St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1898-10-12
FLIES SPREAD THE FEVER.

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chief surgeon Of the Second division at
Camp Thomas, and Major Gallagher,
who was in charge of various commits
sary depots in the Santiago campaign.
DR.. Hysell's testimony dealt with the
sanitary and hospital conditions at Camp
Thomas. He said that there was less
typhoid fever in the troops Of the Sec
ond division than in the other divisions.
DR.. Hysell thought typhoid had been
brought into the camp from the outside,
and that the increase had been due to the
failure to properly cover the sinks and
to the prevalence Of flies. He did not
think it possible effectually to isolate
typhoid fever cases, as typhoid was 80
difficult to detect in it's early stages. All
reasonable precautions had been taken
in locating the camp to prevent the de-
velopment Of disease. He admitted that
in the case Of another war more effective
means could be provided
At the afternoon session the commit
tee examined Major Hugh j. Gallagher.
He had served as depot commissary at
Sboney, San Juan and Santiago, and
recently occupied this position at Mon
tauk Point, having been made chief
commissary of General Skaters corps.
The rations, he said, were forwarded al
most as rapidly as they we're landed.
Only very small quantities could be ac-
cumulated, yet the commissary, during
his stay at Siboney, had been able to
meet all acquisitions made for rations by
the troops He heard no complaint of
lack of rations at the front At first they
were able to forward about 80, 900 rations
per day. From Siboney the depot was
moved to Ell Poso, seven miles distant,
and at this point there were never
enough rations on hand for even day
ahead, and 1t was impossible to fill all
the acquisitions. There was a shortage
in coffee and sugar, which continued for
two or three days. 1t was due to the diff
ficulty in landing supplies because Of
the high surf at Siboney. All the rations
were good but in some cases the hard
| bread would be injured by sudden show
ers. When this happened the bread was
| thrown aside and not issued. After Ell
| Poso was reached the officers were sup
piled with the same rations that were
law, as rations are not supplied to Off
GERS, but the emergency made the dis.
| tribution to them necessary.
| Major Gallagher said there was one
| instance when the canned roast beef
spoiled and it was destroyed. Some
| potatoes, onions and tomatoes were also
thrown away at Santiago for the same
reason.
There was shortage of lighters but
the major was not able to say why this
was so. Speaking Of the facilities for
landing the men in Cuba, he expressed
the opinion that If the war were to be
fought over again a large supply of
| lighters should be furnished. In addi-
ton to the American army the refugees
were also fed. No effort was made to
give the full ration. but articles were
sent to them as could be spared from our
own troops. He thought enough was
given to supply 1000 men. After his
! depot was located at Santiago there was
| no shortage. While at this point the
Spanish prisoners were also supplied
from the general depot, as were some of
the citizens of the place. Giving his
opinion as to the ration, Major Gallagher
said it had too much meat init for a trop-
ical climate. The men seemed to demand
more tomatoes and rice than they re-
ceived. On one occasion IT had been
necessary To issue green coffee to men
on the firing lines, but the issue had only
been for day, and the emergency was
unavoidable. He thought the ration
should contain more dried and canned
fruits, and also rice and syrup, and there
should be more tea and coffee.
Colonel DENLY pressed for informa-
ton as to the shortage Of coffee and
sugar, and Major Gallagher stated that
there were probably two days when the
men were without these articles. He
said the storm was the immediate cause
of this deficiency, but that If there had
been sufficiency of lighters this diff.
Guilty would not have occurred. The
major said there was not to his knowl
edge shortage in any any other article
of food during the campaign.
Mr.. DENLY told him there was com.
plant Of deficiency covering a months
time, but Major Gallagher said he knew
nothing OF 1t. M
Suppose" said General McCook, "thi
shortage of rations had lasted for sever
days instead Of two, what would hav,
been the result?"
1--WE would probably have had to fal
back" replied Major Gallagher "Mel
cannot fight on short rations." 1t wa
General Skaters orders that no forma
reouisitions for rations should be re
| o.. rt.N n l.. 1
those needing it. Gallagher had applie
for extra stores aboard the Gran,
Duchese, lying in Santiago harbor, bu
the application had not been favorabl
considered, for the reason that the yes
sci was needed for transporting troop
to Camp Wikoff.
General Beaver received a letter fror
Mrs. Hugh Lange of Brooklyn, who par
ticpated in the relief work at Montau
Point, relating to her interview wit
President Mckinley when he visite
!. Camp Wikoff. She was reported to hav
+, said to the president that some of tn
, men were carried out in dying condi
ton in order to get rid Of them" Thi
=, she says, she did not say but she aske
- IT, in passing through the wards, tn
> president noticed the number Of empt
y COTS He replied that he had notice
; them, and then she requested him to as
why the men were without care in til
detention and in some of the regiments
hospitals. The letter continues Il wi
also ask you to go back of the condition
E at the time General Wheeler arrived
and investigate why no preparation wa
made to receive and care for our sic
and suffering soldiers. Inever saw mo-