Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1918-03-02
spinal Meningitis Case Mt Camp
Doniphnn Lodges SERIOUS
Charges Against Two.
MAJOR HELD RESPONSIBLE
Conditions at Hospital Nothing
Short Of DeplorsbIe," Say
Investigators.
BAKER DEMANDS REPORT
Facts Given In letter 10 Chamber.
lain Before senate Found To
BE Correct.

WASHINGTON. Mar. R--Inyesti.
cation of the treatment OF Private
Albert lIestwood OF Liberal, Kan.
who died OF spinal meningitis at
Camp Doniphan, Okla. has resulted
in Secretary Baker ordering the trial
by court martial OF Major PhillIp II.
Connolly. medical corps, l.. &. A.. OF
New York city and First Lieutenant
Walter II. kirkpatrick, medical
corps nationa. guard. OF Haven.
Kan.
II was announced tonight that
Major Connolly, who was In charge
OF the base hospital while Hestwood
was patient. bad been held re-
sponsible by the investigating Of
ficor for conditions at the hospital
characterized as nothing short OF
deplorabIe."
Lieutenant kirkpatrick was the
first medical officer TO examine
Private Hestwood and is charged
with having sent the soldier to the
hospital without making known the
fact that be suspected spinal menin-
gifts
Mai, Gen. w. NJ. Wright. com
mAndlng at Camp Doniphan, and
Brig. Gen. l.. q. Berry, who com
manded at the camp while General
Wright was on an observation tour
In France, have been called on by
Secretary Baker FOR reports as TO
how such conditions as were found
In the camp hospitals came 10 exist
Chamberlain Gives Notice.
Conditions at the Camp Doniphan
hospital first came into public notice
thru a letter read by Senator Cham
berlain. chairman OF the senate mill
thry committee. during Il speech in
the senate. The letter was written
by Private Hestwood's father to n
friend. Senator Cham berlain refused
10 give the name OF the soldier. but
the war department later learned II
by an inquiry II 3et on foot.
The report OF the Investigating Of
filler said that with respeht 10 the
fathers statement that the body was
sent home In sheet, the facts dis
closed that the body was sent In n
metal-lined casket and that ~this
being communicable disease. the
body was wrapped in sheets and cot
ton 20 conform TO shipping laws"
All the other facts set out In the
fathers letter were found to be sub
stantially correct. according to the
investigating officer, who said the
wards In the hospital and especially
the one in which Private Hestwood
died. were In an uncleRn condition.
there was insufficient bed linen
there was lack of sufficient attend
ants on duty at the hospital and the
small number present were men of
practically no experience and pa
tients went for long periods without
"A bath or without even having their
hands and faces washed.
Causes MENTIONED.
Causes contributing TO the unsat-
isfactory conditions were mentioned
bv the inspector as follows:
lack of steam heating facilities;
lack OF adequate supplies OF hot
water; nntrained officers and en-
listed personnel. lack OF proper
amount OF supplies due TO the un-
usual number OF patients admitted; /;
climatic conditions which macd II
hard under the circumstances to
keen the patients and wards clean;
lack OF proper and adequate sewer
age and plumbing connections and
long DELAY IN completing the hos
pital.
InN Inspector IFpNAA' AHhA NhF
conditions existing when Private
Hestwood died December 2s and for
some time afterward and the emer-
gencies contributing them have
passed and IN all probability never
will occur again in that hospital. lie
also reported that the present hos
pital command officer, Col. Frank
II. Keefer. medical corps, lis an
efficient and capable officer fully
competent TO fili the obligations that
are placed upon him and at the
present moment Is doing everything
with means at hand TO place that
institution upon a proper footing
Reports Of the medical department
show that an Unexpectedly large
number Of patients overm1ed the
Camp Donlphan hospital during the
period OF Private Hestwood's Illness
n ON one thousand 10 500 patients
BE- ing treated between December. IS
and the end OF the month.