The age-herald., 1898-11-08
RED HOT SHOT
 FOR ALCER|SM Damaging Testimony Adduced at
 Chicago Session, TOTAL LACK OF SUPPLIES Troops Were NearIyStarved Dur ing Santiago Campaign. 
 SICK MEN LAY ON THE GROUND Gen. Boynton Responsible for Death of
 Many Soldiers.
Gen. Boynton Responsible for Death Of
 Many Soldiers.
ouARTERMAsTER INCOMPETENT
Surgeons Were Compelled to Hound Them to Obtain Medicines for the Sick Soldiers Drs. Hoff and Jen-
 nings Unfit for Their Positions.

Chicago, November 7.-General Dodge, Colonel Sexton and pr. Conner, of the war investigating commission, arrived in Chi cago today and immediately began the ex- animation of witnesses at the Auditorium hotel.
 pr. Lewis Schooler, of Des Moines, la, was the first witness today. From June to July IT, pr. Schooler was stationed at Camp Thomas as chief surgeon of the Sec ond division, Third corps. Questioned py Dr. Conner he said that during the time he was there the sanitary conditions in the hospitals was not very good; that the sinks in the whole division were bad, owing prin- cipally to the character of the ground and the discipline was rather lax.
 "At the opening" said pr. Schooler, "therewere practically no facilities for the care of the sick; we were short of medi- cines and had no apparatus by which the stewards could prepare the medicines that we had The regimental hospitals, all but one or two, were as poorly supplied with medicines as the division hospitals. Requi- stions were made for more but they were generally disapproved at the camp head quarters. The supply department had cer- tain hours for issuing supplies, and at other times nothing could be obtained. There was a scarcity of beds in the hospitals. At one time particularly half our nursing
  ipsubordina tion." . .. sse
 Dr. Conner: "Why was not demand made by somebody that better or more nurses should be sent to that placer
 Blame the Ouartermasters
 pr. Schooleri q do not know I wrote the surgeon-general only protesting against difficulty of securing supplies. Part of the blame rested upon the quartermaster $ de- partment." fs
 Dr. Schooer said the surgeons could not agree with the quartermaster as to the necessary Improvement in facilities, and at times ill-feeling was engendered. Ihe lack of medicines" he continued ''the lack of trained nurses and the lack of a su1f- cient number of surgeons was material difficulty. One cause of the prevalence of sickness in the camp was that we had three regiments who came there with great deal of sickness-the First Mississip- pi and the First and Second Arkansas There was much typhoid and dysentery in these regiments. I think the quartermas- ters department was largely responsible for the great sickness the medical depart ment Chat is the supply department was also responsible for some things. Then we lacked facilities to make reports on-did not even have stationery. We were told all the time that reports must be made.
 Dr. Connor-"So far as you know was there on the part of any medical officer or surgeon any wilful neglect in the care of the sick?"
 Where the Hitch Came
 Dr. Schooer-"No, sir. The great difii- culty was in obtaining supplies, and think the hitch came between Colonel Hartsun and the medical supply department"
 For the successful care of the sick Dr. Schpoler considered the division hospital far superior to regular hospitals.
 q left on the 17th day of July" he said, "before any epidemic had set in. In my ;,,5 tba racnacihlifv for tHa c0Qtinu- ance of the conditions there does not rest upon the division surgeons"
 In regard to the water supply at the camp, pr. Schooler stated that he did not think any of the surgeons in his division considered the water it to drink. And, again, there was not enough teams at the disposal of the officers to enable them 10 bring sufficient water. Upon several oc- casions he had visited the ground situated around where the supply was taken from the river and felt convinced from what he saw that much of the prevailing disease was caused by the negligence of the poic- ing department in allowing the soldiers to go at will through the woods situated along the banks of the stream. He gave this as a reason for many of the cases of typhoid fever existing in the camp.
 Laxity in Issuing Passes
 Another feature which contributed large- ly to the sick list, in the opinion of the doc- tor, was the laxity shown in issuing passes to the men and allowing them to visit other camps. He gave as his opinion that the medical officers were hampered by officers of higher rank, but who had no medical training. In regard to division hospitals, the doctor said: '.I think there should have been hospital in Chattanooga where class of patients would have been taken who were going to be sick any length of time
 sThe division hospital" he continued, twas never intended for cases where pa- tents were going to be sick any length of time.'
 When questioned as to the lack of nurses, the doctor said that he thought both the nurses as well as the officers were over worked.
 Mrs Virginia B. Betz, of Chicago, was in regard to the death of her son, Frank, who enlisted in the First Illinois volun- teers. He was taken sick at Santiago and brought to Montauk. From there he was allowed to go home on furlough, when he should have been sent to the hospital. He was sent home entirely unattended and was compelled to ride in a day coach. He arrived home on September 1. and on Sep tember 19 died. It was the opinion of Mrs. Betz that the medical officers should have sent him to the hospital, or, if he must be sent home, she claimed he should have had an attendant.
 Milo B. Ward. of Kansas City, who was a brigade surgeon at Camp Thomas from July 12 to September 10, asked as to tho