The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-02-13
signal Corp. Commended.


signal Corps Commended
TIE work Of tie signal corps Is highly
commended IS IS als~o that Of TIE pay
ssAr,a-r-s@rst. the engineers department
ana corps 81 engineers ard Re or1H4El>v
department
Deficiencies of Medical Department.
Media, department. Brig. Gen. George
NJ Stern5erE n charge:
This important part OF th7 report Is
ei~elt upos at great length BY the COM
mission and must be read n its complete
fern To ssa properly understood. \ glance
81 the commissions summing up. how
ever, Will sufficiently Indicate is nature
II That al the outbreak - tbs var ,he
medical department was. n men and
materials, altogether GnTrer2rea 20 meet
the necessities OF the array called oGt.
- That as = result o. me action
through a generation ot contracted and
contracting methods o. administration II
was Impossible fer the department 20
operate largely. freely and without undue
regard 70 cost
a That in the absence a. a special
corps Of inspectors and the apparent. in
frequency % Inspections by chief surgeons
and Of official reports OF things IN camp
and hospitals. there was not sQca III
vestigatton ot the sanitary conditions Of
the army as IS the first duty imposed
upon th. department. by the regulations
- That the nursing forces during the
months IF May. June and J0ly were Meth
.r ample nor efficient. reasons Tor ~lICa
may De found In the lack Of proper vol
unteeT hospital corps. 3Ue 10 the failure
Of congress 20 authorize its establishment
and 10 the non-recoGniaon in the begin
ning OF the value OF women nurses and
the extent TO which their services could
be secured.
- That the demand made upon the
resources % the department in The care
~ sick and wounded was very rnuch
greater than had been anticipated and
consequently. In ike proportion these de-
unands were inpe-:ectly met
% That powerlsss as the department
was to have supplies transferred Tram
point 70 point excep. through the inter
mediation OF the Guarterrnaster . depart
n2nt, II vas seriously crippled IN rs eg-
forts 70 fulfill the regulation duty OF fur
nisaing ali medical and hospital supplies
-. That the shortcomings in admins
,ration and operation may justly be at
trsbutsi IA large measure 20 the hurry
and confusloa incident 10 the assembling
OF an army of unframed officers and me n.
ten tifnes larger than before. Ter which 10
preparations in advance had been or could
be made, because OF existing rules and
Tesy4la tons.
IS That Notwithstanding all the mani
commission, a vast deal OF good work was
done by medical officers, high ard los.
regular and volunteer. and there wss I'M
usually few deaths among the wounded
and the sick
What Is Needed.
Under the head. "Wha. IS needed by the
medical department. IN the future tie
commission says there should be q larger,
f,,fce Of medical officers: a reserve corps OF
selected. trained women nurses: an In
creased quantity OF medicines. hospital fur
niture, etc, 10 be held constantly at sup
" depots: legislation giving army surgeons
more latitude: more liberal transportauon
for conyalesceat soldiers. etc.
The Various Camps-Camp Thomas.
The report IS 10 the eYec. that the
Chickanaauga Park - not adapted 70 the
accommodation Of more than 2o,eo at a
time. On june 30 there were 5S.5S5 men in
camp. The water supply was unsatisS
tory. the water itself repugnaat- Soma
% the wells became contaminated. The
sanitation OF the camp was very i'm
perfect and at times decidedly bad
The troops were no. well located, many
being permitted 10 camp IN the woods
Sinks were not deep enough or sufficient
y removed from the mems quarters. SIX
hundred licenses % peddlers, and hucksters
We're issued by the commanding general In
the early days. and the grounds sxarIled
with vendors OF Wholesome trash Pass
es 70 Chattanooga were issued a. the rate
Of from two to six men per day per com
pany- ThAs was Il fruitful source Of in
Jury to the men. one the whole the camp
was unsatisfactory.
Camp AIger.
The commission finds that this can11 VAS
undesirable" ana that Il was not ahan.
doaed TOO soon.
Camp Cuba Lihre, Jacksonville.
The commission found much in this camp
to commend. but suggested that Florida is
not al IDEAL climate in which 70 camp men
during The summer months.
Fernandina, Fla.
Charges Of corruption IN connection with
the location Of this camp were found 10 be
without the least foundation. The condl-
lions there we're most favorable.
Miami. Fla.
This grounf was selected by the major
general commanding rs highly recommend
e. by him IN a communication to the sec
rotary Of war. dated June "a Ts9s II was
abandoned having been found in all re-
sQects unsuitable.
Tampa. Fla.
Barring the extreme heat, the camp was
quite acceptable.
Camps ut san Franeisco.
These were mobilization camps FOR troops
going 70 the Philippines. The men were
somewhat crowded there and a good deal
& sickness prevailed. chiefly measles: some
typhoid also appeared
Camp Wikon. aontauk Point.
On the whole, Z may be said that Mon
tank Point was an ideal place for the iao-
la1fon % troops Who had been exposed -
or had yellow fever and for the rscupera-
tar 81 those greatly dshili;ated BY ua3a-
raj attecSs of marked severity. The ..ns
al+oitee tof preparation vas altogether too
snort. end ar consequence the camp vas
occupied long before &; was ready. Be
cause os THIS, and because 81 the great
nGTbe- O.: sick and coavalesceuts ard 90
nose cE he ground wAo were urror~ert-
- Win ne army. there was mach confu-
sen some lack ~ proper attention %
r1s tiers - sanitation aud 20 the sick. ami
without 50vh: cases q distress s may to
res cot. hat after all where was rls3cn ex-
aEEera-je1 - what was written ard sail