Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-08
Efficiency of the Hospital Service in
the Philippines.
REPORT BY MAJOR B. s. T. HARRIS
Sanitary Regulations Observed by
the Troops.
THE MEDICAL DEPARTMENT

of the ID Division of the Sth Army
Corps. The report is dated Bautista, P. l.,
December 81. 1899, and covers the period
of Maj, Harris service with the second di-
vision.
When I reported for duty" says he,
the headquarters were at San Fernando
and the front of the division occupied the
following points. viz: 9th and 36th Infantry
on the line from Bacolar to Guagua, and
the 18th and nth Infantry at Calulut
and Sindalan- The sick were brought in
from the Bacolor line by ambulances and
from Calulut by railway transportation.
THE ambulances were found to be in
sufficient in number and worn out from long
and hard use. Constant effort has been
made to obtain new vehicles and increase
the trains. My recommendations in this
respect have been carried out as far as it
was in the power of the guartermasters
department to do il.
THE division field hospital at that time
at San Fernando, was taken charge of by
First Lieut.. P. c. Fauntleroy, assistant
surgeon, U. S. A, on August 20, 1899, and
by his efforts has been kept in most ex-
cellent condition and has met the heavy
demands upon 1t in a most creditable man
ner.
The headquarters accompanied the ad-
vance to Angeles by way of Porac Septem-
Der 2S, 1899. The men wounded in taking
Porac, six in number. were attended sur
gfcal!y by Mai. p. F. Straub surgeon 36th
Y. 5. Volunteer Infantry, and First Lieut..
f. w Pinkham, assistant surgeon, L. S.
A, surgeon, 9th u. S. Infantry and were
carried into Angeles with the column after
nights rest at Porac without any un-
toward results.
The division field hospital was moved to
Angeles in the first days of October and
very advantageously located in the cathe-
draI at that place, where it now is.
Carrying the Wounded.
In the advance of Major O'Briens bat
Of he Trh WIT
from Caluut to Magallang, November !,
1899. provision was made for carriage by
native bearers of the wounded along with
the command, as the condition of the roads
precluded the use of ambulance. Oppor-
tunity was found, however to send in the
TWO men seriously wounded 10 Angeles by
pull cart transportation. Acting Assistant
Surgeon R. A Edmonston, United States
army, assistant surgeon, 18th United States
Infantry, was slightly wounded while per-
forming his duties under fire on this march.
Hospital Steward George c. Douglass Hos
pital Corps, United States army, was seri-
oLsly wounded while accompanying the
other two battalions of the regiment from
Angeles to MagalIang on the same move
ment.
In the advance from Angeles to this
place tBautista), commencing November 9,
1889, the problem presented to the medical
department has been quite difficult, owing
to the fact that the final movement had
10 be organized from Magallang, six miles
distant from the base short notice, and
that the roads from Bambanon proved al
most impossible. With the hearty CO.
operation of the medical supply depot, the
regimental surgeons and the division quar-
termaster and commisary officers, the task
was accomplished without any more than
the usual unavoidable amount of discom-
fort and privation to sick and wounded in
the field. The number of wounded was for
tunately in no measure what had been an
ticipated and provided for.
Brigade Field Hospital.
"A temporary field hospital was estab-
lshed at Mabalacat for the reception of
the wounded during the attack on Bamban
November II, 1899 and was moved up to
the latter place the next day, but owing
to the condition of the roads it was left
there temporarily. The sick of the regi-
nents were satisfactorily cared for by their
own medical officers at Capas and Murcia,
but at Tarlac the personnel and supplies
were brought up by rail and the hospital
established in the church under the very
efficient charge of Acting Assistant Sur
geon ]. S White, L. S. A. In order to en-
title this hospital to the benefits of general
order 1871, A 6. o., c. s., it was at my re-
quest designated in orders from headquar-
tiers, LIST Brigade, I'd Division, Sth Corps,
as the LIST Brigade field hospital, although
at that time taking care of the sick of all
regiments at the front
In the advance of the Both Infantry and
OBrien's battalion of the nth Infantry up
the railroad, medical supplies were carried
by native bearers, as no transportation ac-
companied the command.
Since the establishment of permanent
garrisens on this side of the Tarlac wash
out the sick have been cared for in the
regimental hospitals of the 18th and 18th
Infantry, at Panique and Bautista, resDec-
lively. The 36th Infantry has a hospital at
Mangatarcn, but has been directed to send
its more serious cases TO the hospital of
the 18th Infantry at Bautista. 1t is pro-
posed to put on a well-equpped hospital
ear from Dagupan TO Angeles and then
O he do ti1l al at
Tarlac and to cut down these regimeltal
hospitals and have the sick cared for in
the division field hospital.
The work of all the medical off ,crs in
the division has been so well done that IL
seems unfair to praise any by name. The
Both Infantry, however, has been most ac-
tive. and its surgeon, Maj. 2. F. Straub
has had greater opportunity for exhibiting
an intimate knowledge of the field re-
qurcnents of a regiment and for indeDe.,-
dent executive work OF these opportuni-
ties he appears 10 have made the bast use
possible Both he and Capt. George W.
Mathews, assistant surgeon, Both Infantry
have acquitted themselves calamity the
many occasions they have been under fire
Capt G. E. b. Flagg, surgeon 18th m
fantry. accompanied the nth Infantry from
Angeles to Magellan. Conception and Ca
pas, dressing the wounded in the many
fights right where they fell Ito quote a
line officer Of the regimenD, and doing good
aseptic work under the most discouraging
conditions. First Lieut.. E. W. Pinkham
Infantry. was with the firing line of the 9th
Infantry when Porac was taken on Septem-
her y. 1899. and First Lieut.. Clyde 5.
Ford. assistant surgeon United States army
at that time surgeon, 18th Infantry. was
at the front with the 18th Infantry in the
capture of Angeles on August 16. 1889.
Increase in Malarial Cases.
1.-THE sick rate from all causes save ma
laria has remained practically stationary
since August. 1899. but the number of cases
suffering from that disease has trebled DUR
ing November and December with steady
increase during October. The type of ma
laria is not very pernicious, but tends TO
recur- No typhoid fever was noted at
Angeles but d few cases have recently oc-
CURED in three different regiments, show
ing probably common source of infection
encountered at some haiting place on the
recent advance.
THE difference has been startling be-
tween the sick rate Of regiments at the
front doing constant outpost duty. subject
to night attacks and having to make pc
riodical advance through difficult country
and that of regiments doing garrison duty
n I'm rfh Hrr to he, hi-