The Washington herald., 1918-03-04
/ Army and Nay Neyys{N;is:
- .Hk-~,~..s..A.s
Best Service Column in tie CIV

Harry E. Middleton, who is in charge
of the naval recruiting station at 30S
Ninth street northwest, has been ele-
waited to the rank of lieutenant in the
United States Naval Reserve, in rec
ognition OF notably efficient service.
His office won special commendation
from the head OF the recruiting SER
vice Of the East for the manner in
which it handled the rush of appIi-
cants for entrance to the navy which
occurred shortly after the outbreak of
the war. 1t is only a short time since
he received his Junior lieutenant's $
commission and he is being warmly
congratulated on the new promotion
which came so soon after the former
advancement.
Maj. William r. Prichett, Ordnance
Reserve Corps, has been assigned to
active duty, and has been instructed
to proceed without delay TO this city.
and report TO the Chief of Ordnance
for assignment to duty.
Maj. Phillip B. Connolly. Medical
Corps. U. S. A, and First Lieut..
Walter II. Kirkpatrick. Medical Corps.
National Guard, will undergo trial by
court martial as a result of an in
Cuiry recently conducted by an in
spector from the War Department into
conditions surrounding the hospital
at Camp Doniphan, Oklahoma The
investigation grew out of the death
OF First Class Private Arthur F.
Hestwood, which was followed by a
communication from the dead mans
father to the War Department alleg-
ing improper treatment and neglect
OF his son and containing a general
condemnation of the medical equip
ment and service provided for soldiers
at this camp. An inspector was there
upon detailed to look into the matter
thoroughly. ana after a searching in
spectiOn OF the hospital, reported that
the conditions he found were nothing
short Of depiorable. and that the
fathers statements were substantially
correct. The inspectors report stated
that the wards at Camp Doniphan
Hospital, especially the one in which
Private Hestwood died, were in an
unclean condition. that there was an
insufficient supply of bed linen. too
few attendants on duty at the hos
pital, and the small number of virtual
ly no experience, and that the men
confined there went for long periods
without bath or without even
having their hands and faces bathed.
The capacity of the hospital was also
greatly overtaxed, which added to the
confusion attending the work of
properly taking care of incapacitated
men. Other contributory causes to
the then unsatisfactory condition.
which has since been corrected. the
inspectors report declares. were:
Lack of steam-heating facilities: lack
of adequate supplies of hot water:
unframed officers and men; lack of
proper amount OF supplies due to
the unusual number of patients ad-
mitted, climatic conditions which
made it hard under the best circum-
stances to keep patients and wards
clean; lack of adequate sewerage and
plumbing connections, and a long de-
lay in completing the base hospital
at Camp Doniphan. These condi-
tions, the report says. have not only
been corrected, but the emergencies
which in a measure contributed to
same have passed. and such un-
fortunate happenings will not occur
again"
Maj. Connolly was in charge of the
hospital at this time, .and Lieut.. Kirk
patrick was the first medical officer to
examine Private Hestwood. He sent
him to the hospital without making
known the fact that he suspected