Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-01
SO I'LL ON BATTLESH11
VICTIMS TAKEN Fi,oM THE CON-
NECTICUT TO HOSPITAL.

From the battleship Connecticut, Capt.
William Swift, which arrived at the New
York navy yard yesterday, 80 typhoid pa
tients were removed to the naval hospital.
Dressed in white. the men were conveyed
In ambulances. waiting at the dock. to the
hospital, under the supervision Of DR.. Floyd
| Curtis of the ships surgical department.
and G. E. H. Harmon, medical director Of
the hospital.
1t was later reported that the entire 80
cases are mild. 1t is certain that none is
seriously i'll or has been in any immediate
danger since the epidemic started, q month
ago. while the ship was near Guantanamo,
Cuba. There are eight hundred and seventy
eight sailors aboard the Connecticut, and
the spectacle of the combined ships crew
lined abreast with heads barred an involuu-
tary mark of sympathy, was impressive.
Speculation was INDUCED In yesterday by
surgeons and officers concerning the origin
of the mems illness. Many inclined to the
belief that the fever was contracted by GER
tain of the patients at the Brooklyn yard
before the ship sailed. Patients received con-
slant and careful attention from a corps Of
ten nurses and two physicians. The sick
bay" of the Connecticut Is more COM
pletely equipped compartment than on any
other war ship In the United States navy,
each man having q berth with plenty of
room for himself.
The Connecticut left Brooklyn December
10. and immeda tely sailed for southern
waters More than a month ago the big ship
went ashore of Culebra. near Porto Rico,
and soon after steamed to Guantanamo.
Admiral Evans Acts!
At the first outbreak of the fever no action
was taken by Capt Swift, who thought the
| incident trivial. AS the numbers increased
word was communicated to Admiral Robley
D. Evans, commander of the fleet who
boarded tho shin and Of Jpcp
ton. This was last Saturday.
Alarmed at the situation he ordered Capt.
Swift to take the ship north to q colder
climate, hoping thereby to check the spread
of the illness. While off the coast Of Vir-
ginia, or between the Cape Henry and Dia-
mond Shoals lighthouses, preparatory to
making stop at Hampton roads. wire
less message was received to continue to
New York. because of the lack of facili-
ties within reach of the battleship. At
o'clock yesterday the big ship steered into
TOmpkinsvlle, and later put in at the Cob
dock in the navy yard
Besides the typhoid patients there were
eight other ill sailors, from the battleships
Maine and Alabama, carried to the hos
pital. These were suffering from bruises,
sprains and various ailments, but none of
serious nature.
When seen by a reporter Capt. Swift took
occasion to deny current reports that Ad-
mral Evans is an invalid, and declared
that the admiral. beyond slight indispos-
u
rheumatism, is as active today as ever be-
fore.
Capt Swift on Fever Scare.
"At times he shows his old-time agility
for which he is famous" the captain said,
land is enjoying excellent health 1 saw
him the morning he sailed away. His health
was perfect.
This typhoid Illness he continued, "has
cut out our arrangements for target practice,
which was we'll under way when We were
ordered north. If we can get away during
the week, which believe is probable, we
will have the practice after all. I realize
that the men need it, and so do they.
ut is regrettable that much concern
was caused by the scare. for 1t was nothing
else. The men were in no more serious
danger of death than If they were in a
hospital 1t is matter of record that the
percentage of deaths from typhoid fever
is very slight. 1 was greatly worried over
the published reports, which, am sure,
have caused anxiety in the homes of more
than 500 seamen. and no doubt Washington
has been flooded by, letters asking for in
forma ton.
"Ail this excitement could have been
avoided and the news kept quiet If the
government had a hospital in Guantanamo
An attempt was made two years ago to
have a hospital built there. but nothing
has come of the matter. Admiral Evans,
who is solicitous for the welfare of the en-
listed men, many of whom are under
twenty-one years DID, had in mind the COM
fort of the men. and consequently thought
the wisest thing would be to send us
north"
Capt. Swift was asked concerning the dam
age done to the ship when she ran aground
off Culebra, and. although he would not go
into particulars. he denied that at any time
did the ship need attention in dry dock
She continued on her cruise when she was
moved off the reef The only damage
wrought was scraping of sixty feet along
the starboard bow. The injury was quickly
repaired.