The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-05-04
IGNORANT DOCTORS
Held Responsible For Much of the
Disease In Army Camps

Washington. May 4-The session Of
the Association Of American Physicians
at the Arlington yesterday, was mark
Sd By an important paper On typhoid
in the volunteer camps by Dr. c V.
Vaughn. one Of the board OF surgeons
appointed by Surgeon General Stern
berg last sumner TO look into this
matter " hen the epidemic Of typhoid
was prevalent IN the various army
camps The beard made very
thorough study OF the subject and its
report has been looked forward to as
an authoritative work The report is
not Yet completed. but Dr.. Eaughn's
paper was in the nature Of an advance
statement with the sanction Of General
Sternbergs who was present AT the
meeting
Dr. Faughn's paper was d severe ar
fragment Of the volunteer surgeons
and Incidentally Of the officers who
were responsible for the policing Of the
great camps at Jacksonville, Chicka-
nauga-Car1p AIgar and MOntauk Point
The board visited all these points and
found that not only was there much
mora typhoid than was at first sup
posed. but that the surgeons mostly Of
the volunteer class were from ignOr-
aECe OF other motives. treating and re-
porting typhoid under the names Of
persistent malaria Indigestion"
gastric fever and +styp hO-rlaI aria -
Blood examination Of many OF the
malaria patients failed 10 show the
presence OF the malaria bacillus but
there was every indication OF wei
marked typhoid These patients were
being treated with qufnine and uatur-
ally either died OF had 70 be sent 70
city hospitals, where their disease was
properly diagnosed
The board made an extra careful az
animation Of the water supply Of the
various camps and found that the pres
eIce OF typhoid could not BE- laid TO i'm
pure water in any large degree The
explanat ton Dr. Vaughn said, was in
the disgusIiugIy filthy condition Of the
camps where the sxcreta Of typhoid
patients was strewu broadcast with no
apparent effort either to sterilize or
collect it so as to prevent IT'S spreading
cODtag1Ou 10 the remainder Of the
camp The final report Of the board
VIII deal largely with sanitary meas
ures for the governing Of camps and
the best form Of steriIfZing APPARATUS
TO use in case Of fever outbreaks
Surgeon General Stern berg, OF the
army, said it seemed certainly strange.
after the lessons Of the civil war. that
our camps should have been infected
by typhoid which We know so we'll
He had issued circulars 70 all surgeons
pointing out the dangers in this regard
avoided Gen Sternberg referred TO
the appointment Of volunteer medical
army officers By the governors OF
states, the former thereby becoming
responsible for the health Of our
camps The result has been unsatis-
factory It did seem TO him 70 be in
consistent CnaE We should set ourselves
Up TO show the Spaniards how 10 eradi-
cate yellow fever from their cities
while our camps are infected seriously
with typhoid He declared that any
adverse conditions which prevailed at
Montaukq should not be held against
the regular army medical officers, few
Of whom were there
Dr. George Dock Of the University Of
Michigan. spoke OF his fuvesrfga tons at
the SCsrnberg general hospital The
Misunderstanding regarding the symp-
toms Of typhoid and the over-estirna-
ton OF the effects OF qUiniue frouO, Dr.
Dock declared the striking faults Of the
volunteer medical service
Most Of the volunteer medical officers
went 70 camp with the expectation OF
fighting no end OF malaria In one reg
iUeut each man was provided with 200
grains of QuInina and 4 three ounce
bottle Of pareg0ric- The great bulk Of
supposed malaria cases were not ma
lariaI infections at all. but many of the
doctors, regardless Of this, dosed their
patients with 30 to 40 grains OF Quiniue
each laV