Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-10-09
TO VISIT THE CAMPS.
War Inquiry Commission VIII Make
This Tour.

WASHINGTON, October S.-The war
Investigation Commission examined two
witnesses to-day. They were DIR. Giffin,
who is in charge of the Sternpers hos-
initial at Camp Thomas, Chickamauga
park ca. and Captain Baldridge, bril-
oade commissary Of subsistence at Camp
Cuba Libre. Jacksonville. Both contriou-
ted much information in regard to the
two camps.
The commissioners have practically de-
cided to start, on the night or the lo'h'
on a round of the various camps. Ihey
will 20 to Camp Meade or 10 JacksohViile
0rst hut are not yet decided which. All
Tho co,nps will be visited in succession,
hut the understanding is that the trip
to Camp Wikoff will not be made until
some time in November.
Next week will be given largely to the
insnection of official reports, and to other
statements which have been furnished
in reply to letters from the commission.
THE SICK AT CHICKAMAUGA.
Major r. Emmett Giffin was brigade
surgeon at Camp Thomas, and told OF
his visit to the Second Division Hospitai
i'm July last, when, he said, IT was over
crowded. In each tent ana uiuer ltS
flies there were tlbHt VI iiihN hiNHf
there should have been but from -FOUR
10 six There was a sufficiency of physi-
clans and Major Gifiin was sure they
were competent men. The majority OF
the patients were suffering from typhoid
fever and certain diseases, about ID per
cent being Of the latter class. lie
thought the crowding of the hospital was
from lack of sufficient tentage-a fault
due TO the surgeon in charge. DR.. CHM
made his visit to the Division Hospltai
10 see a man OF his brigade VINO had
been shot in the leg. He found him In
tent with typhoid-fever patients, ana
consequently had him removed.
The Division Hospital surgeons were
competent in their profession, some OF
them being the most competent IN the
United States, but they were not men
~ executive ability. None Of them were
addicted to drink.
WATER SUPPLY GOOD.
He considered the water supply gooo'
The sinks were poorly located. Ihey
were too near the kitchens, and were 700
sbalIow Many of them were only 20 rect
from the company kitchen, and were
omen when he arrived. He then had them
moved farther back. and gave directions
for daily disinfection and covering. by
this time however, the regiments were
all infected. as he thought, by niles
DIR GifRn was satisfied that the "
phoid-fever had been brought In Dy the
troops. the first case coming through
Mississippi regiment.
LOCATION HEALTHFUL
rba location was a healthful one. as
- haa made an investigation and found
that nreylous TO the arrival of the troops
,hera had only been one case or typhoid
I'm the vicinity for nine years. There had
hean about 5000 cases of TYPHOID IN the
camp. -, ,,oo,aot
Dr Gifin had no complaint OF neglect
or insufficiency to make against any VI
,ha bureaus of the War Department, ano
no had heard of only one cohpiaiht
There were no matches for twenty-iour
hours He thought that the contract
surgeons should have been examiner DC
fore they were appointed
The Doctor also expressed inc OPINION
that the complaints or starVatioh hau
arisen from the fact that II was heces-
sary to put convalescents from typhoiu-
fever on a sparse diet. he though,
many deaths had been caused by over
feeding after convalescents had returned
~ their homes.
ORDERS NOT OBEYED.
orders were given. to his knowledge
for prompt measures looking TO tne sup
nression OF the fever, when II broke ou''
hut the orders had not been opeyea.
He knew OF cases In when the SIMS
we're TO the last within twenty ieet OK
The kitchen. and in the cases Oh tue
Tryrteenth Minnesota and Ninth fenn-
svivania regiments. the SINKS were
orowded near the kitchens. when tnere
was "a quarter Of a mile OF open ne'd
back Of them. n,.,ara
He thought that 1t had been . mistake