding
the danger of contamination. There
was no outbreak Of fever such as DIR.
Sem had predicted, hence it wa a
false prophecy.
charge attributed to DR.. Cyrus Edison,
that q small percentage Of the men in
hospitals were without cots and were
lying on the floor on August 80 They
were. however, supplied with beds, and
in no case was there complaint on this
account
1.-THE fact is,~ he said, that the sur
geons and the other officers and men
conducted themselves most heroically,
and 1t is painful to me to see the effort
to make 1t appear that they were COM
planning, when they were not"
DR.. Edison had also predicted an In
crease of typhoid, but the predictions
4AeAo 4AOb DCC1 fC1iACd- 4aCT0 was some
typhoid, but nothing like an epidemic,
and the disease was in smaller proper
ton than no had expected
Maj. Dimmick was quoted as having
charged the contract surgeons with
Indifference. He admitted that there
were instances In which officers had
found 1T necessary to hunt uD phvsi-
clans to take them to the sick men.
In such a case" he said. "a captain
can perform no higher duty than to
bring physician to an ailing member
of his command"
Replying to a question, he said he
had put in a filter on the 31st of Au-
gust merely as a precaution, not be-
cause there was then danger, but be-
cause some of the surgeons had sug-
gested that the water supply might be-
come impure as it grew lower MANY
OF the doctors had contended that the
hitter was not needed, but the secretary
OF war said that if it would save one
Ire II should be ordered and II was
30 done out Of abundant precaution.
Gen. Wheeler said he had seen a
statement from Dr. p. e. Smith that
the drinking water was contaminated.
lie had an examination made by the
surgeons and Col. Smart, a noted ex-
pert. They informed him that tha wat
er was pure. The general considered fAa
water supply adequate, pure and well
distributed. He did not believe the wat
er responsible for any of the Illness.
Replying to criticisms of the disiufect-
ing plant by DR.. Gilman Johnson. the
general said it had been very effective.
He thought it probable that many men
had developed typhoid fever after leav-
ing the camp. While it had been con
sidered desirable to send such sick as
could go to city hospitals he had eau
toned the surgeons against sending
men not able to leave. He admitted
that before the steam laundry was put
to work there was a scarcity of clean
bed linen for patients.
Cen Wheeler said he had encourag-
ed the closest inspection from visitors.
and had asked newspaper men to visit
the hospitals and report the complaints
of men. He had also been glad to have
the assistance of visiting physicians in
determining the conditions He had is
sued an order to prevent the use Of am
balances by visitors.
Gen. Wheeler said Surgeon General
Sternberg, on his visit to the camp.
had strongly commended the conduct
of the camp.
Mr.. Howell asked why there had been
Mr.. Howell asked why there had NOT
been a court martial investigation OF
charges against DR.. Tabor in the Par
ret case. Gen. Wheeler replied that he
considered that the initiative of a
court martial should be taken by the
Washington authorities. He also said
that he had encountered no obstacles
in securing such supplies as he had
made requisition for. In addition to US
ing the money allowed to buy provis-
ions, he had used II for other. purposes
to add comfort Of men, buying clothing
blankets, tents bee sacks, putting up
the laundry, etc. He thought there