New-York tribune., 1898-10-10

The MEDICAL officers OF the Naval Reserves who
1I, ,r1m their States rendered efficient service. and
"TThme,y responded TO every call made upon them.
Inc bureau Is under obligations to the Surgeon
saqIns EN- raj Of the Marine Hospital service for
"''p''''s under their charge at Key West.
PRISONERS QUICKLY PROVIDED FOR
when the Department; decided to remove the
prisoners from the destroyed Spanish fleet at San
"dso 10 portsmouth, y. H. immediate preparation
was necessary TO care for the sick. Two pavilions
were built. from plans already prepared adjoining
inc Naval Hospital at Portsmouth. Teegraphc
ORDERS were issued for bedsteads mattresses bed
u'ns stores and supplies. Additional medical Of
"oers ana nurses were sent. and when the vessels
! arrived with the prisoners the we'll found
comfortable barracks and the sick comfortable hos
pi'aI' 10 which they were Immediately transferred.
sy Taey were lodged fed and clothed as though they
nroes guests The Navy has to feel
equipped cots and six trained nurses were gem
es eT3nsy E. supplied BY the Red Cross after the hos
on June II the President approved an act Of Con-
this is the f1ps '%s Of the EFFORTS
e.i "a me bureau for many years. 1t will give the
some some reason for remaining in service having
eepe ot promotion and advancement as the result
It's good results already manifest. Changes are
Of he sp aa e a no PsGene with 9d snay
nuises. and In many of them are apprentices under
rigid and there viii be more admissions to the
corps when the end of the war releases from SER
other departments.
u, cannot close this portion OF the bureaus report
em en 3eyo9n to dHy Of the Of the Med
bureau heard Of any Of them Regulars volun-
When n Dir war was imminent they We'd one with
Some have had greater opportunities than Others.
but all have done well the work assigned them
geon Gibbs. shot by his side in the Spanish attack
and he continued his work alone. doing II thor
The medical officers Of the vessels in the aght
a. Manila and in the battle Of July shared the
dangers OF their comrades. and should participate
In the praise accorded TO them.
ANTISEPTTC SURGERY AT SEA
The medical officers OF the Solace have the honor
OF inaugurating the first complete system Of anti
septic surgery at sea They have adapted means
10 ends, have imprOvised apparatus. have been
fertile in expediens, and have the satisfaction of
having demonstrated that. with skill and intelli-
gence. the percentage Of mortality among the pa
tients on well-equipped ambulance ship will be
Medical Inspector , PeTs9ns 1s found himself sud;
prisoners in hastily established hospital He
equal TO the emergency. and he and his associates
were compimened by Admiral Cervera when he
visited the camp
The medical officers of the other hospitals have
were always ready and always cared for them well
The director of the laboratory (our receiving and
distributing depot OF suppes) applied his we'll
known energy to the work and never failed to
qured Those whose services have not beep 90
conspicuous have done their duty In the stations
of the Navy.
STAMPING OUT YELLOW FEVER
After extended explanation Of the estimates
for Improvements in hospitals. and describing the
repairs made last and the health conditions nj
navy yards and stations which have been excep-
tionally good. the last year. the Surgeon General
gives the following account OF notable achieve
ment In stamping out threatened yellow fever
epidemic. which was not permitted 10 become
known during the continuance OF hostilities:
Upon the commencement OF hostilit.es between
this country and Spain. the Navy Department or
tion at Key West Fla. and short time after
ward ward designated 1t as naval base for all vessels
In order to provide for all possible contingencies
and to meet the demands incident a state of
that might be made upon 1t result of assem-
ses' the Department landed at Key west a guam
uty OF naval supplies. including ordnance stores
equipment, materials, provisions. etc.
Of % Of ods It xa
essential M that suitable provision should be made
Or four s GS S mfn Ear % ii the Mrns cop dy
transferred tran TO Key West and located in building
had formerly been used as cigar factory .''
mer yellow fever With the the exception Of an 1' oc
easiona 1so ia sporadic % case had not made its appear
we'll within the limit Of the yellow fever zone; and
the sudden concentration at this point of large
Army and Snv sh 70 h
unless extra precautions were taken for the pres
could only be postponed for short time.
Key West preyans at this ne Also o'' was such
as to cause some uneasiness on the part OF the De-
the exemption Of the island from yellow fever for
the last few years might be attributed 10 accident
the officials 10 the enforcement of hygienc meas
ures.
THE FIRST CASES AT KEY WEST.
Although the duties devolving upon the marines
were arduous and exacting the health of the guard
remained good until August lS, when the first sus-
pcious Of Illness among them made its ap-
pearance. on the morning of August IA another
marine was taken Ill. and the afternoon OF
August Is three more cases were reported. The
symptoms IN all of the above cases were extremely
suspicious, but before making a positive statement
Assistant Surgeon MarcOur decided 10 avail him |
self OF the opinions OF several yellow fever experts
as to the diagnosis in the above cases; After
consultation between the local health officer of Key
West and representatives from the Medical Corps
OF the Army. Navy and Marine Hospital Service. a
the disease and on August l6 the Bureau was in
formed officially OF the existence OF yellow feyer
Key West by the National and local health authori-
Upon the receipt OF this information the COM
mandant In charge OF the United States naval base
ali naval vessels in the harbor Of Key West TO
Hampton Roads Gncuaing the officers and men on
guard and to transfer to some suitable
vessel for passage north the sick and wounded OF
|
from the Army general and marine hospitals.
orders were also issued that naval supplies
stored In the several buildings at Key West should
be removed as It was not deemed safe to transfer
them a this time for fear OF spreading the infec
ton The commnndant was further directed to
have the sick marines Isolated within the barracks
hen occupied by them. In place all suspects or sus
pcious cases in adjoining house rented for the
purpose. and to remove the well marines to the de-
teniion camp. which situated on the south |
beach at a distance Of about three miles from the
barracks Every provision was made for the care
and treatment OF the sick and every prccaution |
adopted FOR the protection and preservation of the
health of the marines I'm the detention camp.
LOCAITZING THE DISEASE. ,
Assistant Surgeon r. F. Marcour "a yellow fever |