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The News and Observer. VOJL. XLIV. NO. 100. hjeaos Mi lira mmm mam i ieis hi iinxm HOW THE SICK WERE UED EOH General Boynton’s Report on Hospitals at Camp Thomas. ■ \ t •- DEATH LIST O' 7 THENCAMP ONLY ONE HUNDRED AND NINE TY-EIGIIT MEN OUT OF SEVENTY-FIVE THOUSANDTRGOPS Number in Camp Between Middle of April and Last of August. Floored Tents, Distill ed Water, Cooks, and Other Details of Report. Washington, Aug. 31.—Secretary Alger today received the report of General H. V. Boynton upon the state of affairs in the hospitals at Camp Thomas. '! ne General says that his instructions were to rejiort the number of sick, char acter of illness, number of tents, floor space per patient, adequacy and suita bility of attendants, and whether medical officers have discharged their duties faithfully and with intelligence, and to make any recommendation in the inter est of all concerned. He says that he visited all the hospitals in the camp, without giving notice of his purpose. Says General Boynton: ‘ Believing the death list of this camn to afford an excellent standard by which to measure its conditions as to health and hospital service, a full report was obtained of all deaths in the camp, and in its hospitals since its establishment the middle of April last. The result shows a total death list of 198 up to the first of this month, when the breaking of this camp began. Between those? dates, in cluding regulars and volunteers, fully 75,000 troops have been in camp in tin* Chickumauga Park.” The report takes up in detail first tin two permanent hospitals. Loiter and Sternberg, and states vith- tin- greatest minuteness the exact accommodation af forded by each. The tirst is at Crawfish springs under charge of Major Carter and was converted from a large summer resort hotel into a hospital, receiving the worst typhoid cases from the camp. Each patient has abundant room, woven wire and hair mattresses and abundant bed clothing. The ventilation is perfect, plumbing entirely new- and bathing fa cilities ample. The number of attend ants, when all are well, is entirely sat isfactory and attendants are on the way to take the places of those who are broken down. Maj. Carter has secured a herd cows and has arrangements for pasturing them without expense to the government. lie has sufficient money from the hospital fund to buy whatever- is wanted in tin way of milk, ice and other delicacies. There has been at this hospital full sup plies of ice, milk, commissary stores and delicacies, such as the sick ought to have. The entire hospital is furnished with distilled water, and the ice used made from distilled water. The sewerage of the hospital is ex cellent, and. contrary to ja-rsistent as sertions, none of the sewage has ever drained into the Chiekaniauga Itiver or approached it at any point. Major Carter has a corps of doctors which he regards as amply sufficient to care for all the patients in the hospital and reports them as faithful and effi cient in the performance of their duties. Taking up the Sternberg hospital in charge of Major Gif fen, General Boyn ton shows that it is one of the most com plete field hospitals ever seen according to veterans of the last war. All the tents are closely floored and they are separate; at present only four men are in any tent, and in addition to the tents there are nine large board pavilions. Ev ery tent and pavilion lias woven wire mattresses, iron bedsteads and hair mat tresses. There are especial diet cooks, five cold storage rooms for delicacies, separate refrigerators for each row of tents, and every proper measure of san itation is observed with to the sinks. Further the report says: “The whole place is most carefully pol iced daily, and the whole establishment within and without its permanent build ings and its tents is in the most per fect order. "Since the establishment of this hos pital everything asked for jn the way of supplies of every kind has been promptly furnished. Sixteen to twenty tour barrels of distilled water are pur chased daily, and 150 gallons furnished by the Ited Cross Society. “AH money necessary for the purchase of delicacies of every kind suitable to the sick has been furnished by order of General Sternberg. A careful inquiry developed the fact that all varieties of medical supplies required or asked for were furnished both from Washington and from medical headquarters at the camp, with the greatest promptness.” It is stated in addition that all the hospital refuse is burnt in a crematory, and according to Major Giffen all but 