The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1917-12-03
COMMUNICATION FROM
LIEUT.. CAMPBELL

The Star has received the following
from First Lieutenant H. C. Camp i
bell of Company A. As we all know,
Lieut.. Campbell is most conscien- |
tious officer and truthful man, and as |
the Star knows in particular the men !
of A company have the greatest con- /
fidence in him. We don't believe he |
would knowingly misrepresent any
thing. but as we have said before, it
is not much use, in the face of the
death list and the surgeon generals
report, to defend the Camp Wheeler
hospital We believe the most of the
evils it was subject to have been cor
rected. and that in future our soldiers
who are sent to it will have good
treatment, but we also believe the air
ing it has received in the press has
caused the war department to act at
least a little quicker than it would
have had matters been kept smother
ed. Also, the said airing and the as
surance that evils, whether fancied
or real, are being remedied, has great
ly treasured the people. Lieut.. Camp
bell and his brother officers are not
aware of the fact, but for two weeks
or more before the Star printed the
article referred to, our people were IN
a panic about that hospital. They feel
better about it now.
Lieut.. Campbell's Letter
Camp Wheeler, Ga,
November 10Th, 1917.
Editor Star: Tonight had called
to nv attention by colonel of the in
spector generals department your
editorial "Neglect," which / read with
much surprise and no little disgust.
Not surprised that the statements
quoted were made but that you would
print them editorially as unquestion-
able facts without verifying them.
AS you well know there are many
| in the service and out of it, too, who
lose no opportunity for all possible
discreditable remarks, and large
class, usually of worthless character
and among whom / am sorry to say
are some officers and non-commission-
ed officers, who are constantly exag-
gerating to distortion actual occur
rences and imagining others to the
discredit of the system and the men
they work under. While there are a
| few cold, heartless men in the army,
/ this causes many really fair and con-
scientious to seem. so. IL newspapers
continue to print such thoughtless
and ill-advised statements as have
been appearing lately in regard to
conditions here an altogether unnec-
essary amount of anguish on the part
of those having relatives here will be
caused.
| will admit that the hospital in
which Leitner died is over-crowded
but the doctors and nurses, who are
the hardest worked people here, give
lpatients attention equal or superior
to most hospitals. A single instance
of some careless ward orderly's mis-
take or neglect might, in the way re
ports are being spread from here, be
made the basis of serious chargt
against the whole hospital.
| While / only got to see Leitnel
Wednesday and Thursday before M
died, am certain, from talking witt
the doctor and nurse in the case, to
gether with an examination of thu
record of the case showing develop
Iment, temperatures, diets and treat
lments, ETC., that he was not neglected
but received careful, conscientiou
treatment. When saw him last, les
than forty hours before his death, hi
face had almost its normal fullnes
and an A company man present a
the time of death says he saw onl!
slight change. The post morten
operation was probably the cause o
some of the shrunken appearance
but exaggeration, 1 think, was tn
principal.
/ think you will agree with m
when I say that there were some ex
ceptionally broad statements in you
article, statements too broad IN fac
to be made without more careful
; investigation of the circumstances
: and unfair, to say the least, to thos
against whom directed.
Conditions here are not ideal b.
any means, but there is no cause TO
any. alarm. There is some little sick
ness, and while there are other con
tributing causes, the principal one i
the failure of the men to take prope
care of themselves, in doing whicl
they have been properly instructed.
Yours very truly,
Curry Campbell