The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-10-21
Rev. Or. Kent Told Of What Was Done at
Jacksonville by Organization.
THEY SUPPLIED MANY DEFICIENCIES
Nurses From the Hospital Corps. He Said, Were
Not Competent Intelligent as a Class.
Major Pitchers Testimony

Jacksonville. Oct. ef-At the sitting
or the war investigators Thursday
afternoon Colonel w. j. Bryan was
called. He asked To be excused from
testifying and questioning, and that his
heutenant-colonel be examined I'm his
stead. You, 1 have no doubt. under
stand my reasons for the request" he
said.
think the request very proper and
reasonably, responded Governor Beav-
CT. AS the entire commission consented
TO TINS concession Colonel. Bryan was
excused. with the request TO send up his
Northumberland
Lieutenant Morrow. acting commits
sary of the Third Nebraska, Colonel
Bryans regiment. testified TO the gan
orally good character OF the commits
sary supplies. lie mentioned one or two
instances when poor bacon had been
received, and <aid there were occasional
complaints from the men, but none of a
serious nature.
DIR. Alexander Kent pastor of the
Peopie's church in Washington and
neId agent in Jacksonville for the Red
Cross, was questioned concerning the
operations OF the Red Cross. He had
oeen received cordially by the army sur
geons and had cooperated with them
lie had noticed the absence OF sheets
and pillow cases at the second division
hospitai I'm Its early history Many
men lay uncovered on account OF
short supply OF blankets. He supplied
the deficiency. There was also at that
time shortage of tents and food suita-
ble TO typhoid fever patients. lie had
undertaken to supply the deficiency
and had distributed two carloads OF
necessary delicacies. 1T seemed" he
sald, fas IL the hospital was arranged
upon a smaller scale than was demand
ed. and as consequence there was a
constant demand upon the Red Cross
10 supply the deficiency" DR.. Kent
had heard many complaints concerning
misconduct at the hospitals. and many
or them were apparently well youched
for, but they had not generally proved
we'll founded when investigated.
Replying TO question he said he |
thought IL had been very difficult to get |
medical men OF sufficient administrative |
ability To manage such institutions as |
the division hospitals. Before the fe- !
male nurses were secured the nurses |
who were men of the hospital corps. |
were not capable. They were not intel !
lgent as class, and, while some of |
them were doggedly faithful, they
failed to meet the requirements. They |
did not, for instance, seem to regard il /
os of consequence If flies were crawling
in and out Of a sick mans mouth with
irnpunity, and he had seen as many as
six eases OF this kind at one time Since
the trained nurses had been secured the
sick were better cared for than at home.
The witness said the principal reason
Of the failure of the physicians to make
acquisitions on the government for sup
plies was found in the fear OF their
making demands that would not be
sanctioned. The aid of his society was
generally solicited and not volunteered
by him.
Major James E. Pitcher of the regu-
lar army, depot surgeon for the Seventh
army corps, said that since the early
days Of the camp there had been no diff
hculty in securing an abundance OF
medical supplies, and that they were
much more plentiful and of greater va.
riety than was usual in the regular
army. In the first history of the camp
supplies were ordered from Tampa. and
II was difficult, sometimes impossible,
10 secure them. He thought the mem
bers of the medical staff here were ef-
hcient as physicians but they were
without administrative ability. Many
of them knew nothing of formulating
requisitions, and were not disposed to
learn. To this DR.. Pitcher attributed
the fact that so much OF relief society
supplies was asked in preference ia
those Of the government. He thought
that If the physicians had understood
this line of their business they need not
have called upon the relief association
TO such an extent. still the relief asso-
sociations were supplied with ready
money and could supply all articles re-
quired Immediately. Furthermore,
there was no responsibility on the part
OF surgeons FOR the articles secured from
outside sources as there was for gov
ernment supplies.
Dr. Connor pressed Dr. Pitcher closely
on this point saying To him that the
was fun of the report that the
department of the government
was not capable Of meeting the demands
made upon it. and that but for the aid
of such relief societies as the Red Cross ,
there would have been actual suffering.
DR. Pitcher replied that such was not
The case. He had faith in the ability
NJ the government To take good care ,
of its own sick. lie said that IL would ,
have been ungracious not 10 accept the !
nid offered w the relief societies. ,
Lieutenant Colonel Nifquain, "a vet
tran OF the civil war and a graduate
NJ the military school of Brussels. said ,
hat the Third Nebraska regiment was
axceilentk equipped except that the ",
Ientage was poor. The Quality II the
clothing was also bad. The pork had ,
been wormy at times. and the beef taint-
pa hut these had been exchanged. He !
had thought tho clothing better than In :