The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-11-04
CAMP THOMAS UNFIT
FOR A HUMAN ABODE

FOR A HUMAN ABODE
WASHINGTON, Nov. S.--Dr. M.
Hartsuff, who was chief surgeon Of the
army at Camp Thomas from the 21st OF
April until the 9th of July last, was
examined to-day by Colonel DENLY of
the War Investigating Commission
concerning the conduct of the camp
from medical point of view. He criti-
cized various features in the manage
nient of the camp, beginning with the
location of some of the regiments. He
said the park was, upon general pr1n-
ciples, a good camp ground, but that
some of the regiments We're located in
swampy sections and others on rocky
ground, where it 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 chiet
medical officer he had not been con-
suited in regard to the location. He had
made a formal protest at the Tune, Dut
it was not needed.
DR.. Hartsuff took positive ground
against the establishment of division
hospitals at the expense OF the regl-
ments He said that the law for the
organization of volunteer forces did not
provide for the enlistment of hospital
corps, and as a consequence there was
no force for the hospital work, and the
only way to get one was to transfer
men from the volunteer force to the
regular force Often these men were
not the most efficient. He thought
division or a field hospital was a neceS-
stty. but he did not think 1T should De
built up, as at present, Dy taxing sur
geons, stewards and ambuiances from
the regiments, but rather as an indie
nendent institution. He had found that
the regimental surgeons and nurses
transferred to the division hospital
were not so capable OF rendering gooo
services, as many were quite useless.
Furthermore, there was immense con-
fusion In the hospital. It was, he said,
a case of confusion worse confounded.
"Do YOU" asked Colonel Denny,
think the establishment Of division
hospitals bad policy?
VERY bad, as DONE responded the
witness. m
Ger. have controlled the matterF ne
was next asked.
ssNo. sir: ii was an order of the Sec
retary of War and under this order no
regimental hospital could be main
| tanned" 4o
and said that in carrying 1t into effect
| the work of caring for the sick was
greatly interfered with and that no one
was benefited by 1t.
DIR. Hartsuff also expressed the opin-
| ion that the water supply of the camp
was not good. He said that Wnen the
troops began to pour in the discovery
was made with alarm that the supply
was insufficient. and that he. General
| Brooke and others had set about to IN
crease it. A hasty decision was made
! to take water from the Chickamauga
| River, but Notwithstanding the intake
nine was located about the mouth or
| the creek. draining the camp, he did not
| consider the water of the river whole
some and he had recommended even
after the pipe line was established TO
meet the emergency that arrangements
be made to extend the system so as to
obtain water from Crawfish Spring. he
said the men often insisted upon using
| surface water, which was nothing
more than drainage from the camps.
| Another feature Of the camp system
which Dr. Hartsuff criticized was that
| of allowing each regiment to nave
refuse dump Of it's own. rms nao rem
-dered the camp very oDJectlonaple
| from a hygienic point of view. He had
recommended to General Brooke the
cremation of the garbage. This recon-
mendation had not been acted upon. In
response to question from Colonel
| DENLY. the witness said medlcal OF
/ ficer could not execute, but coulQ only
| recommend. He attributed the failure
to adopt his recommendations to the
confusion incident to preparation OF the
army for the field.
| Asked if the volunteer army sur
geons under him were competent, u.
| Hartsuff replied that some were, wnlle
others were not. The great diff1cuity
had been to secure men OF admins
trative ability to conduct the hospitals.
He thought there had been suffering
because of this ignorance, and in
stanced one case in which he had found
! a big hospital practically out of food
because some of the surgeons con-
nected with it did not know how to
make a ration return. Summing up,
DR.. Hartsuff said:
I'm my opinion, that sickness at
Camp Thomas was due largely to the
| inexperience and in many cases the in
efficiency Of the medical officers, and
also to the inefficiency and inexperi-
ence of line officers who did not fur
nish the support they should have fur
nfshed to the medical department. The
execution of any plan of operation
rests largely with the line officers, the
duties of surgeons being largely to
make recommendations. They are
! therefore unable to correct abuses
themselves and must depend upon
others to do that. This applies to the
officers of regiments. as well as to gem
eral officers"
DR. Hartsuff holds the rank of COL
onel in the regular army, and is now
chief surgeon of the Department of the
| Lakes with headquarters at Chicago