The record-union., 1898-11-04

WASHINGTON, Nov. 8. - Dr- M
Hartsuff, who was chief surgeon at
Camp Thomas from the 2lst of April
until the Doth of July last, was eX-
amined to-day by Colonel DENLY or
the War Investigating Committee con-
cerning the conduct Of the camp from
a medical point of view. He cr1tl-
cised various features in the manage
ment of the camp, beginning with the
location of some of the regiments. He
said the park was upon general prin-
ciples a good camp ground, but that
some of the regiments were located
in swampy sections and others on
rocky ground, where it was impossl-
bic to get the sinks Of sufficient depth
In other cases the camp was poorly
drained, and in most instances the
tents were too close together.
He said the sites were selected by
General Brooke. and notwithstanding
his own position as chief medical oth-
Ger he had not been consulted in refer
ence to the location. He had made
a formal protest at the time, but it
was not needed.
DR.. Hartsuff took positive ground
against the establishment of division
hospitals at the expense of the reg1-
nleDIS. he Sdlu lndl the law lOl li1C
organization of the volunteer force did
not provide for the enlistment of
hospital. corps, and as a consequence
there was no force for the hospital
work. and the only way to get one was
to transfer men from the volunteer
force to the regular force, and often
times these men were not the most
efficient.
He thought a division or a field hos
tai was a necessity, but he did not
think it should be built UP as at
present, by taking up surgeons, stew
ards and ambulances from the regi-
ments, but rather as an independent
institution He had found that the
regimental surgeons and nurses trans
ferred to the division hospital were not
so capable Of rendering good service,
as many were quite useless. Further
more, there was immense confusion in
transferring the regimental effects to
the hospital It was. he said, case
of confusion worse confounded.
do you," asked Colonel DENLY
think the establishment Of division
hospitals a bad policy?"
"Very bad as done,' responded the
witness -s-s - s. - -
Gould you, as chief medical Off
Ger. have controlled the matter?" he
was next asked.
mo, sir: it was an order of the Sec
retary Of War, and under this order
no regimental hospital could be main
tanned"
He thought this order unfortunate,
and said that in carrying it into eff
feet the work of caring for the sick
was greatly interfered with, and that
no one was benefited by it.
DR.. Hartsuff also expressed the opin-
ION that the water supply at the camp
was not good. He said that when
the troops began to pour in the dis
covery was made with alarm that the
supply was insufficient, and that he,
General Brooke and others had set
about to increase it. Decision was
made to take water from the Chick
amauga River in great haste, but not
withstanding the intake pipe was To-
Gated above the mouth Of the creek
draining the camp. he did not con-
slider the water Of the river whole
some, and he recommended. even after
the pipe line was established to meet
the emergency that arrangements
should be made to extend the system
so as to secure water from Crawfish
Springs. He also said the men often
insisted upon using surface water.
which was nothing more than drainage
from the camps.
Another feature of the camp system
which DR.. Hartsuff criticised was that
of allowing each regiment to have a
refuse dump Of it's own. This has
rendered the camp very Objectionable
from a hygienic point of view. He, had
recommended to General Brooke the
cremation of the garbage. Summing
lp. DR.. Hartsuff said: In my opinion
the sickness at Camp Thomas was due
largely to the inexperience, and in
many cases, the insufficiency of the
medical officers. and also to the in
efficiency and inexperience of line Off
GERS who did not furnish the support
they should have furnished to the
medical department. The execution Of
anv plan of operation rests largely
with the line officers, the duties of sur
geons being largely to make recon-
mendations. They are therefore un-
able to correct abuses themselves, and
must depend upon others to do that
This applies to the officers Of regi-
ments as well as to general officers"
DR.. Hartsuff holds the rank of Col
onel in the regular army, and is now
chief surgeon of the Department of
the Lakes, with headquarters at Chi
cago.