The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-04
uIIBBARD CLICKED A PATIENT.
PRICES SENSATIONAL TIES
r,,IoNY BEFORE COMMISSION.

r,,.o Hnd Gone to the Hospital in
,.onse to shrieI<s-More Testi-
onv in Condemnation of Camp
ubomas and as to the Inefticiency
Of Nurses.
r..,.f,naH Nov. Seen. Dodge, Gen.
800, and Dr. Common of the war inves-
..-o.sro commission, reached Fort Thorn
IN, at 10 a. m. In company with Mai.
~, y.bo is the surgeon in charge of the
,,,srirsf- at that place, the commissioners
-,.o.7ed on a tour of inspection through
=. The wards of the hospitals. They also
I'D the camp of the Sixth Regiment,
--stcb is in tents on the gorunds adjoin-
,ar tba hospitals. This regiment was cut.
- nieees in the Santiago campaign and
hae since been recruited.
Cen Dodge put many questions to the
,otants in the hospitals, concerning their
treatment. but found no one complaining.
rho inspsction of the camp was thorough.
II extended into the dinner hour. and Gen.
Dodee and Col. Sexton went to the mess
tents and inspected the food.
TIL afternoon session was occupied in
the hearing of three witnesses, mostly on
the condition of the division hospital at
Chickamauga
The first witness was Maj E. F. Hell
burn Second Kentucky, now mustered
ont The death list of his regiment, he
stated. was twenty-six, most of whom
died at home on furlough. The sick cases
in Chickamauga increased very rapidly.
He knew there was a shortage Of cots in
the hospitals as well as tents.
In answer to questions by DR.. Conner he
stated that ne served on a commission,
Amounted on account of a complaint of
the colonel of the First Arkansas, to in
yestigate the division hospital.
DR.. Ward, the witness, and Maj. John
son. formed the commission. This com
mission was appointed in the latter part
of August and reported about Sept. 5.
The parties were then being removed to
the hospital, and the hospital was in a
chaotic condition. The sinks were as close
as $50 feet from the wards, and were in
an unclean condition. There was dump
ing ground where other refuse was
thrown There was a gully running right
through the site The sick were in fairly
good condition. The commission exam
med 200 or 300 witnesses, including com
mander, chaplain, privates, hospital corps,
nurses and visitors. The commission
concluded that at first the hospital was
in bad condition, but il got better, and
during Maj. Smiths control it was in good
condition. The commission found that
the cause for this bad condition arose
from the fact that it was not
intended to be more than a temporary
hospital, but the sick increased so rapidly
was the incompetency of men detailed
from regiments for nurses. In many reg
iments the most worthless men were de-
tailed for that duty. The detail was made
according to regulation The fault was
not of the medical department. but of the
system. The commission found unneces-
sary suffering because of lack of tents
and Of cots, so that the patients were ex-
posed to The rain and compelled to lay on
the ground This was the fault of the
quarteTmaster's department.. acquisitions
were not filed for from two to ten days.
and in some instances were not filled at
all When asked if there were many deaths
resulting from these neglects he said
there was an order from DIR. Hof to Mai
Smith to send fifty of the worst patients
10 Sternberg hospital
OF these two died in a short time after
the removal. 1t was claimed by DR.. Hof
'"u' tne oIuer was TO SEND nifty patients
and not fifty of the worst PATIENTS The
original order was not produced. The wit
ness admitted that he would not charge
these deaths to neglect, but TO want of
Judgment in sending men out not fit 10
pear the fatigue The only complaint
against the medical corps was in the case
u one Maj, Hubbard who required the
SICK to stand at attention while attending
SICK calls. The medical corps was not
neglected but was disheartened because
ol inability to get supplies, medicine and
proper nursing. The witness cited an in
stance or thermometer given to an or
Derry to be used for taking the tempera-
lure OF patients, and when asked for it the
next DAY he said he did not know what
II was good for, and had given 1t away.
AS instances of neglect the witness said
MS commission had much testimony that
pa1ehts We're allowed to remain filthy in
1nelr beds and were actually fy-blown
rms neglect was chargeable to
tne nurses directly. The nurses
were frequently changed, and the officers
"a charge We're also frequently changed.
some were asked to resign and Others
UIohe down. The witness saw many pa
uents on cots on the ground. The wards
were not all floored until in August
Inc evidence before the commission
showed that the medical officers were con-
SSiVH'ious ana dld their utmost to remedy
'ne evils prevailing in the hospitals.
Inc witness read the statement of Mai
ornlln and of Col Hof made to his COM
uss.on, The former was a scathlng ar
Lalghment of the inefficiency of the supply
department. Medicines, medical appara-
Jus ice and drinking water and other ne
cessities were not furnished. He also com
planned bitterly of the incompetency of
the nurses.
4, IN answer to a question by Gen. Dodge,
me witness said he did not know at the
ume ne made this investigation that the
hospital commandant had authority to
purchase any medical and commissary
supplies, and he did not think the com
mandant knew it, for all the medical
corps complained Of inability to get sup
plies.
speaking of the water supply being I'M
wholesome, he said he got his impression
OF It's unwholesomeness from an order is
sued by the division commander that all
drinking water should be boiled
Col Hofs statement before the commits
mill AS -.