The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-10-09
WAR COMMISSION TO INSPECT
THE MEMBERS TO MAKE A TOUR
OF THE VARIOUS CAMPS.

sion Yesterday Information
Given In Regard TO Camp Thomas
ana Camp Cubn Libre-CrowdinR
of the Hospital at Camp Thomas "a
FauIt of the Surgeon In Charge.
Surgeons Were Competent, But
Not Men of Executive Ability.
Sinks Were Too Near the Kitch-
ems.
Washington, Oct. s.-The war investlgat-
Ing commission examined two witnesses to-
day. They were DR.. Griffin, who is in
charge of the sternberg Hospital at Camp
Thomas, Chickamauga Park, Ga, and
Capt Baldridge a brigade eommissary of
subsistence at Camp Cuba Libre, Jack
sonville. Both contributed much informa-
ton in regard to the two camps.
The commissioners have practically de-
cided TO start on the night of the 18th on
a round of the various camps. They will
go to Camp Meade or to Jacksonville first,
but are not yet decided which. An the
camps win be visited In succession, but the
understanding is that the trip to Camp
Wlkoff will not be made until some time in
November Next week win be given large
ly to the inspection of official reports and
to other statements which have been fur
nlshed in reply to letters from the COM
mission.
Maj Emmet Griffin was a brigade sur
geon at Camp Thomas and told of his visit
to the second division hospital la July last,
when he said 1t was overcrowded. In each
tent and under its flies there were eight or
nine men when there should have been
but from four to six. There was a suf-
heiency Of physicians and Maj. Griffin was
sure they were competent men. The ma
jority of patients were suffering from ty
phoid fever and venereal diseases, about
20 per cent being of the latter class. He
thought the crowding of the hospital was
from lack Of sufficient tentage, a fault due
to the surgeon in charge. DR.. Griffin made
his visit to the division hospital to see a
man of his brigade who had been shot in
the leg. He found him In a tent with ty-
phoid fever patients and consequently had
him removed. The division hospital sur
geons were competent in their profession,
some of them being the most competent in
the United States, but they were not men
of executive ability. None of them was
addicted TO drink.
He considered the water supply good.
The sinks were poorly located. They were
too near the kitchens, and were too shall
low. Many of them were only seVenty-tiVe
feet from the company kitchen, and were
open when he arrived He then had them
moved farther back, and gave directions
for daily dlsinfectlon and covering. BY
this time, however the regiments were all
infected, as he thought, by the flies going
from the sinks to the mess tables.
DR.. Griffin was satisfied that the typhoid
had been brought In by the troops, the
first cases coming through a Mississippi
regiment. The location was a healthful
one as he made an investigation and
found that previous to the arrival Of the
troops there had only been one case of
| typhoid in the vicinity for nine years.
There had been about 5000 cases of typhoid
in the camp.
DR.. Gibbons had no complaint of neglect
or inefficiency to make against any Of the
bureaus OF the war department, and he
| had heard of only one complaint. There
were no matches for twenty-four hours
He thought that the contract surgeons
should have been examined before they
were appointed.
The doctor also expressed the opinion
that the complaints of starvation had
arisen from the fact that Il was necessary
! to put conValescents from typhoid fever
on a sparse diet. He thought many
deaths had been caused by overlooking
after convalescents returned to their
homes Orders were given to his knowledge
for prompt measures looking to the sup
preston of the fever when It broke OUT,
but the orders had not been obeyed. Ho
| knew of more cases in which the sinks
were to the last within twenty feet or
the kitchen and in the cases Of the Four
teenth Minnesota and Ninth Pennsylvania
! Regiments the sinks were crowded near
/ the kitchens, when there was a quarter
of mile OF open field back Of them. He
| thought that It had been a mistake to
/ locate so many men together as were
| at Camp Thomas.
Requisltions had been honored prompt
ly. He got everything he asked for.
Capt. James c. Badrdge, commissary
| of subsistence for the First Brigade, Sec
ond division, Seventh Army Corps, now
| at Camp Cuba Libre, Jacksonville, occu-
pied the attention of the commission dur
! ing the afternoon. He reached the camp
on Aug. 2. and made an immediate in
| spection of the kitchens. He found some
! of them not well managed, as all of the
| army corps were not experts. He believ-
| ed that for an army in camp green coffee
| was preferable to the roasted as II was
| stronger and fresher. The meat, he con-
sidered good, and il was received on time,
except in one instance. Upon complaint
! by the Second New Jersey Regiment, he
! Investigated meat which had been reject
ed by It, Some Of this meat was eaten
| by the brigade officers and found to be
| wholesome. The next day the same regi-
rnent rejected a consignment Of corn
| beef, but this also he found to be eatable
| The men were literally supplied with
| food and the location Of the camp was
| good.
Still there has been an increase Of dis
| ease which he attributed to the climate
| and to the assembling Of a large body Of
| men, He also thought decaying fruit ana
the canteen beer had had an influence in
| producing disease.
Gen. Dodge read letter to the witness
from a member Of the Second New Jer-
| sey Regiment, saying some Of the regiment
| were dying Of starvation and others were
| completely broken down.
Capt Baldrldge said there had been a
| great deal Of complaint from this regi-
! ment. They received their full rations and
] he attributed their troubles partially to
i the fact that they had an inexperienced
/ man as commissary of subsistence. The