Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-11-04
HARTSUFF TALKS OUT
HE WAS AT ONE TINE CHIEF SUR
croy OF cHICKAnAUGA CAMP.
AGAINST DIVISION HOSPITALS
r. a. ~ Established at the Expense
NJ the Regimental
o.s.r IN the Subject Made 1rea'
Trouble.

WASHINGTON, November S.-Dr. A.
Hartsuff. who was chief surgeon OIL tue
army at Camp Thomas, Chlckamausa
Park. from the 2lst Of April until the
9th of July last. was examined to-day
by Colonel DENLY, of the War lnvesu-
eating Commission, concerning the con-
duct of the camp from a medical point of
view. He criticised various features IN
the management of the camp. beginning
with the location of some of the regi-
ments He said that the park was on
general principles a good camp-ground,
but some OF the regiments were placed
in swampy sections and others on rocky
ground where 1t was impossible to get
the sinks of sufficient depth. In other
cases the camp was poorly drained, and
in most instances the tents were too
close together. He said the sites were
selected by General Brooke, and not
withstanding his own position as chief
medical officer he had not been con-
suited in regard to the location. He had
made formal protest at the time, but
the protest was not needed
AGAINST DIVISION HOSPITALS.
Dr. Hartsuff took positive ground
against the establishment of division
hospitals at the expense of the regi-
ments. He said that the law for the or
ganization of volunteer forces did not
provide tor the establishment of hos
pital corps, and that as a consequence
there was no force for the hospital
work and the only way TO get one was
10 transfer men from the volunteer force
10 the regular force, and ottentimes
these men were not the most efficient
that could be secured. He thought
division or field hospital was a neces-
sity, but he did not think ii should be
built up as a hospital by taking sur
geons, stewards. and ambulances from
the regiments, but rather as an independ-
ent institution.
He had found that regimental sur
geons and nurses transferred to di-
vision hospital were not so capable OF
rendering good service. Many were quite
useless; others were almost paralyzed.
Furthermore, there was immense confu-
sion in transferring the regimental ef-
fects 10 the hospital and in sending them
back when the regiments were ordered
away. II was. he said, case OF coniu-
sion worse COMPOUNDED.
ALGER ORDER UNFORTUNATE.
DO YOU" asked Colonel DENLY. think
the establishment of division hospitals a
bad policy?"
VERY bad. as DONE" responded the wit
ness.
Couldn't you. as chief medical Of
ficer. have controlled the matterY' he was
next asked.
ono. sir; il was an order of the Secre-
tary OF War, and under this order no
reglmental hospital could be maintained
He thought this order unfortunate, since
in carving II into effect the work of car
ing for the sick was greatly interfered
with. and no one was benefited by 1t.
Dr. Hartsuff also expressed the opinion
that the water supply of the camp was
not good
RECOMMENDATION NOT ACTED ON.
Another feature of the camp system
which Or. Hartsuff criticised was that
Of allowing each regiment to have re-
fuse dump of its own This had rem
dered the camp Objectionable from
hygienic point OF view He had recon-
mended TO General Brooke the cremation
Of the garbage. He stated that the re-
commentator had not been acted upon
and in response 10 question from Colo
mel DENLY, said a medical officer could
not execute but could only recommend
He attributed the failure 10 adopt his re-
concentrations 20 the confusion incident
60 preparing great army for the field
Asked n the volunteer army surgeons
under him were competent. Dr. Hartsun
replied that some were, while others
were not. The great difficulty had been
20 secure men OF administrative ability
10 conduct the hospitals. He thought
there had been suffering because OF this
ignorance, and instanced one case in
which he had found big hospital prac-
tically out Of food because none of the
surgeons connected with Ii knew how TO
make ration return.
INEFFIcIENcY OF OFFICERS.
Summing up. DR. Hartsuff said: I'm
my opinion. the sickness at Camp Thomas
was due largely TO the inexperiencc and
In many cases the inefficieucy of the
medical officers. and also 20 the ipeifici-
ency OF the line officers. who did not fur
nisb the support they should have fur
nisasd 10 the medical department. The
execution OF any plan OF operation rests
largely with the line officers. the duties
OF the SURGEONS being limited 10 recon-
menfafions. They are. therefore unable
10 correct abuses themselves. and must de-
pend upon others 70 do that. This APP