The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-05-25
ADMIRAL DEWEY NOT ILL.
So Says DR.. Page, Surgeon of tn
Flagship olympia.

So Says DR.. Page, Surgeon of the
FIagshfp Olympia.
WASHINGTON. May 24.-Surgeon j. e.
Page of Admiral Dewey's flagship, the
Olympia has arriveds here on leave He
came ahead of the Olympia to avoid the
lcng delays of the sail via the Suez
canal. Surgeon Page has been on the
flagship ever since Admiral Dewey took
command, seeing him daily, SO that he
is. in a position to give an Intelligent view
of the admirals health and general con-
dition. He said today
Admiral Dewey Is in no sense a sick
man, but he is as well as" man could be
after spending year in the tropics I
was on the Olympia at the time he came
aboard, and from that time to the pres
ent l do not believe there has been any
appreciable change in his appearance,
weight or general condition. Any one
who thinks he is physical wreck should
hear the admiral on the quarter deck
when he gets aroused He is the gen
| tlest man living, 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 sickly man
ner. OF course every one in, the fleet
has suffered in health, more or less, dur
ing the last year owing to the terrific
and long sustained stain and the enerva-
ting climate. 1t takes all the life out of
a strong man and undoes his energy and
ambition In that way Dewey suffered
with all the rest of US. 1t was particu-
larly arduous during the blockade duty,
when for long stretches no man could go
ashore"
Surgeon Page was asked If Admiral
Dewey's responsibilities had not weighed
heavily on him.
'I think not" he answered. 'And
believe it will be found that he has just
|
the battle of Manila bay. He is a man
who carries responsibility lightly, and
does not let it break him down. On the
morning of the battle he was perfectly
cool, and only once throughout the ac-
ton did he show signs of anxiety. That
was when the head gunner reported that
our ammunition was running short. This
was about the time we pulled off the
breakfast and it had rather depressing
effect. But 1t was quickly offset when the
officer of the deck reported that the
Reina Christina and Castillo were afire.
That was the turning point and the ad-
miral had no anxiety. after that
Asked if he had prescribed for Dewey
of late, Surgeon Page said:
mo, he has no need for prescriptions.
During the last year he has not once
asked for prescription, except in
casual way. If he wants anything he
sends down to the ships apothecary and
gets 1t. HIS hap1ts are so regular that
he needs little or no medicine. His
smoking and drinking are in perfect
moderation. He eats well and sleeps
well, and it is one of the recognized Of
fenses on board ship to tramp heavily
over the admiral's cabin after he has
retired
'It needs 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 81 know
nothing of differences, but we all felt
that much reliance was to be placed on
the admiral's tact and conservatism as
means of avoiding any possible differ
ences. Throughout the fleet he was
universally admired, not only as a naval
commander, but for his craftsmanship
and discretion