The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-10-17
Not Needed AT
Present.
But Government Can Now
Handle Their Sick.

Washington. Oct 16-The following
letter from the surgeon general of the
army was written in reply to one sent
to the president by A. f. Orr, vice
chairman of the Red Cross relief COM
mission; 81 have received the copy of
your letter to the president, In answer
to your question as to why the inter-
vention of the Red Cross relief COM
mission should be longer needed and
why the government does not see tic it
that it's own sick are provided for
would say;
'"rhe emergencies of the war mad>
the assistance Of relief associations
most valuable, notwithstanding the fact
that it is the intention of the govern
ment to provide 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 IN
emergency. Moreover, at the outset OF
the war, the arrangements made for
providing light diet for the sick, which
had proved satisfactory in time OF
peace, were inadequate under the con-
of instruction and among troops en-
gagged in active operations.
For this reason the presence of FED
Cross agents. with their abundant sup
plies of delicacies for the sick, has been
of inestimable value. But provision was
made by a general order published
August 10, general order l16) by which
surgeons in charge of hospitals, gener-
al division or regimental, are enabled
to draw sixty 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
1.-The medical department does not
supply food for the sick in hospital.
This is obtained from the commissary
department or by purchase wherever 1t
can be procured. I enclose herewith a
list showing the articles which can be
purchased from the commissary, which
list, as you win see, includes canned
soups, tapioca, crackers, jellies, tea
butter, etc. MIX, chickens and eggs,
fresh vegetables are purchased wher-
ever they can be obtained. The medi-
cal department furnishes a. few arti-
cles under the head of hospital
stores including condensed milk, SUI
gar and tea; but no other food supplies
are furnished by the medical depart
ment or cam be properly paid for from
the medical and hospital appropriation.
OF course, if the commissary depart
ment fails to provide these supplies and
they can not be purchased in the vici-.
nifty of a camp or hospital, the difficult
{ ty of providing proper food for the sick
would be very great, and under such
conditions the supplies of the relief as
sociations have been most welcome.
But the amount now allowed by the
government is ample to provide every
thing necessary in the way of suitable
diet for the sick, and when there is
any failure to provide this, it is fail
ure in administration by those imme-
diately in charge, and not a failure of
the government to provide the neces-
sary means.
You will no doubt agree with me
that so cents day for the raw mate
rial from which to prepare a proper
diet for the sick is a most liberal pro-
vision The experience of medical Off
GERS shows that it is not only ample
but excessive, and that for the sick
living for the most part upon milk,
weak soups and farinaceous foods, this
is much in excess of any reasonable re-
quirement.
Under the circumstances, / think
those patriotic and liberal citizens who
have contributed so freely to aid in
& the case of our sick soldiers, may now
leave the matter in the hands of the
4 government, without any apprehension
as to the results