1.000 patients, now sick in the entire camp, .could be safely moved now. The diseases are more of a typhoid-malaria character than typhoid fever strictly, the death rate being very low, only about S per cent, of the worst cases. Ihe I- irst division field hospital . in charge of Major Drake, is floored with planed lumber., and it is as clean as possible, being scrubbed with carbolic a< id and treated with bichloride of mer cury every day. All the patients are on cots, and never have been on the ground for any length of time. None of tin sixty cents allowance per man for deli cacies has been used as it was not needed. The report states that in times when the hospital was crowded there was a lack of nurses, the deficiency being sup plied by details from the regiments, which were not as satisfactory as train ed nurses. General Boynton shows that then- is a full refrigerator capacity for this hospi tal, porcelain lined baths, sterilized and iced water, and every convenience. In the malignant typhoid ward there have been but two deaths out of 30 cases in three weeks, lie says that both the medical officers and the hospital at tendants at this hospital have undoubt edly performed tlu-ir duty with energy and efficiency, and the best test of all this is shown by the fact that so many of them have thoroughly exhausted themselves and fallen sick under their labors. The next hospital inspected was the Third Division hospital, First corps, in charge of Major Thomas (Mark. Here the attendants were found sufficient, though in the earlier days there were not enough surgeons or attendants. The grounds were in excellent condition, the tents dean, most of the touts floored and all floored. between the cots and in the aisles. Taking up the last of the field hospi tals. that of the Third corps, Second division, under Major Smith, the report states that the 53 touts arc at present not all occupied, though during the epi demic of measles they were crowded. Leaving the details about the hospitals the report proceeds to treat the whole subject, generally as follows: “In two of the hospitals opportunities occurred for discoverey of what undoubt edly originated many of the sensational stories which have been printed over tin country to the effect that patients in tie hospitals lacked sufficient food, and in many cases had been on the verge of starvation. In tin- wards where tic convalescent typhoid fever patients were found many of the men were constantly asking for food, and. as a matter of course, were its constantly denied every thing except lighter forms of food, which can alone l>e safely administered to re covering typhoid patients. This refusal of food throughout the hospitals, by which care alone, as is perfectly under stood. can-tin* lives of typhoid convales cents be saved, lias been distorted into the cry which has been spread through out the country that patients were being starved in the government hospitals. There has been no lack of proper food in these hospitals, and competent cooks for preparing it have been present, and the only reason for depriving the patients of what so many of them have clamored for has been the necessity of such diet ing as the disease demands. “I am constrained to believe that there has been no neglect on the part of either medical or quartermaster departments to furnish such supplies as have reached tin* camp. “Undoubtedly there have been serious inconveniences and at times of the great est crowding, lack of conveniences and full attendance which go to make up that painful condition of affairs, which as every veteran knows, are inseparabl - from the field hospitals of great armies, even when all concerned exert*themselves to secure the comfort of the patients. These are conditions which, in times of rapid increase of disease —a condition which was reached at this camp solely in my judgment from the filth which too many of the regimental oificers allowed to dominate lln-ir camps, in spite of tin orders which would have prevented nil this trouble from the surgeon general and from the commanding officers of this eamp—create a situation which cannot be immediately ameliorated. ’.so far from believing, as a result of my observations, that medical officers have been heartless or negligent, I be lieve that these officers and the hospital attendants, as a whole, have exerted themselves to discharge their duties faithfully. It would seem as if this wore sufficiently shown by the fact that they have worked unceasingly until a quarter of the whole force has itself been strick en by disease resulting from their ex hausting