The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-05-25
DEWEYS ILLNESS,
Surgeon Page Who
Treated Him
Talks.
HE is NOT SERIOUSLY SICK.
Suffers Slight Indispositions
Peculiar to the
Tropics.
HE IS NOT SERIOUSLY SICK.

Washington, May 24.-Surgeon ]. E.
Page of Admiral Dewey's flagship
Olympia, has arrived here on leave. He
came ahead of the Olympia to avoid
the long delays of the sail via the Suez
canal. Up to the date of his departure
from Manila, Surgeon Page had been
on the flagship ever since Dewey took
command, seeing him daily and having
general charge of medical affairs, so
that he is in a position to give an in
telligent view of the admiraPs health
and general condition.
He said: admiral Dewey is in no
sense a sick man, but is as well as any
man could be after spending a year in
the tropics. l was ON the Olympia at
the time he came aboard, and from that
time to this l do not believe there has
been any appreciate change in his APP
pearance, weight or general condition.
Any one who thinks he is a physical
wreck should behold the admiral on the
quarter deck when he gets aroused. He
is the gentlest man living, and yet he
expects every man to do his exact duty
and when there is any shortening, the
admiral will be heard from in no feeble
or sickly manner.
OF course every one in the fleet has
suffered in health more or less during
the last year, owing to the terrific and
long-sustained heat and the enervating
climate. 1t takes all the life out of a
strong man, and weakens his energy
and ambition. In that, Dewey suffered
with all the rest of us. He was par
ticularly anxious to bring blockade
duty to a close.
Surgeon Page was asked if Admiral
Dewey's responsibilities had not
weighed heavily on him. Il think
not. he answered, land believe it will
be found that he has just as much
nerve as when he sought the battle of
Manila. He is man who carries re-
sponsihility lightly, and does not let it
break him down. On the morning of
the battle, he was perfectly coon, and
only once during the action did he show
signs of anxiety. That was when the
head gunner reported our ammunition
running short.
This was about the time we pulled
off for breakfast and it had rather de-
pressing effect. But it was quickly off
set when the officer of the deck report
ed that the Reina Christiana and Cas-
tilla were afire. That was the turning
point, and the admiral had no anxiety
after that.
Asked if he had prescribed for Dewey
of late, Surgeon Page said; mo he
had no need for prescriptions. During
the last year he has not once asked for
a prescription or taken medical advice
except in a casual way. If he wants
anything he sends down to the ships
apothecary and gets it, His habits are
so regular that ne needs little or no
medicine His smoking and drinking are
in perfect moderation. He eats well
and sleeps well. and ii is one of the rec
ognized offences on board ship to tramp
heavily over the admirars cabin after
he has retired
1t has needed a pretty calm man at
the head of affairs, said Surgeon Page,
when asked as to the reports of friction
with the German naval officers. I know
nothing Of any difficulties but we all
felt that much reliance was to be
placed on the admirals tact and con-
servatism as a means Of avoiding any
possible difficulty Throughout the fleet
he was universally admired, not only as
a naval commander, but also for his
craftsmanship and discretion.