The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-22
Barra cIxs and Wards Inspected by the
Army Investigators and Found
to BE Comfortable.
TWO WITNESSES EXAMINED
TESTIMONY OF MAJOR n. b. TAYLOR
SURGEON IN CHARGE.
Stealing from Comrades Described by
the Rev, O. j. Nave as One of the
Saddest Features of the War.

ATLANTA, Ca, Oct. 21.-The war investi-
eating commission arrived here over the
Southern Railroad at 10 o'clock to-day, and
after calling on General Pennington, in
command of the department, proceeded to
Fort Mcpherson The only work to be done
here was in connection with the hospital.
This is one of the largest military hospitals
in the country, and it contained at one time
during the past summer almost a thousand
patients, most of them coming from Tampa
and other Florida camps. On arriving at
Fort Mcpherson the commission separted
into parties of two each for the purpose of
visiting the various divisions of the hos
pital. They found the barracks at the post
had been transformed into hospital wards,
and, Notwithstanding the day was wet the
wards were all found to be comfortable and
warm, made so in each case by large
stove in the center of the room. There are
now 622 patients in the institution and many
of them are convalescent. The commits
si0ners talked with surgeons, nurses and
patients. They encountered no complaint
from the sick men, and the nurses stated.
that the work was constantly growing less
and less irksome, owing to the decrease in
the number of patients. They also visited
the mess hall of the convalescents while
they were at dinner and the diet kitchen
while dinner was being prepared. They
found the men in the messroom abundantly
supplied with food and all partaking of it
with relish known only to men who have
just recovered from typhoid fever.
The commissioners examined only two
witnesses. They were Mai. Blair E. Taylor
surgeon in charge of the general military
hospital here, and Rev. Orville j. Nave
r. a n in oft hot
at the afternoon session. Major Taylor re-
lated the history of the hospital from it's
inception. He said that recently he had
had no difficulty in securing supplies as he
| had been given carte blanche to purchase
them This authority had not, however
been given until the LIST of August, whereas
1T had been, asked for as early as the 18th
OF June. He had in the beginning of the
camps history had considerable difficulty
In getting acquisitions filed, although he
mad no difficulty in getting them approved
by the authorities at Washington One
requisition, made on the 10th of May and
another on the 24th of June. had not been
entirely filed until very recently. These
acquisitions had been made upon the New
York supply depot while all that were
| made on the ST. Louis depot mad been
promptly filed. One hundred and sixteen
cots ordered in the beginning of the season
| had only arrived a day or two since, and
| they are not needed. DR.. Taylor had, on
account of the delay in filling these requisi-
| tons, been compelled to call upon the sur
| geon general for a portion of his special
fund, and had thus prevented any suffer-
ing among patients. Among the things in
which there was delay in delivery was bed
linen. Dr. Taylor said he had found the go
n
sufficient to furnish food for the sick men.
and he expressed the opinion that 40 cents
per day would be sufficient for the purpose
| Of supplying food
| DR.. Taylor stated in reply to a question
that he considered Atlanta an excellent
place for a winter hospital, because of the
| convenience in reaching the place from the
| seaports of the Southeast; because the eli
mate was mild and yet cold enough to pre-
vent Infection, and also because of the ex-
cellent water supply He said that large
proportion of his patients had been received
from Tampa, but that some had come from
Jacksonville, Chickamauga and other
points. He also said that many had been
sent here who were not in condition to be
removed, as many of them were typhoid
fever patients, and in such cases repose
was a prime necessity. Many patients had
died soon after arrival.
Rev. Orville j. Nave, post chaplain at
Fort Mcpherson, said he had visited every
patient who had been in the hospital and
that he had never heard single complaint
from man who was possessed of his rea-
son, while on the contrary he had heard
many expressions of gratitude and com
mendation for the excellent conduct of the
hospital. Mr.. Nave expressed the opinion
that in the conduct of military hospitals
generally there was too little care of the
clothes and other property of patients. The
custom is to put sick mans clothing I'M
der his pillow when he enters a hospital
and Mr.. Nave said that the man often never
again sees neither his clothing nor articles
that may be left in the pockets He had
known of many instances in which men
were brought here with no clothes, except
their night shirts. and he himself had Sc
cured through private help no fewer than
| a hundred suits for such men as had lost
| their clothes. In a word, the thieving
which has been going on and the petty
| peculation which has been practiced upon
| soldiers, said he, 'often times oy their
| comrades, has been one of the saddest fea-
lures of the war"
While the bodies of patients were care
| fully guarded their property was not, yet
| these articles were often, the chaplain said,
| very sacred to the patient in case of his re-
| covery and to his friends and relatives in
case of his death.
Replying to a question from General Will
son Chaplain Nave said he had seen some
of the surgeons at the hospital under the
influence of liquor. but not to sufficient
extent to interfere with the proper per-
Torrance of their duties
The commission left at IL o'clock tonight
for Admission. One two days will be
spent there, after which the commission
will proceed to Huntsville and Chattanooga
After finishing the work at Chattanooga. at
which place the conduct of Camp Thomas
will be- thoroughly inquired into the COM
mission will be divided, some of the men,
bers proceeding to Washington via Knox
willie and Camp Meade, the others going to
Lexington, Cincinnati and Detroit There
viii be probably four members in each of
these parties.
Ratfons for Women Nurses.
WASHINGTON Oct 2-The following
order has beeH issued by the War Depart