The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1899-06-01
DEWEY IS NOT ILL
Surgeon ]. E. Page, Of the Flag.
ship Olympia, Arrives in the
National Capital.
DEWEY IS IN NO SENSE A SICK NAN.
The Surgeon Says All In the Fleet
Suffered In Health Moro or Less
During the Year.
The Admiral Has Not Once Asked for q
Prescription or Taken Medical Advice,
Except In = Casual Way. Dur
Ing the Past Year.

| WASHINGTON, May 95.-Surgeon ]. e
( Page, Of Adm. Dewey's flagship. tn,
: Olympia, has arrived here on leave
He came ahead of the Olympia to avoid
long delays Of the sail via the Suez ca
nal. Surgeon Page has been on the
flagship ever since Dewey took com.
, mand, seeing him daily, and having
general charge of medical affairs, Sc
that he is in position to give an in
telligent view of the admiral's health
and general condition. He said We'd
nesday:
Adm. Dewey is in no sense n sick
man, but is as we'll as any man could
be after spending year in the tropics
l was on the Olympia at the time he
came aboard, and from that time to the
present l do not believe there has
been any appreciable change in his
appearance, weight or general condi-
ton. Any one who thinks he is a
physical wreck should hear the ad-
miral on the quarterback when he gets
aroused. lie is the gentlest man liv-
ing, and yet he expects every man to
do his exact duty, and when there is
any shortcoming the admiral will be
heard from in no feeble or siclkly man
ner.
"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 enervat-
ing climate. II takes all the life out
Of strong man and undoes his energy
and ambition. In that way Dewey
suffered with all the rest of u.s. 1t
was particularly arduous during block
ade duty, when for long stretches no
man could get ashore
Surgeon Page was asked II Adm.
Deweys responsibilities had not weigh
ed heavily on him.
II think not" he answered. "and l
believe IL will be found that he has
Just as much nerve as the morning he
fought the battle Of Manila bay. lie
Is man who carries responsibility |
lightly and does not let it break him |
down. On the morning of the battle
be was perfectly cool, and only
once throughout the action did
he show any signs of anxiety. That
was when the head gunner reported
that our ammunition was running
short. This was about the time we
pulled off for breakfast, and it had
a rather depressing effec'. But it was
quickly offset when the officer of the
deck reported that the Reiua Christina
and Castalia were afre That was the
turning point, and the admiral had no
anxiety after that"
Asked IL he had prescibed for Dewey
Of late Surgeon Page said:
'No, he has no need for prescrip-
tions. During the last year he has not
once asked for prescription or taken
medical advice except in casual way.
II he wants anything he sends down
to the ships apothecary and gets it.
Ills habits are so regular that he needs
little or no medicine His smoking
and drinking are in perfect modera'
lion. lie eats we'll and sleeps well,
and it Is one Of the recognized offenses
IN board ship to tramp heavily over
he admiral's cabin after he has re-
tired.
1T has needed pretty calm man at
The head of affairs, said Surgeon Page,
when asked as to the reports of fric-
lion with the German naval officers.
II know nothing of any differences,
but we all felt that much reliance was
o be placed on the admiral's tact I
md conservatism as a means of avoid r
ng any possible difficulty. Through L
,ut the feet he was admired univer-
ally, not only as a naval commander,
,ut for his craftsmanship and discre- F
ion."