The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-05-25
.DEWEY'S HEALTH.
ANOTHER STORY
By Surgeon Page, of the Olympia.
He Says the Admiral was in
no Sense n Sick Man.
WAS WITH HIM ALL THE TIME.
Says his Habits Were Regular
and That he Needed Little
or no Medicine.

WASHINGTON, May 24.-surgeon ].
E. Page, of Admiral Dewey's flagship,
the Olympia, has arrived here on leave.
He came ahead OF the Olympia to avoid
the long delays of the sail via the Suez
canal. Surgeon Page has been on the
flagship ever since Dewey took COM
mand, seeing him daily and having gen.
eral charge OF medical affairs, so that
he is In position to give an intelligent
view Of the admiral's health and gen.
eral condition. He said to-day:
Admiral Dewey Is in no sense sick
man, but Is as well as any man could
be after spending q ysar in the tropics.
was on the Olympia at the time he
came aboard and from that time to
the present do not believe there has
been any appreciable change IN his ap-
pearance, weight or general condition.
Anyone who thinks he Is q physical
wreck should hear the admiral on the
quarter deck when he gets aroused. He
is the gentlest man living, and yet he
expects every man to do his exact duty,
and when there is any shortcoming the
admiral will be heard rrcm in no feeble
or sckly manner. OF course. everyone
in the fleet has suffered in health more
or less during the last year. owing to
the terrific and long-sustained heat and
the enervating climate.
Suffered from Heat.
ut takes all the life out Of strong
man and undoes his energy and ambi-
tion. In that way Dewey suffered with
all the rest Of US. 1t was particularly
arduous during blockade duty, when
for long stretches no man could get
ashore"
Surgeon Page was asked II Admiral
ed heavily on him.
II think not" he answered. And 1t
will be found that he has just as much
nerve MS the morning he fought the bat
tie OF Manila bay. He Is man who
carries responsibility lightly and does
not let 1t break him down. On the morn
Ing of the battle he was perfectly cool.
and only once throughout the action
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
| for breakfast, and 1t had rather a de-
pressing effect. But 1t was quickly off
set when the officer OF the deck reported
that the ReIna Christina and Castillo
were aflre. That was the turning point,
and the admiral had no anxiety after
that"
Asked II he had prescribed for Dewey
Of late, Surgeon Page said:
Needed no Medicine.
mo. he has no need for prescriptions.
During the last year he has not once
asked for prescription or taken medl-
cal advice except in n casual way. II
he wants anything he sends down to
the ships apothecary and gets 1t. His
habits are so regular that he needs little
or no medicine. His smoking and drink
Ing are in perfect moderation. He eats
well and sleeps we'll, and It Is one OF
the recognized offenses on board ship
to tramp heavily over the admiral's
cabin after he has retired.
ut has needed n pretty calm man at
the head OF affairs" said Surgeon Page.
when asked as to the reports of friction
with the German naval officers. ~ know
nothing OF any differences. but we all
felt that much reliance was to be placed
on the admiral's tact and conservatism
us means Of avoiding any possible dif-
ference. Throughout the fleet he was
universally admired, not only as n naval
commander. but for his craftsmanship
and discretion"