This trip was memorable not only for the enjoyment of a ride over one of the best long roads in the world, amid the displays of all tropical fruits and flora, views of many characteristic people, habitations, customs, and cultivated sections of the island, but for the intelligent and charming exposition of everything, together with discussion of the social, political, military and commercial interests and problems of Porto Rico, at the present stage of affairs, by Herr Rauschenplat, whose English speech scarcely betrays his German vernacular or his customary Spanish.
Arriving at Ponce on the evening of September 2, on the following day storage for Red Cross goods was secured in the Custom House at the Playa, or Port of Ponce, which continued our only headquarters during work in Porto Rico. The distribution of goods commenced on Sunday, September 4. The goods at first distributed in Ponce were the remainder of the cargo brought on the “Concho,” but left in charge of and lightered off of the “Concho,” and carefully stored by kind agreement in the Custom House, when I was obliged to depart on the “Alamo” for Mayaguez and Arecibo or lose a most valuable opportunity for distributing stores where urgently needed.
Every applicant not seeking for himself alone was interrogated as to the number of sick or convalescents for whom the goods were desired, and informed that our provisions were specifically for these classes. The amount bestowed was in view of the number of sick thus reported. Then on a sheet of paper headed by the date of application all articles were recorded, checked off when taken, and the signature of the officer applying was affixed. Then my official stamp as field agent was affixed, and the paper put on file as a voucher. All goods received by steamer came into the office under my personal supervision, and with very few necessary exceptions none went out without it.
On September 4 the office work of the Red Cross in Porto Rico was inaugurated with five representative issues of stores, which became matter of record. As the later files show, the number rapidly multiplied and the office work was increased by a constant procession of single applicants for small things. A dose of medicine, a pencil, an abdominal band, a comfort bag, something to read, a pair of stockings, a handkerchief, a towel—a little stationery—such applications alone made work enough for one man, and one had to be secured, Corporal Patrick Syron, who was detailed from the First Engineers, and whose help was invaluable.
As the work was increasing very rapidly, and appeals pouring in from all the camps and hospitals, the executive committee sent as my assistant General W.T. Bennett, who arrived September 7 on the “Seneca,” which also brought a fresh and valuable cargo of stores. Having like myself had army experience in the Civil War, General Bennett easily grasped the situation, and while I attended specially to the distribution of goods at the office, he gave efficient help in managing the outside relations of the work, made doubly exacting by the necessity of lightering off all goods from ships, and transferring them by native porters to the headquarters, amidst piles of army stores, and a horde of omnipresent and vigilant thieves. Any lull in the office work was improved in visiting hospitals and camps, and noting how goods were received and distributed. By frequent consultation of the official figures, at the chief surgeon’s office, of the sick rate at all military stations on the island, it was possible to judge correctly concerning the neediest places for sending relief, and also to judge the merits of applications.
The extraordinary amount of typhoid fever and intestinal diseases among the troops was the object of thoughtful attention. Several native physicians and army surgeons were solicited to write their diagnosis and treatment of these diseases, in the hope that their combined testimony may furnish valuable data for guidance of physicians and surgeons who may have charge of our troops here in the future.
On October 6, Mr. Monroe Scott, arrived from New York on the steamship “Chester,” to be second assistant in our work. He was desirous of giving personal service to the sick, as he had just came from such work in the Northern army hospitals. But the needs at the various hospitals in Porto Rico were being so fully met that he gave his attention to the varied demands at the office, where his courteous manner and efficiency in detail were highly appreciated. Two ambulances were sent to Ponce in September. They proved of great value in emergency cases requiring quick transportation to and from the hospitals, and in conveying our goods for short distances. It must be admitted, however, that they proved also a delicate responsibility, as everybody seemed to regard them as free pleasure coaches in which the Red Cross was eager to take the town to ride.
A daily care was to note all incoming steamers, to board them to inquire for Red Cross supplies, also to note all departing steamers and provide that all sick and convalescents had Red Cross goods enough to insure their comfort for the homeward voyage. The chief surgeons were appealed to and asked not to allow any detachment of sick men to go home without previously notifying us, so that we might provide for their nutriment in supplement to that provided by the Government. It is proper to add that the surgeons going home in charge of the sick on ships were all attentive to their duty in securing Red Cross supplies for their patients. Twelve shipments were made for transports carrying home the sick.
One of the duties of the office was to give first aid to the sick and injured. Hardly a day passed without our giving many prescriptions of medicine to soldiers for intestinal troubles, or first dressing to men injured on the pier or on shipboard. We carefully gave antiseptic dressing and bound up gashed heads and limbs, and tenderly conveyed the unfortunates to the proper hospitals or to their homes or ships.
In September on order from New York, we began to furnish ice to hospitals not already supplied. We purchased machine-made ice at the heavy cost of forty pesos a ton, and had arranged with the hospitals of Coamo and Guayama, the only ones not supplied, to send wagons weekly for a load. For this work we were about to establish an ice-storage plant, when a large cargo furnished by the Government arrived, and although about one hundred tons soon after came from New York, consigned to the Red Cross, it was not needed, nor an ice-house for storage, as the government supply was freely furnished to all in need, and was so large as to last till the Red Cross ice, though carefully stored in a covered lighter, had entirely melted. Had the Government not made this provision, a free grant of site, lumber and labor for an ice plant already secured, would have been utilized. The same cablegram authorizing an ice supply also authorized the supply of milk as needed. On inquiry it was found that all of the hospitals were already well provided with this article. In case of the hospital for the First Engineers, however, the ingenious surgeon, Dr. Proben, had opened negotiations for a cow, and we promptly insisted on paying for it, but were allowed to pledge only one-half its cost, which we most cheerfully did.