Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-07-18
Surgeons Are Devising Means for Its
determination.
STATEMENT BY COLONEL GIRARD
The Situation is Described to Be
Very Bad.
NOTES OF THE CAMP


SAMf ALGER, va, July Is, 1873.
Typhoid fever has been the chief subject
OF conversation among the medical officers
for some time, growing more and more in
interest every day. The disease has now
become the one feature of camp life of
which the surgeons duty here think
most constantly and toward the suppress
sion of which all their efforts are directed.
During the past week sufficient number
of cases has been reported to bring the
total Of men now under treatment at Fort
Myer up to fifty-one. There have been
five deaths within the past two days, that
ls, up to the time this mornings report
was submitted. Two more have peen re-
ported since From one regiment three
men were sent to Fort Myer last week with
the symptoms of typhoid we'll developed
and two more went this morning as sus-
poets.
"All this typhoid fever" said Colonel
Girard this morning "is due not so much
to bad local conditions as to neglect on the
part of the men themselves. Among so
many it should not be surprising that a
great number do not know how to care
for themselves, and who on being proper
ly instructed, fail utterly to carry out the
instructions If the enlisted men were will
ing to drink only water from the artesian
wells intended for their use and which has
been thoroughly boiled, much of this
trouble might have been avoided This
much want to make clear first
The situation, as it exists now, is very
bad. The 9th Pennsylvania Is not we'll To-
Gated. 1 have been informed that within
hundred yards of the camp now occupied
by the regiment there is a stream filed
with vegetable and animal matter, and
overhung with disease-laden vapor. The
18th and 18th Pennsylvania are stationed
In quarters so small and inadequate as to
be dangerous, if not positively unhealth-
full. All three regiments will be moved as
soon as possible, preparations to move the
10Th and 18th having been already COM
pleted- The 9Th will be taken from It's pres
ent location as soon as the change of
quarters can possibly be accomplished,
doubtless within the next tWenty-four
hours. / am informed that the one well
now in use at Dunn Loring gives an abund-
ance of water OF The very best quality, and
that the situation assigned the 9Th PennsyI-
vania is in every way satisfactory.
The Deaths From Typhoid.
Herbert r. Griffith, private in Company
B, Sd Virginia, died at farm house about
a mile and a half from camp Saturday
night. He had been i'll for five weeks
with typhoid fever, and was sent to the
farm house Immediately after the regi-
nent arrived here. His body will be sent
to his home in Culpeper in charge of his
father.
Private Lewis Mitchell, Company l. ID
Tennessee. died at Fort Myer yesterday
morning at 10 o'clock. He also suffered
from typhoid. He will be buried tomorrow
morning at O'Clock at Arlington.
The death report also includes the names
of W. ne N la
Privates Porter of Company D and Corwin
Of Company H. These two were also un-
der treatment for typhoid.
One of the cases reported today Is of
particular interest, that of Captain Badge
ly, Troop A, LIST New York Cavalry. He
was sent to Fort Myer when his command
first reached camp, his malady having been
diagnosed as malaria 1t row appears that
he is i'll of typhoid fever, and cannot eX-
pect to report for duty for several weeks.
Mysterious disappearance.
Interest at camp is ceptered in the where
ahouts of Private Jessup Kirkendall, Com
pany B. 13th Pennsyl, ania, who disappear
ell the latter part of the week. 1t is said
that when kirkeEdall vas last seen he had
over 500 on his perscn. Searches have
been made in the vicinity of the camp, and
as no trace had been found of him up to
this time, fears OF foul play are entertained
by his comrades. 1t is stated that he re-
Gently drew on mis- bank for $1,000.
Camp Notes.
In addition to the Massachusetts and
Connecticut troops it is expected that
regiment from South Carolina and another
from Illinois will soon arrive.
The New York cavalry squadron has re-
turned to camp from a six days march
through the Shenandt all valley.
Maj Gen. Butler has been presented with
beautiful thorougtbIe mare by Col.
x. =
b. Albert Liehermen, second lieutenant,
Company H, Sd Missouri Infantry, was ap-
pointed by The governor of Missouri sur
geon Of the jth Missouri Regiment, now Or
gsnizing at jefferson barracks, and went
Saturday to join his new command.