Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-11-04

cal Corps was in the case OF one Major
Hubbard. who required the sick to stand
at attention while attending sick calls
The Medical Corps was not negiecttui
but was dlspirited by inability to get
supplies. medicine. and proper nurses.
The witness cited an instance OF a
thermometers being given to an orderly
10 be used for taking the temperature OF
patients. and on the orderlys being
asked for Il the next day he said he did
not know what II was good for. and had
given II away. AS instances Of neglect
the witness said his committee had much
testimony that patients were not pro-
perly attended to, and were some times
actually fly-blown. This neglect was
charged TO the nurses directly. The
nurses were frequently changed, and the
officers In charge were also frequently
changed. Some were asked to resign and
others broke down. The witness saw
many patients on cots on the ground.
The wards were not all fioored until in
August.
The evidence before the committee
showed that the medical officers were
conscientious. and did their utmost to
remedy the evils prevailing In the hos
pitfalls.
MENT.
The witness read the statements or
Major Smith and Colonel Hoff made to
his committee. The former was a scath-
ing arraignment of the inefficiency Of the
supply department Medicines, medical
apparatus, ice and drinking water, and
other necessities were not furnished. He
also complained bitterly of the incom-
potency of the nurses
In answer to a question by General
Dodge, the witness said he did not know
at the time they held this investigation
that the commandant had authority TO
purchase any medical or 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 being unwhole-
some, he said he got his impression of its
unwholesomeness from an order issued
by the division commander that all drink
ing water should be boiled.
DEFENCE OF FIELD HOSPITALS.
Colonel Hoff's statement before the COM
mission dealt with the defence of the field
hospital system. which, he said, was
originally intended to accommodate 600
SICK but the sickness had rapidly and
Unexpectedly increased. so that the supply
department was not able to meet the de-
mands. He bought supplies himself to
meet wants that could not otherwise be
supplied.
The witness, being asked his own opin-
ion about the great amount of sickness
at Chickamauga, said he thought that
two thirds Of it was due to negligence on
the part of the men themselves.
II 49, .
from Captain Charles Price. of the Sc
cond Kentucky, who told of hearing
shrieks from the Ninth New York Ward,
and upon investigation finding that Major
Hubbard was trying to administer medi-
cine to patient. The Major was brutal.
Price interfered, and Hubbard said that
that was the only way to "humor" a
patient. BY way Of explanation. he said
the patient had refused the medicine.
CRUELTY OF A SURGEON.
The reading was at this point inter
rupted by the appearance of Captain
Price, and he was examined. He testi-
fed that on one occasion when he went
to the hospital to see one Of his men,
who was i'll with measles, he saw that
the patient had been detailed to carry
water The measles wards were packed,
the men being wedged in like sardines.
The same was true of the typhoid and
malarial wards. The witness. in de-
scribing the action OF Major Hubbard,
said that he choked the patient and forci-
bly, pressed him down on the cot. He
then caught the patients hands and
wrenched them until the poor man shrek
ed with pain.
At this point the witness said 10 Hub
bard: II do not know your name or your
rank, but this brutality must stop. Hub
bard did not stop, but said something
about showing patient how TO refuse to
take medicine.
Captain Price said he made 1t a point
to go every day to the hospital to see
about the treatment of the men of his
company, and he found that in that way
his men were not permitted to suffer.