New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-10-15
"A Monument" to lneffl-
cheney Is Their
Verdict
Only a Group of Shells
Held Suitable for Tropics,
but Not for the Cold OF
South Carolina
Especial Corr,-oondenccl

CAMP WADSWORIH, ). T., Oct' IL
Medical officers of high rank, 1t be-
came known to-day. are seeking 10
have the Washington authorities cor
rect at once grievous mistakes in the
$4,000 base hospital at Camp Wads-
worth. After tour Of inspection OF
the hospital buildings, the army sur
geons pronounced them TO be a monu-
men to inelllciency.
The weather here is continually
growing colder and the army surgeons
predict that the patients in the ex-
pensive hospital group are liable TO
epidemics Of pneumonia unless instant
steps are taken to correct score OF
faults. It was emphatically declared
that the fault lies IN Washington and
that efforts 10 have those responsible
take quick action seem impossible.
Buildings Are Merely Shells
It was pointed out that the thirty
two buildings composing the hospital
group are mere shells, without inside
walls and without ceilings. The lack
of ceilings g. Grc to the fact that no
appropriations were made for any. The
buildings are equipped with ventIlators,
which cannot be closed. and when the
nights grow severe the patients must
withstand the wintry atmosphere as
best they Can.
Thc buildings are without proper
plumbing. The supply Of not and c0Iu
water is altogether inadequate 70 the
needs. Their. Is no heat provided, and
the hoslita. surgeons are now trying
10 obtain stoves 10 neat the wards. pat
they point out that even though they
got Ia, stoves tncy will be useless, as
no provision has been made for CHM
ncys.
n was pointed ont by a prominent
medical officer that the hospital Is OF
% tyne which was found impractica5.e
IN Europe. that II is Of a design SUIT
able for th. Border or the Caual zone,
and not for a climate such as obtains
10 South Carolina.
No Sewers Provided
There are no sewers provided for
the waste water from the shower baths
and the spent water must be drained
from under the hospital buildings. The
buildings, furthermore. are set up
from the ground allowing the cold
wind 70 get beneath and to help make
more frigid the atmosphere in cold
weather. The thermometers show that
Che buildings now average about 30
degrees during the daytime and dur
ing the LAST few cold nights freezing
has been indicated by the mercury.
- = Il
fiors ne men must remain huGdled up
IN bed, even though they are in need
of exercise and would welcome an op-
portunity 20 walk about. At present
the base hospital is caring for III pa
tents. two suffering from pneumonia
and one from acute infammatory rheu-
matisrl. One Of the surgeons stated
hat with the coming Of cold weather
and decided increase in the number
Of patients. the sick men are liable
TO an epidemic Of pneumonia.
Il was stated that when efforts were
made 70 have the conditions remedied
word came back from the capital
that Secretary Baker cannot get a rul
ing as TO how long the troops are to
remain. and that he did not wish TO go
20 any biz expense if the camp was TO
he hu+ .ernorary. The understanding
heretofore has ever been that the base
hospital was to be a permanent insti-
tuition. That troops were likely TO be
kept in training here as long as the
war lasts.
Four soldiers are in Jail in Spartan
burg tonight on charges of robbery
W. l.. Blackwell, a Spartanburg taxi
driver declared that he had been held
up and robbed by four soldiers. Their
arrest followed.
The subscriptions to the Liberty
Loan. it was announced to-day. bring
the total for the camp up to S356.9OO,
an increase OF $4,000 over yesterday.
The l4th Regiment leads in to-day's
figures with $13S.000; the 7ith of Buff
falo has $1,000; the base hospital
S3G.2O0 and the 23d Regiment S26,40O.
Il is expected that to-morrow's figures
will put the subscriptions above $780,
600