Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-06-07
HOSPITAL REPORT
Sanitary Conditions in the Province
of Batangas.
MEDICAL CARE IN THE PHILIPPINES
Surgeon PoweIl's Statement of
His Inspection Tour
E Q U AL TO DEN A Nd s

Surgeon General Sternberg has received
a report from Maj. j. l.. Powell. chief
surgeon of the list Division of the Sth
Army Corps. in regard to the sanitary con-
ditions in the Philippine Province of Bat
angas. He made the trip to that province
in the hospital ship Relief and first visited
the camp of battalion of the 18th In
fantry at Nasugdu, on the coast The COM
mand was encamped on low. fiat insalu-
briouS plateau, about a mile from the
beach. and every precaution taken to pre-
vent the introduction of infectious diseases.
The water for drinking and cooking pur-
poses had unavodably to be taken from
wells sunk to the depth of about fifteen
feet. Strict orders We're in force relative
to its being boiled, and morning and even
ing a thorough inspection made of every
canteen, each man being required to fill
his own and to drink water from no other
source. The men were quartered in tents
Other companies of the 18th Infantry
were camped at Taal. There the hospital
was located in a good building well adapt
cases in the hospital, but none serious.
Mai Powell commends the administration
of this hospital which is in charge of As
sistant Surgeon Peed.
Only One Criticised.
Visits of inspection We're successfully
made to Batangas San Jose. Lipa. Santo
Tomas and Caiamba where ,.etachments of
the 3Sth and Both Volunteer Infantry are
stationed. The camp at Batangas is about
three-auarters of a mile from the beach,
and is in a lo.y. flat. sandy and hot place.
but contains an admirabl building for
hospital. Maj. Glennan, resimental sur
geon is in char and according to the re-
port 'is doing excellent work. At San Jose
a convent is utilized as hospital. with As
sistant Surgeon Fitzsimmons in charge.
The hospital at Lipa is in Il fine building,
and is in charge of Capt Dewey. The pa
tients We're conf properly fed and
had . genera! air of contentment. The ap-
pontments of the hospital at Santo Tomas
did not meet the approval of Maj Powell.
He says the patients were distributed In
small and contracted buildings. which did
not have that neat. inviting appearance
which is characteristic of well-Ordered
hospital. and which was so noticeable a
feature at Taal. Ha;angas and I-:pa. There
were forty-one cases in the hospital. Maj.
Philip G. Wales. surgeon. 39th Infantry, is
in charge. I'm conversation with the COM
manding officer says Maj. Powell Il
certaned that the convent now occupied by
him and his staff, and in use for other pur-
poses. was to be vacated and turned over
to the surgeon for the sick and wounded.
1t is rather surprising that this was not
done in the first instance"
At CaIamba.
The division hospital at Calamba was re-
ported to be in admirable shape. and COM
pared favorably with any hospital in Ma
Mia. Two converts 50 close together as to
practically make one building have been
thoroughly cleaned up and prepared for the
accommodation of about 30 patients. There
are at present. however. not more than sew
enty cases under treatment. Maj. Penrose,
brigade surgeon, is in charge. and has a
well-equipped staff of assistants and
nurses. Maj. Powell concludes his report
with the statement that with the proper
stock of medical supplies the hospitals Wis
tied by him will he equal to any demands
that are likely to be made upon them.