Evening star., 1898-11-04
DR.. MENACE TESTIFIES
Sixth Infantry's Surgeon Tells Of
Santiago Campaign.
COULD NOT GET AMBULANCES
Condition of Transports Was as
He Expected.
COMMISSION COMING HOME

CINCINNATI Ohio. November 4.-The
war iuvestiga ting commission resumed its
work today with General Dodge, General
Sexton and DR.. Conner present. The first
witness was DR.. Menage. contract surgeon.
serving with the 9TH Infantry. He testified
as to the absence of hospital tents for
the regiment in Cuba. He treated his sick
in the regiment in preference to sending
them back to the division hospital because
of the difficulty in transportation. The
nearest hospital was perhaps a mile and
a half away.
The medical supplies were reasonably
sufficient The appliances and supplies at
the hospital. the witness did not know
about His chief trouble was in getting an
ambulance. This he got after a delay of
two days. He made no requisitiOn for drugs
but once DIR. McCraw did most of that
work. The regiment left there about Au-
gust 8. At that time there were about thir-
ty or forty men in acute condition. Per-
hsps One-eighth of the command was re-
ported regularly for treatment.
There had been no yellow fever up to this
time.
Condition of Transport.
The condition of the TRANSPORT was as
good as could be given. Men had fair quar-
tyrs and there was an abundance of medi-
cal supplies There was enough ice. There
vas condensed milk and a limited amount
Of matted milk. They purchased with the
hospital fund beef extract from the stew
ard of the vessel There was some avail
able in Santiago. The regiment lost no
f:.cn on the voyage. The vessel was held
i've days in quarantine at Montauk Point
IN n de;eatiOn camp. The condition of the
camp was good, except there were no beds
McGraw was in charge of the men in
camp while the witness remained aboard
the vessel to take care of supplies. The
witnesses explained the movements of the
Sixth from the detention camp to the regu-
lar camp and told Of the march which per-
haps hve-sixths Of the men We're able to
make The regiment was in camp until in
October. The command did not materially
improve in health in that time This he
attributed largely to inability to properly
diet the men.
investigation at MiddIetoyvn
CAMP MEADE, NIIDDLETOWN, Pa.
November Chief Commissary Allison and
0thei officers at corps headquarters went
to Harrisburg today to appear before the
committee of the war investigating board
The committee heard testimony at the
LCchiel Hotel. relating to Camp AIger and
other camps established at the brea king ou-
of the war The testimony Of the witnesses
beard today did not add materially to that
taken a other places by the board.
Chief Quartermaster Howard gave a de-
tailed history of the work of his depart
equipped in July as any body of soldiers
that ever took the field
Colonel Allison testified that the quality
of ratOns issued at Camps Alger and
Meade was excellent. He claimed igno-
rance Of cooking among the volunteers was
the cause of much OF the sickness at Camp
Alger, and suggested that the cOmmissary
Sergeants he appointed from the non-com-
missi"ned officers in the regular army
He sail there would be less sickness
among the troops if they did not eat dain-
ties shipped to them by friends at home
Col Allison said red tape did not prevent
the return to the cOmmssary department
tons in its place.
Gen. Davis Testifies.
Gen George W. Davis, commander of the
I'd Division of the % Corps, said Canr
Thomas, at Chickamauga. was one of the
best camping grounds in the country, and
that 1T was partly selected on his recon-
mendation
lie attributed the sickness at Camp Als,er
20 Keeping the men there too long and
camping them too closely together Inn
proper food sent 70 the soldiers from their
EomeS also had much to do with the sick
TtSS- There was no failure of the commits
sary to supply good food and plenty of it,
The delays in securing clothing at Camp
Aiger were caused by the War Department
equipping troops that were to ne sent i'm
mvdIately 10 the front.
col Watts Of the Srh PENNSYLVANIA ResI-
meHt testified IS To che wate~ supply at
camp Alser and the large amount Of sick
ness among the troops Chief Surgeon
Glraru explained tna causes Of the sickness
at Camp AlSer ana the efforts that were
made to keep the nan in good c0ndition
AID relIcv- he SUFFERING
Ine committee VIII cOmplete It's inUuiry