Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-11-21

almost daily in the newspapers during the
| occupation of Camp Wikof, for it is now
generally understood that the weakness,
prostration, anaemia and emaciation of
so many OF the troops were the results Of
malarial, typhoid and yellow fever, from
which the army suffered as consequence
| of its exposure to the climatic influences
and to infections OF Santiago and its
neighborhood pending and subsequent to
the surrender of the city. '
Troops In the Home Camps.
The method of hospital organization in
these camps was practically the same; and
i. there was much similarity in the condi
4 tons affecting them and correspondingly IN
J their history. Regiments reported in but Few
| instances with the material and supplies
| for their medical care: but they brought
| sick men with them and these required i'm
mediate care. Provision had to be made
for division hospitals in view of future
| field service and for regimental hospitals
in view of the immediate necessity.
Chief surgeons, officers and division COM
manders began the organization and equip
ment of their field division hospitals and
| ambulance companies but they were met at
| the outset by the apparent impossibility Of
| securing men for services as cooks, nurses,
| litter bearers, ambulance drivers, team
| sters. etc.
| AS a rule the hospitals were kept in
| campaigning condition, that is the tents
were neither framed nor loored, until the
| increased prevalence of typhoid fever at
| tracted attention to their crowded condi-
| ton, when the object of their existence
became suddenly changed from school for
| field service to a hospital for the treatment
of local outbreak of disease. Special
| diet kitchens under the management of
| capable individuals, were opened at most of
the hospitals. Money for this purpose was
| sent to them by me from funds eontribut-
| ed and placed at my disposal. Money was
also sent directly by individuals and rep
| resentatives of aid societies; and the Red
Cross committee supplied quantities of ice
and milk. chicken. eggs. lemons. ETC., Pa
jamas, night shirts and other articles of
hospital clothing we're also provided by the
Red Cross and other aid societies. Subse-
quently the order using the commutation
of the sick soldiers ration at 60 cents rem
dered these hospitals wholly Independent
| of outside assistance.
| About July 20 the troops for the inva-
| sion of Porto Rico embarked and sailed.
| The field hospital accommodation with this
| eXpeditionary force was ample and the
| supplies abundant.
| Troops on the Pacific Coast.
| The precautions taken to secure good
sanitary condition on the vessels prior to
embarkation and the sanitary supervision
exercised over the men during their long
voyage must be credited with the excellent
condition of the troops at Manila. The
want Of hospital corps men was the main
cause OF the failure of chief surgeons to
establish their division hospitals promptly.
Instead of organizing for field service their
time was occupied and their energies spent
in endeavoring to procure the necessary
men by enlistment or transfer After
time, when sickness invaded the camps and
the division hospitals became filed. opera
tions for field service had to give place to
the immediate necessity of caring for the
sick. The division hospitals became eX-
panded at Siboney and Tampa into base
hospitals with increased needs and in
creased responsibilities.
Up to September 30 eleven general hospf-
tails were established and fully manned and
equipped. These had 4 capacity of nearly
700 beds. At the same time certain post
hospitals having good accommodations were
used for the treatment of army cases gen.
orally, without alteration of their official
status post hospitals.
My report represented tabulations COM
piled from monthly reports of sick and
wounded received from May to September
inclusive, and representing a strength pres
ent of 7,1ss men. These give full particu-
J..
were occasioned by typhoid fever, 81 by
malarial fevers and 1893 by darrhoea and
dysentery. The death rates for May and
June, .4G and 20. were not in excess of those
of the army in time of peace.
In July the rate became somewhat high
er than that of most well cared for cities
2.1j for the month. or the equivalent of
an annual rate of $50 per thousand liv-
ing. In August it became excessive. 4.0S
of 1896 per thousand. In September the
influence of measures taken in July and
August to improve the health of the army
becomes manifest in the falling of the
death rate 10 2:i5, or the equivalent of an
annual rate of 29.sO; the same progression
to an acme in August with a sudden fall
in September in various ratios given un-
der the specific titles. typhoid fever
malarial fever and diarrhoeal diseases
} This Is exceedingly gratifying and must
be credited. stated. to the sanitary
measures adopted, for our experience in
| the civil war demonstrates that in the
absence Of these measures the high ratio
| of August would have been continued for
many months to come.
From tables of absolute numbers and of
ratios by which the incidents of sickness
or mortality of the regular and volunteer
troops may be contrasted it will be seen
for the Santiago campaign gave them
from June to September a higher death
, rate than the volunteers and that the rate
of the latter for August the month of
} maximum mortality. was 3.62. as compared
with 53 among the regular troops.
) Volunteer Relief Work.
My guiding principle throughout the
war has been that relief when needed,
should be promptly accepted without ref
! ersnce TO the source from which it came
, The relief afforded by the National Red
Cross at SibOney was promptly accepted
by the surgeons on the spot, but it Is evi-
, dent that II WAS entirely Inadequate to
meet the emergency.
This association has full authority to
send agents and supplies OF various kinds
In u most liberal manner for the use of
our field hospitals. Other organizations
, which have rendered very valuable services
} are the National Relief Commission. hav-
ing headquarters in Philadelphia, and the
Massachusetts Volunteer Aid Association.
with headquarters in Boston. Both of
these organizations fitted out 'hassital