The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-08-26

~-~N --~AN ~ ~AAC department a O~-~Op an
they have not been adequately prepared
/. to cope with it.
Owing 70 what seems to be an utter
Lack OF such system as might rightly and
reasonably be expected 10 characterize
such an expedition, it has been exceed
! ingly difficult to obtain accurate inforIna-
| t1on regarding The exact situation Some
! exaggerated and some almost scandaious
reports and stories have been In circula-
| ton, and II is probable that more or less
| OF these VIII appear IN some OF our home
papers. The facts. as well as have been
able 70 obtain them. appear 20 be as fol-
lows: The personnel CT the medIcag staff
of the army in Porto Rico is wholly COM
petent in all its various departments Of
hospital corps. The various positions are
filed with capable and conscientious men,
who are ready and willing TO do all that
can be done, and they are doing ii faith
fully. There has been delay in equip
ment, and a temporary congestion, for
which some one is responsible. But the
| responsibility appears 10 lie on officials
at home, and not on those who are here.
In spite OF the experience at Santiago.
and the possibility, even though a remote
one, of its repetition here, no adequate
tentage or supply of cots, medicines or
hospital supplies attended the advance
portion Of the army in Porto Rico. Ten
days after and army of some 1900 men
had been landed on a foreign shore, the
hospital ship Relief arrived in the port Of
Ponce, bringing some of the things that
were needed.
1t is not to be inferred that, previous to
her arrival there were 10 facilities what
ever. There were surgeons and physi-
cans, with their field hospital cases, and
q large number of ambulances. But this
provision was wholly inadequate. What
was wanted most was cots, bedding, pa
tamas and food suitable for fever pa
tients or for men suffering from wounds
OF greater or less severity. Fortunately,
we have been almost entirely spared from
this last condition. But II was within the
range Of probability that we might have
three. four, or five hundred wounded men
to care for. II is hardly farfetched play
Of the imagination to fancy hostile
Ponce instead of a cordial one. 1t was
not anticipated that we should be, as we
were, welcomed with open heart and hand.
II it had been, then why an army of &c.
600 troops to Porto Rico? Hostility must
have been anticipated, battles expected,
Y erik for the hospital corps rAckoned
among the probabilities. Ambulances ar
rived a week earlier than thr proper
equipment for any place 10 wnicn the am
tulances might bring their loads of the
unfortunates. If CASUALTIES were rot
looked for, why the trouble and expense
of Transporting the ambulances. But we
have been spared the CASUALTIES, laus
Dec, though there has been use for the
ambulances. But, so far as l can learn,
there were no hospital tents, and it was
about ten days before deligent and la
porous effort Guild bring suitable buildings
into suitable condition for hospital pur
poses. In the meantime, fever patients,
numbering into the hundreds, were forced
to remain with their different commands,
with no bed but the ground, and often
not even isolated from their companions
The army surgeons were helpless. Army
barracks, evacuated by Spanish troops,
and other buildings, were promptly taken
in hand But men with typhoid and ma
larial fever must be in clearly surround
ings and Spanish public buildings are gen.
orally of the Augean-stable order. When
these buildings were finally gotten ready,
the result was temporary confusion and
congestion from the great number of pa
tients sent in. The means of caring for
them were, for the time, insufficient.
All this might and should have been,
avoided by due preparation. Somewhere,
there was either blurlder or oversight
The Porto Rico expedition came out IN
comparatively small sections, from differ
ent camps, and represented several diff
ferent corps and division organizations.
A brigade came from Chimauga; parts
of brigades from Camp Alger, and a part
of a brigade from Tampa. Batteries of
artillery, and troops of cavalry, separated
from their regiments, were among the ar
rivals. AS the division hospital is the
central figure of our service, none of these
smaller commands carried any complete
outfit, and none seems to have been pro
vided for the expedition. In fact it is
quite probable that none existed which
could be attached to such a military con-
glomeration. 1t would certainly seem as
though we had taken long enough about |
seding an army of invasion to Porto Rico
to have made the affair, when it did come
off, a very model of system, completeness |
and efficiency. There certainly had been
time for every preparation.
Matters at Ponce are now being rapidly |
out, and there should be no |
further ground for complaint Tt is quite |
probable that some sensational stories |
may get into print. Most OF these are |
likely to arise from the ignorance of those |
who circulate them. For instance, talk |
has been made that the patients in the |
hospitals were being starved. 1t is prob |
able that many of them are not in any |
danger of being forced to eat prescribed |
daily rations of three and a quarter |
pounds of food per day. But the reason |
for this will be better understood by those |
who know something of the nature and |
The process OF typhoid fever. than it is by |
those who circulate stories OF starving |
fever patients. Thus far the death rate
has been very low, and friends at home
may now feel wholly sure that the best
possible care and attention will be given
TO the sick men of the the q r-nv in Ponce