Evening star., 1899-03-28
MILITARY HOSPITALS S
Colonel Lippincotts Report on Those in
Manila and Vicinity.
Sanitary Conditions Improved - Pro-
rations for Field Operations.

| Col. Lippincott of the medical department
stationed at Manila, has made a report K
| the surgeon of the army in regard to the mil
| ttary hospitals at Manila and vicinity, Of
| which the following abstract has beer
! made:
The city of Manila and its suburbs have
been much improved In sanitary condition
since my last report, at least so far as
| outward appearances are concerned. The
quarters of some of our troops have been
changed to more commodious ones, while
others have been overhauled and repaired
! in many respects. Dry earth closets have
| been substituted in some cases where those
found in the building were considered un-
satisfactory. With the approach of the dry
season accumulations of filth can be dis
covered and removed, and other unhealthy
conditions remedied.
The 1st Reserve Corps Hospital, previous
ly known as the I'd Division Hospital, con-
tinues to be the greatest establishment we
have. During the months of November and
December there was a daily average of 701
cases in this hospital. 1t has tent ward
OF $50 beds, of which, however, few are
used at this time. A small building fur
nished by the Red Cross and called the Red
cross ward is conducted in connection with
the hospital, affording space also for about
Gus cases of disease among officers. The
smallpox hospital is also under control of
the surgeon in charge of the 1st Reserve
Hospital. This entire establishment has re-
Gently undergone a thorough renovation.
kalsomining has been done inside and
outside, dry earth closets have been provid-
ed in place of the filthy holes in the sewer
pipes, and bathing and lavatory facilities
nave been much improved and extended
so that it is now in a fairly satisfactory
condition.
The order changing the I'd Division Hos
pital to the 1st Reserve Corps Hospital also
changed the convalescent hospital on Gale
Heron, Malate, to the I'd Reserve Corps
Hospital: Conyalescents only are treated
here, and there have been only three deaths
In the institution since it's establishment.
The district hospital at Cavite has fur
rished sufficient accommodations for the
troops garrisoned there.
A COnvaIescent Hospital.
Maj. w. o. Owen, brigade surgeon, was
ordered to proceed to Corregidor Island and
establish there q convaiescent hospital of
100 beds. This order has been fully COM
piled with, since he has now accommoda-
ton for 40 patients, which number could
be increased to 400 or more should it be-
come necessary. There are buildings on
the island for the accommodation of seven
ty-five beds and space sufficient for the
erection of enough tents for 325 additional
or more. The water is derived from wells
near the hospital grounds and from spring.
and both sources are believed to be safe
and good.
COrregidor Island is situated at the en-
trance of Manila bay, some thirty miles
west of the city, steamer, not the prop
erty of the government, makes daily trips
to the island, and the quartermaster' de-
partment has made arrangements with the
owners of the vessel for the transportation
of officers and enlisted men on official busi-
ness. 1t is too early to say what benefit
nj 81 hfc
nave no doubt that it will be considerable
considering the refreshing sea air. the less
excessive heat, and the absence of the
naturally unhealthy surroundings of Ma
Mia. But l am satisfied that chronic rheu-
matte and dysenteric cases will not recover
in this climate, and l have therefore deter
mined to send many of them home
Smallpox continues to prevail to con-
siderable, though not alarming extent, in
the command. 1t was hoped that it would
have been stamped out long ere this. but
the arrival of new and care 'ess troops, to-
gether with the fact that this is the season
in which the disease prevails to its greatest
extent in this locality, has made its con-
tinuance perhaps unavoidable. Certainly
the energetic measures taken to eradicate
the pest have had the effect of preventing
any serious spread. The entire command
has been vaccinated at least four times
since the first case made its appearance,
and have just received a new lot of virus
from Japan in order to continue the pro-
cess of vaccination and revaccination so
long as a single case remains on the sick
report. The city health department has
opened vaccine department establish
ment in Manila for the manufacture of
virus, and all the Spanish prisoners have
recently undergone vaccination at this
point directly from the calf 1 have au-
thorZed regimental surgeons to have their
men vaccinated here also, should they have
the slightest suspicion that the virus re-
ceived from japan is inert or of inferior
quality. and some have already taken adj
yyay TO <ff h 10 nriry aiaI
poX hospital has been erected in an open
field. This building is now occupied, and
is very comfortable and commodious, well
ventilated and satisfactory in all respects.
1t is constructed of nipa and bamboo, has
a matched roof and board floor. and is ele-
waited eight feet from the ground.
Preparations for Field Operations.
The existing uncertainty as to our fu-
ture relations with the native population
of the country already referred to has
rendered 1t necessary to prepare the nnedi-
cal department for active field operations.
/ have not a sufficient number of privates
for the Hospital Corps to warrant the for
nation and maintenance of ambulance
companies so long as the troops remain
practically in garrison. There would be
nothing for tham to do, and the men can
i'll be spared from the hospitals. But it
was necessary to prepare for any emer-
gency that might arise, and I have thus
designated a number of medical officers
hospital stewards and privates of the Hos
pital Corps from the hospitals in Manila
for ambulance service, and these are ready
to respond at a moments notice We have
had practically no need for ambulance COM
panies since the fall of Manila and indeed
it would have been impracticable to main
tain them, owing to the lack of men, All
necessary transportation of sick has been
accomplished by.ambulances held at the Ist
Reserve Corps Hospital, where they wers
Kept ready for immediate service and SUBJ
ject to call at all hours of the day or
night, just as the ambuiances of a large
city hospital are kept in readiness for con-
slant service. This system has worked
we'll and satisfactorily here, and 1 see no
necessity Tor altering the arrangement but.
IN event OF trouble with the so-called in
surgents, which has been Anticipated for
the last three weeks, all the transporta-
ton of the 1st and I'd Reserve Corps hos
pitais consisting of eight thoroughly equip
ped ambulanees, with horses and harness