The herald., 1898-10-29
WAR CONDUCT INQUIRY
EXTENDED TO INSPECTION OF
CAMP THOMAS
CAMPS TOO CLOSE TOGETHER
Houseflies Are Deservedly Blamed for
Carelessly Carrying Germs OF
Typhoid on Their Feet
Associated Press Special Wire.

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn, Oct. S.-The
war investigation commission spent the en-
tire day inspecting the site ot camp lhonhas
in ChickanIauga park under the guidance OF
General Boynion. The inspection began at
Lytle station and covered all points OF IN
terest in the park and near Its borders
which have been in any way involved IN tne
controversy concerning the sanitation OF the
camp, including Sternberg and Letter hos
pitals; the various springs from which
water was secured by the troops, including
the famous Crawtish springs and the point
on Chickamauga creek at which the water
of the pipe hne supply was taken out; Is
pecial attention was given to the latter
place, because of criticisms which have been
made upon tins source OF the camps water
supply. They found the intake pipe sub
merged about twenty feet above the mouth
Spring creek, which drained the camp. The
charge had been made that the water from
the tributary stream contaminated the
water, being carried back into it by means
of eddies and in one case of overflow after
a freshet
General Boynton and Mr.. Belts, who had
both been concerned in the location of the
pipe line, admitted that there had been one
occasion when Cave Spring creek had over
flowed thus throwing its water in the main
stream. The freshet had occurred at night
when the pumps were shut down and no
WdleI Wd5 bCliiR tuhcH lHCy GullCu v
tention to the depth of the stream and urged
the impossibility of infection from this
stream.
There were many expressions of commen-
dation of the methods followed at Sternberg
hospital, and General Dodge was heard to
remark that it, was. pity to leaye any any
situation so well equipped. Major Griffin.
in command Of the hospitals, said it would
soon be abandoned.
The committee also gave attention to the
proximity of the various camps to one an
other and the depth and localities of the
sinks. The conclusion semed quite general
that many camps were too close together.
After concluding the inspection of the
camp, Major Griffin, who had been before
the commission before, was asked to make
. statement concerning some criticism OF
the hospitals made in a Vermont newspa-
per by Frank A. Bailey, who had spent six
weeks in the hospitals nursing his brother.
saying, among other things, that he had
heard physicians tell attendants to give
their attention to patients who had a chance
to recover and not to nurse those who were
sure to die, in the presence OF those desig-
mated as of the latter class, and that he had
heard other physicians instruct their help.
crs to give ice-cold baths with the view OF
Finishing their patients" DIR. Griffen pro-
nounced all this statement false.
Dr. Charles F. Craig, bacteriologist of the
Sternberg hospital, was also examined. lie
was questioned, especially with reference to
the water supply of the camp, and he ex-
pressed the opinion that the water taken
from the Chickamauga river through the
pipe system was purer than that in the wells
and springs of the grounds. He said that he
had found some sewer bacilli in one or two
of the wells, though no typhoid germs. He
had made two analyses of the water from
the river, one before the July freshet and
the other after it, and had found it, to. be
entirely wholesome from bacteriological
standpoint: 1t was muddy, and he thought
it should be filtered He had also made
tests. which convinced him that there was
no danger of eddies, carrying the water of
the Cave Spring creek into the pipes.
DR.. Craig expressed the opinion that com
mon housefiies are. capable of proving de-
cided, source of disease infection, and he
detailed archaeological tests showing that
they carried typhoid germs upon their feet
He also. said that he had macerated
number OF aies which had been placed on
procured from them pure bacillus culture.