The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-08-31
IT'S A RoRRoR CAMP.
,swhat Wikoff VIII Become Within
Six Weeks.

New York, Aug. 30.-Medical officers
at Camp Wikoff, Montauk Point, deny
that there have been deaths at the
camp hospital from yellow fever. The
two men whose death here yesterday
was said to be attributable to the dis
ease named, were, according to the
physicians in charge, victims of per-
nicious malarial fever, which those IN
familiar with fever frequently diagnose
as the latter DR.. Nicholas Sem, as
SiStant surgeon general, L. 5. A, IS
quoted as saying today at Camp Wi
kOff:
in justice to the camp I want to
say that almost none of the sickness
among the soldiers up to the present
time, and none of the deaths, have been
due to the conditions which now pre-
vail here or have in the past. Sickness
has been almost entirely limited to fe-
vers contracted in the south, and the
death rate would have been much more
than now had the men remained in the
south instead Of being brought here.
The change of climate lessened the
effects of the fevers and improved the
condition Of the men. As consequence
the only sickness which can be attrib-
uted to this camp is dysentery, or less
er troubles, which may have been
caused by the change OF diet or wa
ter
so far none OF the fevers have been
indigenous to the camp. hut if the men
remain they viii certainly be attacked
with typhoid fever. This will be due
to the germs which they viii get in the
water.
ITO make this place healthy we
\ should have = system of drainage
~ bich would carry away all these
germs. but to build such would cost
a large sum, owing to the extent of the
CAMP
DR.. Sem was asked if he had brought
his views to the attention of the sur
geon general at Washington.
Il have not done so in connection
with Camp Wikoff." he said. My pro-
tests in regard to other CAMPS have
passed unheeded. IN regard to Camp
WizoH l have written an article en-
bodying all my views, which will be
printed in a medical journal over my
signature. and will be reported to the
authorities in Washington, 1 am sure.
'Then 1 will be asked about, and Will
emphasize my opinions. 1 want to re-
peat that unless this camp is cleared
out within six weeks it will be the
worst infected place in the United
otates. The soil Will be oermeated
with typhoid fever and eDidemicS Will
follow Il will be worse than it has
been at any time at Chickamauga.
In regard TO that camp, 1 want to
say Ilat ! warned the washington du-
thorities before the soldiers were sent
there that danger would result from
massing = body of men there. 1 told
them that the water supply was insult
ficient. and the use of river water
would result in typhoid fever. My pro-
tests went UNDECIDED. The result was
shown when 1 was in Porto Rico with
General Miles.
Almost the first men sent him were
from Chickamauga. They were run
down and half sick when they arrived.
They We're in no condition to stand the
climate. General Miles noted their
weakness. and I told him the cause Of
it l asked him to notify the Washing
ion authorities and have the Chicka-
manga camo broken up. He did so at
once. and the evacuation of the place
followed
81 want to say that as bad as Chick
amauga was. this place will soon be far
worse.
within three weeks all the disease
contracted in Cuba Will be cured
After that there viii be no sickness in
this camp, except what is indigenous
to it. death rate will he ra=z2~