Daily Kennebec journal., 1898-11-04
IT WAS ALL WRONG.
Continued from page ~

camp of the 9Th Regiment, which is in
tents on adjoining ground. This regi-
ment was cut to pieces in the Santi-
ago campaign and has since been re-
cruited.
Gen. Dodge put many questions to
the patients in the hospitals concern
ing the treatment. but found no one
complaining. The inspection of the
camp was thorough.
A call was made upon Gen. Egbert,
who commanded the 9Th at Santiago,
and who will be examined as witness.
The afternoon session was occupied
in hearing three witnesses, mostly on
the condition of the division hospitals
at Chickamauga.
Major E. F. Helburn of the I'd Ken
lucky, now mustered out, testified that
the death list of his regiment was rs,
most of whom died at home on fur
lough.' The sickness in Chickamauga
increased very rapidly. He knew that
there was a shortage of cots in the hos
pital as well as of tents.
nanswer to questions by DR.. Con-
nor he stated that he served on COM
mission appointed on account of COM
plant of the colonel of the 1st Arkan-
sas, to investigate the division hospi
tails. DR.. Ward, the witness and Ma
jor johnson formed the commission.
This commission was appointed in the
latter part of August and reported
about Sept. Z. The patients were then
being removed to the hospital and the
hospital was in a chaotic condition.
Tho inL 1En
the wards and were in an unclean con-
ditiOn. There was dumping ground
where other refuse was thrown. There
was gully running right through the
site.
The sick were in fairly good condi-
ton. The commission examined 200 or
300 witnesses including commander,
chaplain, privates. hospital corps,
nurses and visitors. The commission
found unnecessary suffering because
Of lack of tents and of cots so that
the patients were exposed to the rain
and compelled to lie on the ground.
This was the fault of the quartermas-
ter's department. Requisitions were
not filled for from 10 to two days and
in some instances were not filled at all.
The only complaint against the medi-
cal corps was in the case of one Major
Hubbard, who required the sick to
stand 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 nurses.
The witness cited an instance of a
thermometer given to an orderly to be
used for taking the temperature of pa
tient and when asked for it the next
day he said he did not know what it
was good for and had given it away.
AS instances of neglect. the witness
said his commission had much testi-
mony that patients were allowed to re-
main filthy in their beds and were ac-
stually fyblown. The evidence before
the commission showed that the medi-
cal officers We're conscientious and did
their utmost to remedy the evils pre-
vailing in the hospitals.
The witness read the statement of
Major Smith and of Col. Hoff made to
his commission. That of the former
was a scathing arraignment of the in
efficiency of the supply department. II
asserted that medicines, medical ap-
paratus, ice and drinking water an6
other necessities were not furnished
1t was also complained bitterly of the
incompetency of the nurses.
~ The witness on being asked his
opinion about the great amount of sick
ness at Chickamauga said he thought
that two-thirds of it was due to
negligence of the men themselves. Ir
his own command men who were tenn
perate and reasonably careful of theil
hon
drank stale beer after drills and would
lie about suddenly cooling off. There
was vast amount of unwholesome
food and drink sold by hucksters unit
they were prohibited The witnes.
cited the 18th and 9th New York Regi
ments, which had canteens, and h
said that almost the entire regimen
were stricken by disease.
This witness also read the statemen
of Capt. Charles Price of the I'd Ken
lucky, who told of hearing shrek:
from the 9th New York ward and upor
investigation he found that MaJo
Hubbard was trying to administer
medicine to a patient. The major wa:
brutal Price interfered and Hubbard
said that was the only way to humor ;
patient. The only explanation he CAV
was that the patient refused to TAX
the medicine.
The reading was at this point inter
rupted by the appearance of Capt
Price and he was examined. He testi
field that on one occasion when h.
went to the hospital to see one of hi
men who was i'll with measles, he wa
informed that the patient had been de
tailed to carry water. The measle
wards were packed, the men bein!
wedged in like sardnes. The same wa
true of the typhoid and malarial wards
The witness in describing the actio
of Major Hubbard said that he choke
the patient and forcibly pressed hir
down on the cot. He then caught tn
patients hands and then wrenche
them until the poor man shrieked wit
pain. At this point the witness sal
to Hubbard:
II do not know your name or you
rank. but this brutality must stop.
Hubbard did not stop, but said some
thing about showing patient how
refuse taking medicine.
Capt. Price said he maze it point t
go every day to the hospital to Sc
about the treatment of the men of h!
company and he found that as resul
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