The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1899-05-04
WHO " Az
TO BLAME?
Sternberg After the
Doctors.
WHO FAILED TO DO TllElG DUTY
Outbreak Of Typhoid Fever Ia Porto
Rico Is 20 90 Thoroughly
Investigated.

WARRINGTON. May a--surreon-
uenersl sternherg, OF the army. has
Instituted a rlKld inquiry into the
cause az the outbreak % typhoid
fever among the men * the Eighth
cavalry az Puerto rrincipe. Ia cuba.
aud has In addition called upon the
war department % Investigate the
circumstances atten iiuF thc cpidem-
ic ana e see that the responsibility
for the same q placed where IL be-
longs. The facts Ia the case have
been fully brought out By pr NJ =
French, secretary u The National
seat to pf. Preach from Cuba Was
to the effect that there were IlB
eases % typhoid fever in a command
OF 1900 mcn. with only a ileia haspl-
tai available Tor their treatment
that supplies were insufficient and
that there was an absence u train
Ell nurses 70 care FOR the msn. Thia
Information was confirmed reeently
hy letter and - dispatches from
Cuba showing that the condition %
affairs had not been aveFstated
The surgeon Eeneral ~ tar army
when hts attention wus called - the
statements made By gr FFeuch. said
that the subject has bsen Tor more
than two weeks under consideration.
ON the 10th OF April, A week before
the statement u Or French appear
Cd Surgeon e;snerai stefuherk re-
ceivea letter from Major Robert
Burns. surgeon. United States vel
unfeers. on daty Nth the Eishta
United States cavalry az Puerto
Principe. Informed him u the prev
aiencs OF typhoid fever In that com
r,and. ani complained that he had
not been able 10 obtain necessary
medical supplies General stevubcTr
81 once referred the letter 10 Lieut..
Col r. o o'Relily. ehief surgeon.
Division % Havana. "for lnvcsiiEa-
ton and necessary actiou.~
The surgeon general At once refer.
red the matter to the secretary Of
war for immediate consideration and
for full Investigation. stating that.
while the medical department was
using It's best endehNors fer santa
ton against yellow fewer. {, vas dis
creditshle 70 the army that "a fith
disease should break cut in any u
the camps lie asked the secretary
OF war to investigate. with the 0biect
Of determining who was responsible
for the failure % medical supplies
to reach the command and for tbs
delays In the construction % the
hospital requlsttinn for which had
been made months previously. and
he further asked that any efficer.
whether 81 the medical corps or 81
any other department. who might
be found dereiiet OF duty. should b.
brought before a court martial FOR
trial. In addition. General stsrnbefg
summoned Dr. Walter Reed. In
charge % the baetsriolaEieai labor
atory Of the Army Medical Museum.
and sent him at once to Puerto prin-
eipe 10 conduct a scientific InvestiEa-
ton % the causes Of the epidemic.
ard 10 make a special report on the
situation.
Gen. sternberx says that he pro-
poses 10 have the matter probsd 70
the bottom and 10 have the reapon-
slbgilty nxed where e belongs. II II
falls upon officers % the medical de-
rArtment who have failed % make
r@qulsltion In time for goods ard
who have exhibited iRxitg IN the
performance OF their duties. he VIII
see 70 10 that they are brought 10
trial before a court martial. II Il
can be shown that the surgeon gen
erals ONCE has not responded With
more than alaerity to the demands
made upon Il for hospital and meti-
cal supplies he desires that fact
brought out ard IL himself willing
20 bear the blame which must result
IL on the contrary. Il appears that
every possible effort was made 10
meet demands upon the medical de-
partTnent and that other depart
Tnents Of the army are responsible
for delays IN the construction Of. the
hospital and IN the delivery ~ sup
piles handed over t. them for trans
porta ton he desires this fact made
public.