The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1918-01-31

ton. No one knew of our visits to
the hospital except two workmen,
who were working on the sewer ditch
in front of the hospital. To them
made myself known and the purpose
of my going to the hospital.
Il refer now, of course, to the Wis
its we made after we were instructed
not to visit the hospital. On Meth
er of these visits was there an at
tendant in the room or fire in the
stove. A perfectly well man would
have become sick in that room. The
mercury was around zero all of the
time.
Witnesses His Sons Death.
"At this time / went direct to the
chief of the medical staff and told
him the situation and asked to be
permitted to go and attend my boy.
He Immediately gave orders that l
be admitted and be given every facil-
ity for caring for my son. Il went at
once, but / was too late, as he died
about fifteen minutes after / got into
the ward and before was permitted
to do anything for him.
THAT you may know something of
the fearful handicap that the govern
ment works under in the matter of
competent help, l give you this one
| instance.
81 requested the attendant to give
my son a drink of water. He went
out and brought in small bowl of
water and tried to get my son to
drink from it, but he could not He
said | guess that l had better get a
funnel. The boy was lying on his
| back with his mouth open. He came
! back in moment with a funnel made
l of piece of newspaper, and putting
| it in my sons mouth was in the act
of pouring the bowl of water into my
sons throat when l stopped him. He
said, What shall l dor / said, Get
| a spoon The poor fellow had not
thought of that. My son died in a
few moments.
| Finds Boys Body on Floor.
81 at once fastened 20 cie office
of the adjutant and asked for the body
and was very courteously treated and
assured that / could have the body
| that evening. | then fastened back
to the war department, where my son
died, to see how the body was pre-.
pared for burial, and, as | had my
pass into the building, | did not stop
and knock but opened the door to
enter when it struck something that
would not let it open farther. |
looked and saw that it was my sons
body lying on the floor of the hall,
and it was his head that | struck with
the door.
Il received every possible courtesy
from the officers and medical attend.
ants at the base hospital / am not
now filing any complaint against any
man. have no other, purpose in
| giving you these facts than to get you
to do your utmost to see that these
boys of ours who are yet to die at
| these camps may have the care that
every true man wishes that they
hight nave. mere are at least lOuT
witnesses to most all of the facts
| that l have written here who will be
willing to testify to the truth of them
| if it would be the means of helping
tho authorities to bring about better
conditions.
Il trust that you will believe me
when | say that l am not in any sense
seeking revenge for the death of my
son. If in his dying he. is the means
of securing better attention for the
many boys that are yet to suffer and
die in. these camps shall feel that
his death was not in vain, Wishing
for you success in your :endeavors for
humanity, l am,
Sincerely, your friend,
Rev. G. d. Hestwood,
Liberal, Kansas"