The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-02-09
BLAME ON CAPPER
Nurse Says He's Responsible
for Poor Hospital Conditions.
His Anti-Preparedness Preach
ing Handicapped the Army2 ,
SICK NOW GET ATTENTION
Poor Conditions at DOniphan
Have Been OyercOme.s
Army Doctors Deserve Praise
for Their Tireless Efforts.

Camp Doniphan base hospital au-
thorities are exonerated from blame
for the conditions at the hospital In
Doniphan, and Governor .Capper has
been severely critiSed for his stand
on the preparedness measure. in
letter to the State Journal from Miss
Dollie Vauthrim, a Red Cross nurse
now in the wards at the Camp Doni-
phan base hospital.
Miss Vauthrim is~a graduate of the
Christ hospital nursing school, receiv-
ing her diploma with the class of
1916. Her parents live at Meriden,
Kan. She enlisted in the Red Cross
last fall and was sent to Camp Doni-
phan with about sixty-five other
nurses about a month ago
Miss yauthrim's Letter.
In her letter Miss Vauthrim says:
81 am writing you to ask a two
fold favor; first that thru your paper
you will enlighten and relieve the
minds of hundreds of Kansas people
in regard to the conditions in the base
hospital and second that the people
may know who is really at fault, if
fault there is. for conditions here one
month ago.
"As I am from Kansas myself, and
proud of it, 1 have taken special in
terest in helping to relieve the condi-
ton We found here one month ago
I'VE found the medical officers and
the corps men working earnestly and
staying on duty long hours. With the
finishing of the buildings and the ar
rival of equipment there has been a
great change, and at present the sick
soldiers are receiving satisfactory care
The wards are in a sanitary. clean
condition, and the food served is plen-
tiful and palatable.
I'm an article read few days ago
1t was suggested that the Red Cross be
used here. There are sixty-five nurses
T1nx
very efficient army nurse as our chief.
Officers Deserve Praise.
The medical officers and the corps
men deserve praise for the hard work
| they have done together with the
nurses in trying to better the condi-
tions.
The campaign of vilification OF
this base hospital is unjust and I'M
| fair, and-is doing serious injury to the
| moral and professional reputation OF
number of earnest and hard working
| members of the staff. These people
| medical officers, members of the army
| nurse corps. and enlisted attendants
| have labored great number of hours
| per day, often under extremely dis
| couraging circumstances, and it is
honestly believed that no charge OF
| neglect or brutality on their part
toward any patIeRt can be sustained
! The fault for backward conditions
| if any such there be, cannot be laid
at the door of any one here
Governor Capper, who, perhaps
more than any other man, has per-
| sisted in attacks on the base hospital
| is quite as much as any other man in
| the United States responsible for the
| fact that this camp and this hospital
| were not ready with buildings, equip
ment and trained attendants to care
| for the sick. He was among the mos
rabid of those who insisted there
should be no measures of prepared
| ness Had the governor employed
half the zeal and energy he now
shows in attacking the hospital toward
| getting a camp and hospital ready fol
occupancy before the sick swampe6
the meager< facilities, there would
| have been no reasonable ground fol-
criticism of the institution and its stat
at any time"