The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-23
Brig. Gen. Royal II. Frank and His
CHIEF Surgeon, Mai. Henry f. Hoyt,
Examined mt Length.
CONDITIONS At CAMP THOMAS
WHERE BOTH OFFICERS WERE STA
TONED MOST OF THE SUMMER.
Sickness Attributed to the Sinks and
FIies-surgeOns Competent, but
the Nurses UnsIxiIIed.

ADMISSION, Ala, Oct. 22-The war in
vestigating commission arrived here early
to-day and spent the forenoon in camp.
The members visited every company in the
camp and all the hospitals, and also in
spected kitchens, canteens and other camp
buildings. AS a rule, the men were found
to be pleased with the camp site and salts
fed with their treatment. Some of them
complained that their clothing was not suf-
fcient for the cold weather of the past
few days. Many of them appeared anxious
to get home. but said if they. could not be
sent home they desired to go to Cuba
The commissioners devoted the afternoon
to questioning General Frank, commanding
officer of the camp, and his chief surgeon,
Major Henry f. Hoyt Both were identi-
fled with Camp Thomas at Chickamauga,
General Frank having been in command of
the First Division of the Third Corps at
that point, and Major Hoyt, his chief
surgeon there, is stationed here. 1t
was made plain by the general trend of their
examination that the work done here would
pertain more largely to Camp Thomas than
to Camp Ship, a majority of the men
here were removed from Chickamauga.
There are, however, two regiments here
which were in Cuba, and some of their
representatives will also be examined.
General Frank said he considered Chicka-
manga a good site for a temporary camp
but not for q permanent camp for a large
army. The chief difficulty was in putting
sinks down deep enough. Owing to the
rock formation near the surface, sinks
could only be made two or three feet deep,
and they were frequently overlooked There
was also general impression that the
springs in the locality were impregnated by
these sinks, and it was impossible to pre-
vent the men from drinking from the
springs. He though the camp should have
been moved as early July. He said he
had heard no complaints from the men in
regard TO the food received while at Chick
amauga, but because of the necessity for
getting the First Corps ready for foreign
service there was a shortage. in clothing
for time There was also for time dit
hculty in securing hospital room for the
men when sickness began to increase but
this deficiency was soon remedied There
had been a constant Improvement in the
command since its removal to Admission
early in September, and General Frank
thought the Improvement was due to the
change of site.
heverting to Chickamauga he said the
hospital tents were not toored when he
went to the camp early in July though
there had been sufficient time to have FUR
III.
eral Frank said that his corps commander
mad never made an inspection of the camp
with reference to sinks, drains, etc.
DIR. Henry +. Hoyt was also examined,
especially with reference TO Camp Thomas.
he said the increase in sickness above the
normal had begun about the middle of July
and had been rapid from that time forward
until there were $50 patients in the First
Division hospital on the LIST of August 1t
was impossible then to receive new patients
for period of twenty-four hours. The in
crease in disease had begun with the rainy
season, and he thought much of the ma
laria had been due to the fact that the men
were compelled to sleep on the ground. He
attributed the increase in typhoid to the
sinks, to the flies, to the fact that the wells
were injected and to the careleSSneSS of
the men. The command used water taken
through pipes from Chickamauga river and
the pipe was located only a few feet above
the mouth of the stream which drained
the camp. The doctor thought that some
of the water from this tributary stream
had been forced into the pipes by means of
eddieS
DR.. Hoyt expressed the opinion that the
surgeons in the division hospital had been
competent, and in support of his opinion
he adduced the fact that there had been
only twenty-seven deaths out of 1549 pa
tients in the hospital for the entire three
pital corps, while faithful were in most
cases unskilled, and therefore incompetent
He said there had been GIG patients treated
in the division hospital at Admission and of
exceptionally high degree of mortality here,
but many OF the men who came here both
from Chickamauga and Santiago were very
much debilitated. He thought the change
of location from Chickamauga had been
very beneficial. DR.. Hoyt said he was fa-
mliar with the complaints concerning the
Eighth New York Regiment. There was, he
said, an enormous sick rate in this regi-
ment, and there were many cases of home
sickness yet circumstances surrounding
these men were the same as those affecting