The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1898-11-26
GEN. S7ERNBERG REPORTS
The Surgeon General of the Army
Tells of Medical Work in the
War with Spain.
GIVES CAUSE FOR so MUCH SICKNESS.
Organization and Ignorance of
Officers Were In a Great Measure
RespOnsible-Suppl Were Al
Ways Ready. -.

Washington, Nov. 21.-The report Of
Surgeon General sternberg on the work
of the medical department during the
Spanish war says:
Immediately upon the declaration Of
war. April q. officers in charge of the med
zeal supply depots were directed to make
arrangements. SO that supplies could be
Immediately obtained for 100000 men for
six months. Requests from the medical
ofiicers for supplies we're always granted
I'm my opinion the reduction Of the age
limit from q to IS years. and the haste with
which the volunteer regiments were or
ganized and mustered into the service
were responsible for much of the sickness
which was reported in the early days of
their camp life. All military experience
shows that men under q years break down
easily under the strain of war service. and
every regiment had many of these youths
In Its ranks.
Sickness Increased.
"Soon after the newly raised levies were
aggregated In large camps sickness began
to increase progressively from causes that
were SO general In their operation that
scarcely a regiment escaped from their
harmful influence. These causes may
be largely referred to ignorance on the
part of officers Of the principles of camp
sanitation; and OF their duties ana re-.
sponsiblites as regards the welfare Of
the enlisted men in their commands. Med
zeal officers, as a rule, were also with
out experience in the sanitation of camps
and the prevention OF disease among troops.
The few who knew what should be done
were insufficient to control the sanitary
situation in the large aggregations OF men
hastily gathered together
A Prominent Cause.
zone prominent cause OF the increase Of
sickness in the early camps has been COM
mented upon by only few Of our medical
officers. These cite the prevalence Of drunk
enness and Of venereal disease due to the
facilities and temptations afforded by tho
proximity OF cities to the larger camps.
They hold that II the systems of our men
had not been weakened by dissipation they
would not have succumbed so readily to
the other influences which affected them
Malarial fever added to the sick lists OF
camps In Florida and of southern regi-
ments In the camps of Georgia and Vlr-
ginia.
at was, however, typhoid fever which
broke down the strength OF the commands
generally, the outbreak becoming distinct
ly manifest in July. The sanitary condi-
lions affecting the commands in the va
rious camps have been studied In connec-
ton with the prevalence of typhoid fever
among the men by board Of medical off,
GERS. bat the results of the investigation
of this board have not as yet been reported
In full. 1t appears to me. however. from a
general review of the sanitary reports AL
ready nleu, tnat the prevalence OF the ulS-
ease was proportional to the unsanitary
camp conditions which | have referred to-.
The Santiago Campaign.
"Long before the Fifth army corps en-
harked for Santiago its field hospitals were
in condition for efficient service. SUISSE
quent events. however. rendered valueless
these preparations Of the medical depart
ment. When the command embarked on
the transport vessels the baggage wagons
and mules were left behind. The ambu-
lance trains Of all the divisions with a
large part of the outfit of each OF the hos
pitfalls. were also left behind. OF the prop
erty and supplies carried to Cuba, por-
tion was not available for service at the
time 1t was needed. but all the hospitals
were well supplied for surgical work.
After the capitulation Of Santiago the
troops at the front broke down rapidly
under the fatigues they had undergone.
and the malarial influences to which they
were exposed.
Transfer to N1ontauk Point.
"The transfer Of troops from Santiago
to Montauk Point, N Y, was an emer-
gency measure, and the great responsible
ity Of excluding yellow fever infection from
every transport rested on the medical off,
GERS who had charge Of the embarkation.
Had they failed In this duty the effect
would have been disastrous during the
voyage to the men confined on shipboard.
and tho risk of importing the disease into
this country would have been greatly in