The record-union., 1898-10-06
but the prediction had not been veri-

but the prediction had not been veri-
fed"
General Wheeler said he had seen
statement from DR.. Smith to the
effect that the drinking water was con-
taminated. He had had an examina-
ton before, not only by the surgeons,
but by Colonel Smart, noted expert,
and they had informed him that the
water was pure. He considered the
water supply adequate and pure and
we'll distributed. While it had been
considered very desirable to weed the
sick out and send such as could go to
the city hospitals, he had cautioned the
surgeons against sending men not able
to leave, and had interfered to see that
some were not sent. He admitted that
before the steam laundry was put to
work there was a scarcity of clean bed
linen for typhoid and other patients.
He had encouraged the closest inspcc-
tion from visitors and asked newspa-
per men to visit the hospitals and re-
port the complaints of the men, with
the view of relieving their wants if they
had any.
General Dodge asked the witness for
a general expression of his opinion as
to the conduct of the various bureaus
of the War Department. Replying, he
praised the work of all the supply de-
partments, saying they We're actuated
by zeal and characterized by intelli-
gence. He had found the Medical De-
partment, from General Sternberg
down, to be efficient and anxious to pro-
mote the best interests of his depart
ment. The same was also true OF the
other departments.
General Wheeler spoke of the mortal
ity among the Spanish soldiers, saying
that it was quite equal to that among
the American troops.
General H. V. Boynton took the stand
in the afternoon. Since the Sth OF July
he had been on duty at Camp Thomas.
Recently his especial duty had been
that of looking after the water supply
of that camp, and still more recently
and at present he was in command Cf
the camp, which was entirely within
the limits of Chickamauga Park. He
thought $4,000 the largest number of
troops that had ever been quartered
in the camp at any one time
General Boynton described at length
the water supply of the park, stating
that several tests of water from the
springs at Chickamauga had proved its
purity.
General Boynton said that while
there was plenty of water and of good
quality for the camp, considerable wa
ter had been brought in recently in bar
rels from springs four or five miles
outside. This was done because of the
tot afc Of +11o
corning the water in the camp There
had never been a death in the park
forces, and never a case Of typhoid fe-
yer, though 600 men had been employed
at one time on the roads.
In response to a query from Captain
Howell, he said that the only typhoid
fever in the camp was brought in from
the outside. The volunteers were To-
Gated in the wooded portion of the park.
but the wood was only sufficient for
shade. 1t was not a dense forest, and
could easily bs penetrated by the sun
shine
General Boynton asserted that the
camp was not crowded.
The sinks were from thirty to ninety
feet from the tents, but in some in
stances the kitchens We're not farther
than twenty feet from the sinks Much
of the kitchen offal was burned.
Typhoid fever in the camp did not
excite serious attention until July. when
the cases averaged about > per 1,0U
1t afterward increased until there were
about 400 cases among the $1,000 men
The fever in all cases had been of
mild character. At one time, after
measles broke out in the camp, the hos
pitfalls were crowded, though he did not
think such had been the case at any
other time. Practically all the sickness
was among the volunteers. The regu-
lars were not sick.
General BroOke's orders allowed two
men out of each company to visit Chat
tanooga a day, which would permit the
absence of about l 200 men.
He deprecated the fact that the army
regulations permitted the canteen sys-
tenn. He had never seen such efficiency
in the supply departments of the army
in the field as in the case of Camp
Thomas. There was no lack of rations
and the ratiOns We're all good. The
variety was equal to that supplied by
a family grocery. Each man had loaf
of bread daily. Fresh meats were sup
piled. Sometimes some of the meat was
spoiled, but as a rule it was good He
believed that there was more food left
over every day than the army of the
Cumberland had for it's entire Chatta-
nooga campaign.
General BoyntOn spoke in especial
commendation of the Young Mems
Christian Association tents, which he
said were the best thing in the service.
On the other hand. he condemned the
outside drinking houses.
Most of the complaints We're, he said,
from the typhoid fever patients. who
were, of course. kept on low rations as
a medical precaution. There was never
any shortage of rations, the newspa-
per statements to the contrary notwith-
standing.
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coffee of J McMOrry 531 M