labors. “My attention was especially directed, in the order which I received, to some remarks credited to General Terry, sur geon general of the State of New York, in reference to the condition of the camp of Ihe Eighth New York. General Ter ry is reported in the New York Herald to have said, as he was leaving Camp Thomas: “ ‘General Terry found the camp in a bad sanitary condition. It is situated in an open field in the hot sun, with no water to be found within five miles. Tin water the naen drink is hauled in barrels, and is of a kind that in New York would be refused as bathing water. The stuff is what the men drink daily, and is de clared to be the chief causes of flic sick ness. “ ‘Gen. Terry told me that it was the jnost terrible sight lie had ever witness ed; and that not in the slums of New York city could he found a place so filthy and dirty. lie said he would in sist on the Eighth New York regiment being returned to New York, and had wired Governor Black and the Secretary of War of the situation. “‘lf the soldiers are not soon taken from Cliiebamauga Park tliev will soon follow the twenty four who died yester day and nearly as many today. “ ‘Camp Thomas hospitals are unclean and badly located. Nourishing food is lacking as well as proper medical atten tion. The food is regular army rations, badly cooked. More than two hundred patients have often been made to get along with 150 narrow cots. They are simply laid on litters not six inches from the ground. Few, if any, of the hospital tents have plank floors. ‘ “This camp was removed to the open field at the special request of the- offi cers concerned, as they were inclined to think that their ramp in tin- open woods had something to do with the in creasing sickness of their men. Ilere I it may lie right to remark in passing (Continued on Second Page.) RALEIGH, if. C., THURSDAY MORNING, SEI’TEM 15ER 1, 1898. IHE BIRTHOAYOF HOLLAND'S QUEEN Attains Her Majority and Issues a Proclamation. ACCEPTS GOVERNMENT THANKS HER PEOPLE FOR TENDER LOVE SHOWN HER. CONSCIOUS OF HER RESPONSIBILITIES Desires to Contribute to the Increasing Intel lectual and Matsrial Welfare of her Peo ple- Grand Pageant at the Great * Church in fl e Ka^u®. The Hague, Aug. 3L—-Cpoa the occa sion of her birthday and the attainment of her majority t-clay, Queei Wilhcimina Helena Pauline Maria, issued a procla mation to the people of the Netherlands. It was worded as follows: “On llii*- day, s> important t> you auJ me, I desire before all else to say a word of warm gratitude. From my ten derest years you have surrounded me with your love. From all parts of the kingdom, from all classes of society, young and old, I have always received striking proofs of attachment. After the death of my venerated father, all your attachment to the dynasty was transferred to me. On this day I am ready to accept the splendid though weighty task whereto I have been called, and I feel myself supported by your fidel ity. Receive my thanks. My experience hitherto has left ineffaceable impressions and is an earnest of the future. My dearly loved mother, to whom I am im mensely indebted, sot me an example by her noble and exalted conception of the duties which henceforth devolve upon me. The aim of my life will he to follow her example and to govern in the manner expected of a Princess of the House of Orange. True to the Consti tution, I desire to strengthen the respect for the name and flag of the Nether lands. As sovereign of possessions and colonies east and west. I desire to ob serve justice and to contribute so far as in me lies to the increasing intel lectual and material welfare of my whole people. I hope and expect that the support of all, in whatever sphere of official or social activity you may he placed, within the kingdom or without, will never he wanting. “Trusting in God, and with a prayer that He give me strength, I accept the government. (Signed) WILHELMINA.” Queen Wilhcimina, accompanied by the Queen Mother, attended divine ser vices in the Great Church here this morning. The Grand Duke of Saxe* Weimar, the Grand Duchess of Meck lenburg. the Prince and Princess of Weid, the diplomatic corps, the civil nnn military authorities and four thousand other persons were present. The Papal Nuncio, Mgr. Tnrnassi and the Ministers from Catholic countries attended divine services in the Catholic church. TIIA NKSGIVING SERVIC F.S. Amsterdam. Aug. 31.