Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 178, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 July 1916 — COSTLY HOSPITAL TO BE BUILT FOR GUARDSMEN [ARTICLE]

COSTLY HOSPITAL TO BE BUILT FOR GUARDSMEN

Detail of Medical Experts From Each .Regiment Will Direct Work—No Drilling In Hot Sun. Mercedes, Tex., July 25.—The war department, Brigadier-General Lewis, the commanding officers of the Indiana troops, all the surgeons and doctors of ithe Indiana units, the national Y. M. C. A., the Indianapolis Red Gross Society and citizens of (this locality all are trying to make the camp the pattern of the Rio Grande valley, to guard the health of the soldiers and to take care of Ithem when they are sick and to look after their moral welfare when they are well. The .war department lias ordered the erection of a camp hospital, with all modem improvements and appliances. This will cost about $15,000, and a detail of medical experts from every regiment will look after the work, which probably will be in charge of a regular army officer. At •present the very sick are being transferred to the base hospital at San Ahltonio.

General E. M. Lewis, the camp commander, has issued strict orders that the troops are not to be worked or made to drill in the extreme heat in the middle of (the day. Under his direction the camp is being put into a perfect sanitary condition as rapidly as possible. The mess shacks and the kitchens are screened, a great many filters have been put in, and while the supply of ice is not as large as it should be, General Lewis is making every effort to get a supply. I There 'is plenty of water, although ait times the pressure is weak, but Gen, Lewis has ordered that remedied. The tents for the eight companies of the Third infantry, which have been sleeping in pup tents, hove arrived and these companies will have plenty of Shelter. There has been some complaint about meat, but hliat has been remedied. For a few days considerable of the bread shipped to the camp was sour, but since General Lewis took the matter up, the bread is better. There are a number of places where food and .soft drinks are sold, and a barber shop. Under orders, a sanitary officer makes an inspection of these places at least twice a day. Major Foxworthy has had years of service in the army and as he knew just what was needed, he replied with this telegram: “Surgekxn T. C. Richards, director bureau supplies, American Red Cross, Washington, D. C. Necessities ample for approximately 35,000 Indiana troops; can use baseball outfits, boxing gloves, wrestling mats, games, tooth brushes, comfort bags, smoking material. Field hospital can use canned fruits, moving picture outfit needed.—F. W. Foxwarthy, major-surgeon, First Indiana Infantry.”

So the Indiana 'boys are waiting for 'the good things to be started toward them. When a fellow is 1,200 miles from home and in a bandit infested community, he always counts the hours until he hoairs from the folk back blame and that’s what they are doing just now. The Indiana infantry received good news when each commanding officer was informed by the war department that the Indiana regiments should be known as the First, Second and Third regiments. The order of Governor Ralston numbering them the 161st, 162nd and 164th, was not approved by the secretary of war. The Indiana hoys, for sentimental reasons, did not ■wish the numbers of their regiments changed.

On Friday the throe Indiana regiments of infantry will take a tenmile practice (hike. After that a practice bike each Friday will be on the regular program The surgeons and medical officers of the different units are instructing the men. how to take care of themselves, haw to regulate their eating, what to eat, when to eat and how to eat, and this of itself is an important feature from a health view.