Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-06-29
THE HOSPITAL SCANDAL.
Government Oilers Every Facility 10 Lean
Truth or Falsiy Of Charges.

London, June 2S.-The exposures re-
garding the hospitals in South Africa,
which began with a 3-column letter to
the Times, Monday, from w. A. Bur-
dette- Coutts, NJ. F., Conservative, de-
failing the great suffering endured by
soldiers owing to mismanagement led
to a number of questions in the House
of Commons, today, in response to
which the government leader, a. j.
Balfour, the first lord of the treasury.
made long statement, saying that so
far as the government was aware. not
any of the suffer.".;s the SICK or
wounded were due to insufIiciency in
the supplies sent out.
He then proceeded to read extracts
with correspondents with Lord Roberts
on the subject, in which the British
commander in chief in South Africa
dwelt on the difficulties of transport
owing to his rapid advance. He could
quite understand that people imper-
fectly inexperienced in these matters
were concerned at hearing of the hard
ships the sick and wounded had to UNI
dergo He did not wish to shirk re-
sponsibility or screen any one and sug-
gested that committee of medical men
and persons of sound common sense
proceed to South Africa to investigate
the charges.
Mr.. Balfour also informed the House
that the government agreed to the APP
pcintment of an independent commit
tee as suggested by Lord Roberts, and
he. tomorrow, would propose nomin-
al grant for the army medical corps, Sc
that the House would have an oppor-
tunity to thoroughly thresh out the
matter
The war office has issued correspond
ence with Lord Roberts regarding the
charges of Mr.. Burdctt-Coutts. ON June
4, his afternoon was called in brief teic-
grams to the allegations and also u
other complaints of a general breakdown
in the hospital system. Two days later
he replied in part as follows:
The principal medical officer reported
that the arrangements at kroonstad were
in all respects in good order. and LORD
Mcthuen said they were thoroughly sat
isfactory. | was deeply distressed at be-
mentS for the sick on our first arrival al
kroonstad. but 1t is obvious that Ger
tain amount of suffering is inseparabit
from the rapid advance of a large army
into an enemy'S country.
ON June % the war office cabled Lore
Roberts that disquieting reports regard
1nE the npSplItlS were
asked him if anything could be done. and
particularly whether more nurses were
needed.
On June o. Lord Roberts replied, say
ing that he did not wish to shirk respon-
sibility or to screen the shortcomings oi
the medical corps, and he suggested q
committee Of inquiry. He said there hau
been an abnormal number Of sick al
Bloemfontcin. due to the cXhduStinG ma
turc of the march and the terribly unsan,
itary condition of the camp at Pdarde-
berg. where the only water available fol
drinking flowed from the Boer camp
higher up. where the river was crowded
with accomplishing animals and also witt
considerable number of wounded after
the fight. March ~.
To fmproNiSe accommodations IL
Bluemfontein for such a number, whicf
had become 2000 before he left Bloemfon
tein WAS no easy task. said Lord Rob
ertS. No tents were carried and the pub
lie buildings had to be turned into hos
pitfalls In three months there had beer
1863 admissions to the hospital OF patient:
suffering from cntcric fever, while thu
deaths numbered 1870 about q per cent
Lord Roberts observed that he did mo-
know whether this would be an abnor'
NAL rate in civil hospitals in peace times
but. If the rate We're abnormal. 1t was
due to the exhausted state of the mef
and not 10 the neglect of the medica
corps.