—Solemn thanks giving services were held here today in all the churches, as well ns in the churches throughout Holland, upon the KHEKMW EXSMEOW QDQDMKHEDD mm MMtFCDQIMEffia Before Reading the Report. After Reading the Report. The Pompous Pee Dee Pie-Eater Knocked Out by Jim Young’s Official Report of Institution in Sunday’s News and Observer. occasion of Queen Wilhcimina attain ing her majority. The Queen and her mother will pro ceed to Amsterdam September 5 for the 'coronation and will he met by all the dignitaries of the Dutch government, with an imposing military escort. There will he more music and more feasting, and a great drinking to the health and long life of the Queen. The coronation ceremonies will he ex tremely simple. The following is the lath which tin* Queen will take: ,‘'l swear to the Dutch people that I will observe and always maintain tin constitution. 1 swear that I will defend and guard with all my power the inde | pendenee and the territory of the em | pire; that I will protect public and pri vate liberty and the rights of all my subjects, and that 1 will use every means confided to me by the law to foster and (uphold the national and individual well being as a good Queen should do. And may God help me.” \ Then comes the enthronization at the hands of the states general, whose oath, taken first by the president and then by each member individually, closes the ceremony. TO REMOVE THE MINES. The Spanish Authorities at Havana Will Attend to it at Once. Washington, Aug. 31. —The French Ambassador, acting for tin- Spanish ; government, has notified tin* State De , partment that orders have been issued to tin* Spanish authorities at Havana to remove the mines and other obstrne | lions to navigation in that harbor as rapidly as possible. ROUGH RIDERS GO OUT. i They Will Be Mustered Out of Service Today. New York, Aug. 31. —General Wheeler , received a telegram from Adjutant Gen eral Corbin today directing him to “mus ter out tin* Rough Riders at Camp Wi i koff at once.” | The cavalrymen will accordingly he mustered out of the service tomorrow. ALLEGHENY A CATTLE SHIP. New York. Aug. 31. —In explaining i the fourteen deaths of Massachusetts men on the voyage from Culm, the sur geons said that the Allegheny brought J all tin* seriously sick of the regimept. Dr. Magruder and inspecting officers say the Allegheny is a cattle ship not even tit for well troops, much less for sick soldiers. I PROF. PHILLIPS’ NEW POSITION. | Atlanta, Ga.. Aug. 31. —Prof. E. Phil ! lips, formerly Professor of Pedagogy at the State Normal school. Inis been elected j to a chair In tin* University of Denver and will take charge of his new work m a few weeks. , ORDERED TO MONTAUK POINT. The Recruits for the Regular Army in Department of the Gulf. Atlanta. Ga., Aug. 31.—The Depart ment of the Gulf was today ordered to scud all the recruits for the regular army now in this department to Moutauk Point at once. The general recruiting j station for the regular army was located at Fort McPherson until the demands of the general hospital there made it ncces i sary to move tin* men to three smaller camps near Atlanta. The men. num bering 4.4(10. will he started for Long Island as soon as transportation can be arranged. M'DUFFIE BEATS BUTLER. Boston, Mass., Aug. 31. —At Charles River Park tonight McDuffie heat Frank Butler, one lap in a ten mile paced pur suit (tandem) paced. Time 20:40 4-5. which breaks the world’s record forthis class of race of 28.38 held by Harry Elkes. CERVERS WILL LEAVE IIS NOW Release of Officers and Men Ordered. TERMS OF THE RELEASE TO BE RETURNED TO SPAIN AT HER EXPENSE. ALGLR FEARS THE EFFECT ABROAD Os Many Complainls of Hardships Endured by Our Troops in Camp-Many of Our Boys Die and Tind a Grave in the Sea. Washington, August 31.—Acting Secretary Allen has authorized the re lease of all tin* Spanish naval prisoners captured in the battle of July 3rd, from Genera's fleet. These are now at An napolis. Seavey’s Island, Portsmouth harbor, and Norfolk, the officers being at the academy and the sailors at the island. The prisoners are to he returned to Spain at the expense of the Spanish Government. That was the condition upon which our government agreed to release them without parole or other restrictions. ALGER FEARS EFFECT ABROAD Complaints' From the Camps Give Im pression of Lack of Soldierly Quali ties. Washington. I). C.. August 31. —It cannot be said that Secretary Alger is indifferent to many sensational stories that are printed as to the conditions that prevail in the great military camps, for his first interest lies in the welfare of tin* individual troops. But he said to day that with a full knowledge of the lack of foundation for most of thesq he deprecated such publications, not be