The evening times., 1900-03-28

General Otis is preparing to send home
all the sick in the hospitals in the Philip
pines whose condition is such that they
cannot be expected to resume active ser
vice within the next Jew months, The
War Department officials announced some
time ago that battalons would be made
up from several regiments and returned to
this country. These battalions will con-
sist of sick men and those who have only
short time to remain in the service and
do not intend to re-enlist. They will
number several thousand.
In compliance with orders from Secre-
tary Root, General Otis has instructed all
officers in command of the various mill
tary posts in Luzon and other islands to
get the sick in their hospitals in tondi-
tiun to travel, and TO send them to Ma
Mia. where they will be placed in the hos
pitfalls and afterward forwarded to San
Francisco by the transports as soon as
they are considered able.
Col Charles r. Greenleaf, Chief Surgeon
at Manila has cabled Surgeon General
Sternberg as follows: Relief sailed from
Manila to military ports of the Philippines
March pa with large quantities of sup
plies. VIII return TO Manila May ! with
sick. Services very valuable. Sick Will
be transferred to transports bound Tor
United States
In addition TO the ailing soldiers to be
sent home on the transports. it is more
than probable that the hospital ship Re-
lief will be ordered TO sail for San Fran
cisco and will bring several hundred inya-
lids as passengers.
Secretary Root il is said. is not salts
fed that the Relief and Missouri are in
the condition that first-class hospital
ships should be. and he has issued orders
appointing a board of officers TO inspect
the vessels and to recommend what re-
pairs are needed to bring them up TO the
standard of the other vessels used by the
Army. This board will meet here tomor-
row and proceed to San Francisco via New
York city The Missouri is at San Fran
cisco. and il is thought that the Relief
will also be ordered to that port SO that
it may be inspected and passed upon by
the board.
Secretary Root it is said, realizes the
danger the sick men will be exposed to
in the Philippines as soon as the rainy
season begins. He is anxious TO reduce
the number at present in the hospitals to
a minimum in order to make room for
luOSt MnO are likely 10 De SllGheu Will
feyers and other tropical diseases as soon
as the rainy season sets in. The danger
10 the men in the hospitals at the mill
tary posts scattered over Luzon and the
other islands Will be greatly increased
when the wet weather begins, as they will
not have the advantage Of the excellent
institutions for the sick established at
Manila At all the posts where the troops
have been ordered for permanent duty
hospitals have been arranged wherever
possible. in substantial buildings, but the
sanitary condition of the buildings, il is
feared. is not all that il should be. and.
with the roads made impossible by heavy
rains. there Will be no means of removing
the sick 10 Manila. where they can re
ceive the lest treatment.
In order 10 prepare the hospitals at the
outlying posts for caring for the invalids
large quantities of medical supplies were
sent TO the posts by the Relief and the
assistant surgeons on their way to Manila
in every transport viii be forwarded 10
the posts where they are most needed.
BY Nav ] IL is expected that General
Otis viii have under his command between
$50 and 400 surgeons. besides several thou
sand Hospital Corps men and a large
number of female nurses