Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-12-16
TURN OF TIDE
IN COURT MARTIAL

In which he dealt with the sick soldiers.
The witnesses examined up to the time
this report closed were Drs, Hepburn
ana Worihlngton The former Is assist
ant surgeon at the post and the latter
Ia a well known physician Of this city.
DR., Hepburn was called to continue
his testimony He gave II as his opin-
ion that In cases OF Superficial eruptions
OF alterations that a bandage over the
affected parts was all that was neces.
sary; that the patient would not be re-
CURED t0 50 TO bed. hi his civilian
practice witness cited case where a
man was afflicted with "dhobic itch, y
ana Witness treated the sores locally
ana the man was able to pursue HIS
daily work as porter In wholesale
house. This was IN the Philippines but
he had treated similar cases IN the
same manner in this country prior TO
the Spanish war. Witness stated that
only In case Of aggravated eruptlons,
covering most of the body and causing
pain ana nervous weakness. would ne
prescribe rest In bed and general treat
ment
"The patient would have 10 be nearly
llayed alive then In order TO induce YOU
TO put him to bed would he notY
This caustlc question was answered
by o simple. mo sir"
Witness further stated that In maxi
ing a diagnosis OF 4 SKIN disease il was
not necessary to ask questions Of the
patient In any case Of eruption OF the
SKIN. The diagnosis can be determined
from the sense OF sight and touch.
He Wds asked II ne did not differ
with other medical authorities on that
question
81 undoubtedly differ with some of
them but ! think there Is no conflict
between myself and the majority OF
skin specialists,
ASKED u he thought It were possible
for q soldier to come to him suffering
with skin disease. complaining that
ne we're suffering sufficient to incapa-
cltate him for service and he speaking
the truth.
Witness said he could imagine such
case.
hecahing the case Of the porter In
the Philippines the dge-advocate
asked II that man We're prepared to 20
through all the onerous duties OF SOL
der,
Witness replied that he had per-
formed duty while suffering from the
effects OF q wound also form Of the
dhobic itch
"rhen are we 20 understand that you
have imbIded certain Spartan prncl-
pies In war that you think applicable
In times Of peace?'
II iii nos say So sir
"Do you mean to say then that you
wond have preferred to have remained
on duty Nhile you We're suffering from
your wllnd II you had your chOice2"
IT had a choice and | preferred 10 re-
main with my command, and therefore
made no mention of my wound Wit
ness admitted, however, that II he had
been In the barracks IN this country he
would have gone on sick report
On being examined by the de-
Tense witness said he had seen cele-
brated specialist In Vienna diagnose
skin diseases by the sense of touch and
sight
Ete also swore that the form OF itch
that he hdG encountered OF Fort Doug
las VAS tl,a milder form Of the disease.
Car YOU tell the stages Of the disease
Dy iophtlE vt lhenn
81 can
Witness stated that Or. Manson. the
English authority on tropic diseases,
treats dhoblc itch locally prescribing no
internal treatment,
REORGANIZATION by the judge-advo-
cate-Is this Vienna doctor great spe-
clalist?
Yes sir; perhaps the greatest in the
world"
Then You and this Vienna specialist
have devised a plan of diagnosing skin
diseases by the touch and sight2"
Wltness replied that the general
practitioner treated the disease In the
same way.
what would YOU do with man who
hsd both legs cut OFF at the hlps?"
81 would treat his trouble locally"
"That Isl you would not put him to
bed or give him O tonicF'
In answering question by the court,
witness stated that in cases Of erup-
tons of the skin, II Is better not to ask
the uatlent any questions. for In the
majority Of cases they viii either evade
the truth or make contradictory state
Tents. He added that sometimes II
might be advisable to ask questions in
order TO ascertain what treatment the
Iatient had received in the past
Asked If the accused was a special
lot I'm skin diseases witness replied that
he did not know, but had recently read,
l,e said, q very creditable article on the
diagnosis and treatment of skin dis
eases and which was published In a
medical Journal of Philadelphia which
vas written by the accused,
What was the treatment outlined In
that article. that was so creditable?"
"A system Of local treatment
Asked If he had examined Sergt.
Swinford, replied that he had, and that
the former had been suffering from
series Of boils He added that he only
required three or four minutes to make
a diagnosis.
Witness returned Sergt swinford to
duty after examining him, at his own
request
When asked II he thought Sergt.
Swinford should have been relieved
from duty on October 20, witness re-
Piled that he had no way of telling
what Swinford's condition was at that
time SO he could not say.
In reply TO another question by the
court witness stated that he regarded
accused as competent to diagnose skin
diseases by touch and sight
DIR. WoRTH1NGToN TEsTIFIEs.
The next witness called was Dr.
Worthington. Of this city
Witness stated that operation upon
Private Holland was unusual, and stat
cd the manner Of operation that is GUS
tOmarlly made under the condition that
Holland was In. He furthermore could
tot understand how pain could have
existed IN Hollands case.
After describing the alleged com
llaints OF Private Glover, TO the Wit
ress the latter stated that he would
pronounce Holland to be hypochon-
duac. that is, that he supposed him
sell to be suffering from every disease
mentioned 10 him. He would not deem
man so suffering as unfit FOR duty
The witness was conducted through
long series Of hypothetical questions
based on the alleged conditions Of Hol.
land Glover and others In which he
only differed from the previous Wit
ness in stating that a complete ques-
tionlng was necessary to a diagnosis OF
a case
lie was then asked what his opinion
would be OF the statement OF a ply
stefan that questioning was not only
unnecessary but detrimental In dag
nosing skin disease.
Witness replied that he would consid-