cause of fear that the American people would he mistaken in their understand ing of the actual facts, hut rather from an apprehension of the evil effect such publications would produce abroad. There the people, who with their full military training knew just what hard ships must he encountered by troops in a campaign, and especially in military camps and manoeuvers, would regard with amused surprise tin* innumerable complaints that are pouring forth upon the Government here upon pretexts that would he disregarded entirely in Eu rope, and they could scarcely fail to gain the impression that tin* American people are lacking in soldierly qualities. THEIR GRAVE THE OCEAN. Arrival of Allegheny and Panther — Deaths of Troops at Sea. New York, Aug. 31. —A Brooklyn Eagle special from Montaux Point says: “The transports Allegheny and Pan ther arrived this morning from Santiago. On hoard the Allegheny are Companies A. li, C. D, E. F, G and II of the Ninth Massachusetts, in all 625 soldiers, of whom 145 a r e sick. This is the largest number of deaths at sea on any of the THIRD EDITION; PRICE Ely E' / S. incoming transports and the deaths were mainly in the eases of those who were critically ill when placed aboard at San , tiago. The solders were in command of Captain Sullivan. “The Panther left two days later than the Allegheny and got in shortly after 1 j o’clock this morning. Slu- carries one I humlered and six members of Companies | 1 and M of the Ninth Massachusetts and | fifteen are on deck on the sick list. Pri vate 1 hidden of Company M, died and was buried at sea.” lIE GOES TO PARIS. C. D. Woodward, as a Commissioner to the Paris Exposition. Cleveland, 0.. Aug. 31.—President Mc- Kinley this afternoon appointed C. 1). Woodward as one of the commissioners j to represent this government at the Paris exposition. The title is that of Assistant Commissioner General and the position is one of trust, requiring grea^executive ability. j Mr. Woodward is a professor at Col- I umbia University in New York and is well known in art and literature. HOT STUFF THIS, M’LUPS. 1 If You Are Sensitive to Abuse, Please Don’t Read It. New York, Aug. 31.—The London ‘Saturday Review which recently said that Chauneey Depew was a “painted puppet and a snob,” expresses the view hero below and which candid expression is being quoted in English financial and other newspapers averse to American interests in Great Rritain and to English interests embarked in this country: "There are. of course, many worthy private persons in the United States; but what we have to think of now are j the people of that country as represented in their social, civil, and political eus- I toms. Socially it is sordid to the last | degree; its courts of law and all its civil | institutions are corrupt; the methods of ■ its political parties are no better than those of long firms. It has contributed nothing to the self-respect of humanity. On the contrary, it has shown all the world to what a depth of public de pravity civilization is capable of de scending.” CHARGES*WERE NOT TRUE. Report of Committee Appointed by Knights of I’ythias. Indianapolis. Ind., Aug. 31. —The spe cial investigating committee appointed i by the Supreme Lodge of tin* Knights 1 of Pythias to investigate charges made ! against the officers of that lodge and j also find out. if posssible; where the in formation had come from, made its re ' port this morning. I The committee paid special attention to the discovery of the author of tin* ! charges but the report fails to show that i it was successful in this. The committee ' found that the charges were not true, j The committee appointed to reeom- I mend the time and place of holding the I encampment. Uniform Rank, Knights of 1 Pythias and the convention of the Su | promo Lodge has reported in favor of | Detroit and set the date of the meeting 1 as the second Tuesday in September, 1900. LAWTON’S SANITARY REPORT. Washington. Aug. 31.—The following is General Lawton's daily health re port posted at the War Department to night: “Santiago, Aug. 31. “Adjutant General, Washington: “Total sick. 348; total fever, 289; total new cases of fever, 9; returned to duty, 54; deaths 5.” RIOT IN GALVESTON. Galveston. Tex., Aug. 31. —Tn a riot which occurred on Mallory docks in this city today one man was killed and six • ijured. No names are yet obtainable. he riot grew out of labor troubles.
The News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.)
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Sept. 1, 1898, edition 1
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