The record-union., 1898-11-04
TESTIMONY TAKEN AT FORT
THOMAS

CINCINNATI, Nov g. - General
Dodge, Colonel Sexton and Dr. Conner
OF the War Investigating Commission
reached Fort Thomas, KY, at 10 a. m,
in company with Major Hall, the sur
geon in charge of the hospitals at
that place. The Commissioners pro-
ceeded on tour of inspection of the
hospitals. They also inspected the
camp of the Sixth Regiment, which is
In tents on the grounds adjoining the
hospitals. This regiment was cut to
pieces in the Santiago campaign, and
has since been reunited.
General Dodge put many questions
to the patients regarding their treat
ment, but found no one complaining.
He was especially interested in those
transported the previous day from
Lexington. They We're all in good
spirits, and apparently not affected by
the railroad journey.
The inspection of the camp was
thorough. At the dinner hour Cen
eral Dodge and Colonel Sexton went
to the mess tents and inspected the
food. a call was made on General
Egbert, who commanded the Sixth at
Santiago, and who will be examined
as a witness.
The afternoon session was occupied
in hearing three witnesses mostly on
the condition of the division hospital
at Chickamauga. The first witness
was Major E. F. Helburn of the Sec
ond Kentucky, now mustered out. The
death list of his regiment, he stated,
was tWenty-six, most Of whom died at
home on furlough. The sickness in
Chickamauga increased very RAPIDLY.
He knew that there was a shortage Of
cots in the hospitals, as well as Of
tents. The cause for the bad condition
of the hospital arose from the fact that
it was not intended to be more than a
temporary hospital, but the sick in
creased so rapidly that it was over
crowded.
Another cause was the incompetency
of men detailed from regiments for
nurses. In many regiments the most
worthless men were detailed for that
duty. The detail was made according
to regulation. The fault was not Of
the Medical, Department, but of the
system. The witness found unneces-
sary suffering because of lack of tents
and cots, so that the patients were ex-
posed to the rain and compelled to lay
on the ground This was the fault of
the Quartermaste Department Re
quisitioEs were not filled for from two
to ten days, and in some instances were
not filled at all. The medical corps
was not neglected, but was disheart-
ened because of inability to get sup
plies, medicine and proper nursing
The witness cited an instance of a
thermometer given to an orderly to be
! used for taking temperature of pa
| tients, and when asked for it the next
| day he said he did not know what it
was good for, and had given it away
As instances of neglect the witness
said his committee had much testi-
mony that patients were allowed to re-
main filthy in their beds, and were
actually ly-blown. This neglect was
chargeable to the nurses directly The
nurses were frequently changed, and
the officers in charge were also fire.
quenty changed. Some were asked to
resign, and others broke down. The
witness saw many patients on cots on
the ground. The wards We're not ali
! fioored until in August
The witness said he thought that
two-thirds of the sickness at Chicka-
mauga was due to negligence of the
men themselves. In his own command
men who were temperate and reasona-
ply careful Of their health kept healthy.
Many of them drank stale beer after
hot drills, and would lay about. cool
ing OH suddenly. There was a vast
amount Of unwhoIesome food and drink
sold by hucksters until they were pro-
Captain Price testified that on one oc-
cas1on, when he went to the hospital to
see one Of his men, who was i'll with
measles, he, was informed that the pa
tient had been detailed to carry water.
The measles wards were packed. the
men being packed in like sardines. The
same was true of the typhoid and ma
larial wards.
The witness, in describing the action
of Major Hubbard, said that he cboked
patient and forcibly pressed him down
on the cot. He then caught the patients
hands and then wrenched them
until the poor man shrieked with main
AT this point the witness said TO Hub-
bard; Il do not know, your name or
your rank. but this brutality must
stop" Hubbard did not stop. but said
something about showing patient how
to refuse to take medicines.
Captain Price said he made it a. noint
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 We're not permitted to
suffer