New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-09-18
SICKNESS IN THE ARMY.
sURGEON-GENERAL sTERNBERG RE-
PLIES TO CRITICISM.
WHAT THE MEDICAL DEPARTMENT is AND rs
NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR.

WHAT THE MEDICAL DEPARTMENT is AND rs
NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR.
Washington. Sept. 1.-THE Surgeon Generals
office Of the Army to-day issued the following
statement on the responsibility in the medical
department of the Army:
Numerous letters from private individuals and
editorial articles have appeared in the newspapers
OF the country since the commencement of the
with Spain which indicate that there is wide
spread misapprehenson with reference 70 the
spOnsbility of the Surgeon General Of the Army.
II would require superhuman power TO meet the
expectation OF many OF those who have criticised
the Surgeon General for his administration OF the
ana'rs Of the Medical Department of the Army.
His responsibility is great ana properly to perform
the duties incumbent upon him he must devote his
entire time and energies to the administration OF
affairs pertaining to his office But It is quite i'm
/ possible for him personally TO administer or even
| to supervise the medical administration OF armies
In the field For this purpose there Is chief sur
geon for each military department. chief surgeon
for each army corps for each division and for each
brigade. These chief surgeons directly re-
sponsible to the commanding generals Of the troops
with which they are serving. The Surgeon-Cieneral
has no direct authority over them.
II Is the duty of commanding officers Of regi-
ments. hrigades divisions and corps TO correct any
abuses existing their several commands. and to
bring TO the attention OF higher authority any
neglect of duty improper conduct on the part
OF nntNNdI OUlcerS under tl'lf OrutrS. Inc 'f''"-
/ lations Of the Army and orders from the War De-
/ partment give directions with reference TO camp
sanitation. the Of the sick. etc. and II Is the
duty of commanding officers TO see that those
regulations and orders obeyed To hold the
Surgeon General OF the Army responsible for the
| conduct Of five hundred more reglmental sur
/ geons appointed by Governors Of States. most OF
! them without any previous military experience. Is
/ absurd.
The same ~ tue az REGARDS the six hundred
contract doctors who have been employed The
urgent need for medical assistance made IL I'M
| possible TO have boards for the examination OF
| these doctors. and T. necessary TO judge OF
/ their fitness upon such Inducements as they were
able TO present. II some of them have proved 10
he incompetent negligent or incorporate this
| was TO have been expected among so large num-
Der selected in this way Blu; even If the corps
brigade and division surgeons. the reeimental sur
| geons and the contract doctors were well quahned
! in every other respect. large majority OF theil
were without previous experience with reference ~
! the care Of troops In camp: they were unfamiliar
with the me thods of obtaining supplies. and they
could only become efficient medical officers AFTER
| having gained experience and famiiiarized them
selves with Army methods.
RESPONSIBILITY DEFINED
In short the Surgeon General OF the Army Is not
personally responsible for the neglect or neon
| petence Of medical officers. whether Regular OF
/ Volunteer What. then his responsibilities
/ Ae chief NJ the Medical Department he recommends
tho Assignment, OF medical officers to duty as chief
surgeons Of army corps and OF military depart
ments and these chief surgeons are responsible 'o'
the proper administration Of medical AFFAIRS IN 'ne
| commands to which they are attached. Inc SUI
| icons Of divisions and brigades upon The recon-
/ incubation Of the Surgeon-General are ordered /"
/ renort 10 commanding generals Of army corps Tor
/ assignment 10 duty and after being assigned theY
are responsible for the administration OF meu'c''
matters In the particular division or brigade u
which they have been assigned
The Surgeon General himself has direct charso
% all general hospitals. OF the medical supply
| de,o,s of hospital ships OF the Army Medical
Museum Of the enlistment and distribution OF
! members OF the hospital corps OF diSourSe'i'..
| for artificial limbs. OF the payment OF NJ "''
against the Medical Department OF the Army e'c
II addition 10 this numerous papers are re'erre"
/ 90 rtrn nv tho Adtutanl-Gcneral Of the Army TOT
| an onlnion and he has an enormous correspo"-
dence on various subjects from persons po'h IN an.
ont OF the Army AS an indication OF the extent %
the official business which passes through the once
/ - The Srrpeon-General, Il may be stated that
clerical force OF eightysix experienced CLERKS mas
been found insufficient. and Il mas become 'e
gary 70 apply FOR additional clerical assistance
The Surgeon General Is responsible FOR me pur-
chase and issue OF medical supplies for the Army
hut II ia the duty OF medical officers on du'y WIN
,roops 10 make timely requisi'ion for supplies AZ
is quite Impossible for the Surgeon-Vener"' 70 r0'e
sec what the requirements may pe '0' "'o'9 ~
Gated at the various posts ana camps III OH ""'
country. and In the islands In our possession
60 far As possible the Surgeon-GeneTal mas '"-
deavored 70 anticipate the wants OF the Army III
,bo aeld and at each OF the larger camps Drahch
supply depot has been established Inc war ma
heen largely conducted by telegraph ana 'e'e-
eraphic acquisitions for supplies are constantly
! L.ino received These are at once TRANSMITTED l"
49, ,-oro- sunplv depot with orders FOR issue. bur
,b- &c often unavoidable delny at the supply depo'
IN getting the supplies packed ana shipped All"
unexpected delays frequently occur IN securing
,rsnsnortaton Of these supplies TO the point "he'o
they are needed. These are matters FOR which the
Surgeon General is in no way Responsible.
AS TO HOSPITAL TRAINS.
Again there has been much criticism with reier-
- .. ,h. sending OF soldiers unfit TO travel on
80 oou.d hospital trains The SUPERINTENDENT mas
q, his disposal but one hospital tram ana 'his ID
train OF tours, sleepers. thoroughly equipped i'
Transforming sick men. The trains which are gums
from one part OF the country to another Win oop9'
and which frequently are reported as carrying
,o,, ra, ura, 10 travel are not In any way under
the contro. OF the SUPERINTENDENT OF the army.
As q rule he knows nothing OF ther departure VI
-r,yal and II would be quite Impossible lot MN
- have supervision Of the sick who are placed
u,on these trains by regimental surgeons one"
| - ,,t,diciouslv and no doubt In response 70 the
| .,o,, eolicita tions OF the men, who wish TO 20
~. With the regiments that are to be mustered
out 1865, -. ,a o,,,,o,,od
AGAIN the transports which have been einpIoyeu
. -, eick or convalescent soldiers from Santi-
900 oro not under the control Of the Surgeon-Gen-
al and as a rule he has no Information WIN
difference 10 their departure or the piep"i
,odc for the care OF the SICK TO go upon 'neI''
r,sooe ,reparations should be made under the oi-
ton ~ the chief surgeon at the point OF ne
nar,ure bu, the transports themselves are under
p"' Tel ~ the Quartermaster's Department
The only ships which have been ht'ed up expressly
t ,ansnoyting sick soldiers ARE the hospital ships
Io' 100 ,,,ssou-i These are under the Inn
as,a.o control OF the Surgeon-General and are
-,,,v equipped for the work for which they