The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-10-22
Some Of the RequIsltIons Made by Him
Were Not Filled For Months.
USED PART OF THE SPECIAL FUND.
By Doing This Surgeon TABOR Was Enabled 10
erersnt Suffering Work Of War Inquiry .
Board at Atlanta Yesterday.

Atlanta. Oct. 22.-The war investigat.
ing committee, after calling upon Gem
eral Pennington, proceeded to Fort Nc
Pherson yesterday. The only work tc
be done here was in connection with the
hospital at the fort. The members
separated into parties OF two each TO visil
the various divisions of the Institution
They found the barracks at the post had
been transformed into hospital wards
and, Notwithstanding the day was wet
the wards were found 20 be comfortable
and warm, made so in each case by
large stove In the center OF the room
There are now 322 patients i'm the insti-
tution ar many of them are GONZALES.
cent. The commissioners talked with
surgeons, nurses and patients. They en-.
countered no complaint from the sick
men. and the nurses stated that the work
was constantly growing less and less
irksome. owing TO the decrease in the
number OF patients.
The commissioners examined only two
-MoJor I'lair B. TAYLOR sur
geon In charge Of the general military
hospital, and Rev. OrvilIe j. Nave. chan.
ialn OF that institution Major Taylor
said that recently he had no difficulty
IN securing supplies. as he had been
gwen carte blanche to purchase them
Ihls authority, however, had not been
given Until the first of August whereas
IL nad been asked for as early as the 25th
OF June. In the BEGINNING OF the camps
history ne had considerable difficulty
In, getting acquisitions filled. though he
mad no difficulty in having them ap.
proved by the authorities in Washing
ton.@ one requisitfon made on the 18th
or May ana another on he Gath OF June
had not been entirely filled Until recent
ly. These acquisitions had been made
upon tho New York supply depot, while
all that were made on the st. Louis
depot had been promptly filled. One
hundred ana sfSteen cots ordered in the
beginning of the season had only arrived
day or two since, and they were not
nov needed. DIR. Taylor. on account OF
delay in iilling these acquisitions. had
been compelled TO call upon the surgeon
general for portion OF his special fund. |
and had thus prevented any suffering
among patients. Among the articles in |
which there was delay was bed linen.
DIR. Taylor said he had found the so |
cents day communication fund more |
than sufficient TO furnish food for the |
sick men. and expressed the opinion that |
40 cents per day would be sufficient for |
the purpose of supplying food.
Rev. Mr. Nave had visited every pa
tient who had been in the hospital. and |
he had never heard a single complaint
from man who was possessed OF his
reason, while on the contrary he had |
heard many expressions of gratitude
and commendation for the excellent |
conduct OF the hospital Mr.. Nave ex-
pressed the opinion that in the conduct
or military hospitals generally there
was too little care of the clothes and |
other property OF patients. He said:
The thieving which has been going on
and the petty peculation which has been
practiced upon soldiers oftentimes by
their comrades have been one of the sad
best features OF the war" While the
bodies OF patients were carefully guard
ed their property was not These ar
ticles were often" the. chaplain said.
very sacred to the patient in case OF
bis recovery, and TO his friends and rela-
tives in case of death" Chaplain Nave
had seen some of the surgeons at the
hospital under the influence of liquor,
out not to sufficient extent 20 inter-
fere with the proper performance Of
IheTr duties.
The commission left last night for An
n |