Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-27
PATIENTS DOING WELL
CAPT. SWIFT REPORTS CONCERN
ING TYPHOID CASES.

The Navy Department received wireless
message this morning from Capt. -SWi1t'
commanding. the battleship Connecticut
saying that all the patients on that vessel
are doing well, and that in obedience to the
departments orders the vessel YIN pro-
coed direct to New York and transfer the
patients to the naval hospital at that place.
Communication was established with the
vessel In the vicinity of the Virginia capes
through the wireless telegraph station on
Cape Henry. While cruising in Cuban wa
tiers an epidemic of typhoid fever developed
among the ships company until there were
thirty 1--we cases, and 1t was deemed advis-
able to send the ship to the United States
SO that the patients could receive hospital
treatment. 1t was first intended to pro-
coed to Norfolk. but 1t was found that
there were better facilities at this time IN
the naval hospital at New York So when
the ship was nearing the capes message
was dispatched for her to continue on up
the coast to New York. 1t Is expected that
she will reach that port tomorrow morn
ing.
Surgeon General Rixey declares that
thirty-fve cases of typhoid fever aboard
a very large percentage. He is inclined
to the belief, however, that 1t will develop
that the thirty-five cases are from the
men Of the entire feet. numbering 10000.
II. however, ne IS incorrect as 10 tnat, IL
will show that there Is some infection
aboard the Connecticut which must be
rigidly examined into.
Necessity for Hospital Corps.
The present epidemic, DR.. Rixey says.
serves to still further emphasize the ne
cessity for a properly organized naval hos
pital corps with hospital ships, which can be
sent along with fleets like the Atlantic
fleet and which will permit the sick to be
attended to as they should be. Such a
proposition has been urged before Con-
gress for the past several years. and In
January. 1906, 1t took the form of bill
to reorganize and increase the efficiency OF
the hospital corps of the navy. 1t was
suggested that corps of that kind of not
less than thousand men was needed. For
at least two years there has been on the
Pacific coast, at the Mare Island navy
yard, hospital ship. the Relief, fully
equipped, but 1t has never been put In
commission.
The principal difficulty which the navy
has found in retaining hospital corps men
has been the fact that the pay offered no
attractions, and there Is little inducement
in the way of promotion. The proposed re-
organization bill Is designed to remedy
these conditions. 1t is stated that. while
the demands for men Of the hospital corps
have increased, their number has decreased,
SO that the duties at present are practically
being performed by hospital apprentices
and hospital stewards. Trained male nurses
in the navy are few. and the number Is
growing less with the expiration of en-
listments.
The Connecticut is in danger of being
blacklisted in the navy. Although new
vessel and the biggest battleship the United
States government has ever constructed at
a navy yard. she has been in trouble since
she was placed in commission a few months
ago. Only a few weeks ago the Connecti-
cut ran aground on shoal in the harbor
of Culebra Island and damaged her hull.