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 battalions would be made
up from several regiments and returneG 70
this country. These battalions will CO..
sist Of sick men and those who have only
a 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 Condi-
tiun TO travel. and to send them TO Ma
nila where they will be placed in the hos
pitais and afterward forwarded TO San
Francisco by the transports as soon as
they are considered able.
Col. Charles R. Greenleaf. Chief Surgeon
a Manila, has cabled Surgeon General
SternbCrg as follows. Relief sailed from
Manila to military ports of the Philippines
March "A. with large quantities of sup
plies. Will return to Manila May ! with
sick Services very valuable Sick will
be transferred to transports bound for
United States"
IN addition to the ailing soldiers TO be
sent home on the transports. il is more
than probable that the hospital ship Re
lief viii be ordered TO sail for san Fran
cisco and will bring several hundred inya-
lids as passengers.
Secretary Root it Is said is not salts
fed that the Relief and Missouri are in
the condition that frst-class hospital
ships should be, and ne has issued orders
appointing a board OF officers 10 inspect
the vessels and to recommend what re-
pairs are needed 20 bring them up TO the
standard Of the other vessels used by the
Army. This board viii meet here tomOr-
row and proceed 10 San Francisco via New
/ York city. The Missouri is at San Fran
cisco. and IL is thought that the Relief
viii also be ordered to that port so that
il may be inspected and passed upon by
the board.
Secretary Root. fl is said. realizes the
danger the sick men will be exposed to
in the Philippines as soon as the rainy
season begins. lie is anxious to reduce
the number at present in the hospitals to
a minimum in order to make room for
those who are likely to be stricken ith
feyers and other tropical diseases as sGun
as the rainy season sets in. The danger
20 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 10 should be- and
with the roads made impossible By heavy
rains. there will be no means Of removing
the sick to Manila. where they can re-
ceive the Lost treatment
in order TO prepare the hospitals at the
outlying posts for caring for the invaIids
large quantities of medical supplies were
sent TO the posts by the Relief and the
assistant surgeons on their way 10 Manila
in every transport VIII be forwarded To
the posts where they are most needed.
BY Nav ] IL is expected that Gener2.
Otis will have under his command between
$50 and 100 surgeons. besides several thou
sand Hospital Corps men and a large
number OF female nurses.