The herald., 1898-10-17
SURGEON HAS REASONS
FOR DECLINING FURTHER AID
FROM THE RED CROSS
THE SIxTY-CENT SICK RATION
Is More Than Ample Provision for In
valids If the Money Is Properly
Expended
Associated Press Special Wire.


WASHINGTON, Oct. l5-The following
letter from the surgeon general OF the army
was written III reply to one written to the
president by a. Il. Orr, vice chairman of
the Red Cross relief committees:
Il have received the copy OF your letter
to the president. In answer to your ques-
ton as to Why the intervention of the Red
Cross relief committee should be longer
needed, and why the government does not
see to it that its own sick are provided for,
l would say:
"1he emergencies of the war made the
assistance of the relief associations most
valuable, Notwithstanding the fact that it
is the intention of the government to pro-
vide literally for the care of sick soldiers.
But, as you know, with ample means and
good intentions supplies cannot always be
provided at the proper place and time to
meet an emergency. Moreover at the out
set of the war, the arrangements made for
providing light diet for. the sick which had
proved satisfactory in time of peace under
the careful consideration of experienced
medical officers, were inadequate under the
conditions which prevailed in our camps OF
instruction and among troops engaged in
active operations. For this reason, the
presence Of Red Cross agents with their
sick has been of inestimable value. But
provision was made by general order pub
lished August 10 &C. o. ll6) by which sur
geons in charge of hospitals, general, divi-
sion or regimental, are enabled to draw
60 cents per day for each sick enlisted man
of the army in lieu of his regular ration. Up
to that time the communication value of a
ration was only 80 cents.
"The medical department does not supply
food for the sick in hospitals. This is OBJ
tanned from the commissary department or
by purchase wherever it can be secured. [
enclose herewith list showing the articles
which can be purchased from the commits
sary, which list, as you will see, includes
canned soups: tapioca. crackers. jellies. tea.
butter; etc. Milk, chickens and eggs, fresh
vegetables, etc. are purchased wherever
they can be obtained. The medical de
partment furnishes few articles under the
head of hospital stores including con
densed milk, sugar and tea, but no other
food supplies are furnished by the medical
department or can be properly paid for from
the medical and hospital appropriation. OF
course, if the commissary department fails
to provide these supplies and they cannot
or hospital, the difficulty of providing prop
err food for the sick will be very great, and
under such circumstances the supplies of
relief associations have been most welcome.
But the amount now allowed by the gov
eminent is ample to provide everything
necessary IN the way OF suitable diet Tor
the sick, and when there is any failure to
provide for this it is failure in the admin.
istration by those Immediately in charge
and not failure of the government to pro-
vide the necessary means
"You will no doubt agree with me that
60 cents a day for the raw material from
which to prepare proper diet for the sick
is most liberal provision. The experience
Of medical officers shows that it is not only
ample, but excessive, and that for sick men,
living for the most part upon milk, weak
| soups and farinacecus. food, this amount is
much in excess of any reasonable require
ment.
"Under these circumstances, think that
those patriotic and liberal citizens who
and to the aid of our sick soldiers may
now leave the matter in the hands of our
government without any apprehension as
to the result"