The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-11-04
MEN Persisted
IN FILTH AND
DEsTITUT|ON
Horrible Conditions at
Fort Thomas.
BRUTALITY IN HOSPITALS
PATIENTS CHoKED BY MAJOR
HUBBARD.
Army Officer Testifes That in Some
Cases the Sick Volunteers
Were Actually Fly
blown.
BRUTALITY IN HOSPITALS
PATIENTS CHoKED BY MAJOR
HUBBARD.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

of the War Investigation COInHllsSioil
reached Fort Thomas, KY. at 10 a. m.
In company with Major Hall, the sur
geon in charge of the hospitals at that
place, the Commissioners proceeded on
a tour of inspection of the hospitals.
They also inspected the camp OF the
Sixth Regiment, which is in tents on
the grounds adjoining the hospitals.
This regiment was cut to pieces IN the
Santiago campaign and has since been
recruited.
General Dodge put many questions to
the patients concerning their treat
ment, but found no one complaining.
He was especially interested in those
transported the previous day from Lex
ington. They were all in good spirits
and apparently not affected by the rail-
road Journey The inspection of the
camp was thorough. At the dinner
hour General Dodge and Colonel Sexton
went to the mess tents and inspected
the food. A call was also made on
General Egbert, who commanded the.
Sixth at Santiago.
The afternoon session was occupied
in hearing three witnesses, mostly on
the condition of the division hospital at.
Chickamauga. The first was Major e.
F. Helburn of the Second Kentucky,
now mustered out. The death list of
his regiment, he stated, was twenty
six, most of whom died at home on fur
Tough. The sickness in Chickamauga
increased very rapidly. He knew that
there was shortage Of cots in the hos
pitfalls, as we'll as of tents. In answer
to questions by DIR. Connor. he stated
that he served on commission ap-
pointed on account of a complaint of
the colonel of the First Arkansas to
investigate the division hospital.
Dr. Ward, the witness and Major
Johnson formed the commission. This
commission was appointed in the lat
ter part of August and reported about
September 5. The patients were then
being removed to the hospital and the
hospital was in a chaotic condition.
The sinks were as close as ten feet
from the wards and were in an unclean
condition. There was dumping
ground where other refuse was THROWN
There was a gully running right
through the Site The sick were in
fairly good condition. The committee
examined two or three hundred wit
nesses, including commander, chap
lain, privates, hospital corps, nurses
and visitors. The committee concluded
that at first the hospital was in a bad
condition, but it got better, and during
Major Smiths control 1t was in good
condition. The committee found that
the cause for it's bad condition arose
from the fact that 1t was not intended
to be more than temporary hospital,
but the sick increased so rapidly that
it was oVercrowded. Another cause
was the incompetency of men detailed
from regiments for nurses. In many
regiments the most worthless men were
detailed for that duty. The detail was
made according to regulation. The
fault was not of the medical depart
ment, but of the system.
The committee found unnecessary
suffering because of lack of tents and
cots, so that the patients were exposed
to the rain and compelled TO lie on the
ground This was the fault of the
quartermaster's department. Requisi-
lions were not filed for from two to ten
days. and in some instances were not
filled at ALL
When asked If there were many
deaths resulting from these neglects
he said there was an order from DR..
'Hoff to Major Smith to send fifty of the
worst patients to Sternberg Hospital.
OF these two died in short time after
the removal. 1t was claimed by DR..
Hoff that the order was to send fifty
patients, and not fifty of the worst pa
tents. The original order was not pro-
duced The witness admitted that he
would not charge these deaths to neg
lect, but to want of judgment in send
ing men out not fit to bear the fatigue.
The only complaint against the med
zeal corps was in the case Of one Major
Hubbard, who required --the sick to
stand at attention" while attending
sick calls The medical corps was not
neglectful, but was disheartened be-
cause of inability to get supplies, medi-
cine and proper nursing.
ii 80
thermometer given to an orderly to be
used for taking the temperature of pa
tients, and when asked for it the next
day he said he did not know what 1t
was good for and had given 1t away.
AS instances of neglect the witness said
his committee had much testimony that
patients were allowed to remain filthy
in their beds and were actually fly
blown. This neglect was chargeable to
the nurses directly. The nurses We're
frequently changed, and the officers in
charge were also frequently changed.
Some were asked to resign and others
broke down. The witness saw many
patients on cots on the ground The
wards were not all foored until in
August.
The evidence before the committee
showed that the medical officers were
conscientious and did their utmost to
remedy the evils prevailing in the hos
of Major Smith and Of Colonel Hoff,
made to his committee. The former
was a scathing arraignment of the In
efficiency of the supply department.
Medicines, medical apparatus, ice and
drinking water and other necessities
were not furnished. He also complained
bitterly OF the incompetency of the
nurses.
In answer to a question by General
Dodge the witness said he did not know
at the time he made this investigation
that the hospital commandment had any
authority to purchase any medical and
commissary supplies, and he did not
think the commandant knew it, for all
the medical corps complained Of in
ability to get supplies.
Speaking of the water supply being
unwholesome, he said he rot his i'm
preston of it's Embellishments from
an order issued by the commander that
all drinking water should be boiled.
Colonel Hoff's statement before the
committee dealt with a defense of the
field hospital. which. he said, was orig
inally intended to accommodate 200
sick, but the sickness increased so
rapidly and unexpectedly that the sup
ply department was not able to meet