The average number of members who worked without pay, but not as a penalty, was 6, the same as last year. SUPPLY DEPARTMENTS. All stores and supplies appeared to be suitably and conveniently arranged and generally in a good condition. The storage facilities are reported ample. Supplies, as a rule, are purchased by contract. The clothing was of good quality and the fit and style satisfactory, but hardly up to the army standard, nor as economical, per capita, as the Volunteer Home. A neat straw hat, costing about 30 cents, is issued at this Home. This comfortable head gear was not an article of issue at the Volunteer Homes at the time of the last inspection. The kitchen and dining room presented a neat and inviting appearance, though the flies appeared numerous and quite troublesome. Screens should be provided for the windows and doors. The kitchen is located in the basement of the Scott Building, and the appliances seem somewhat antiquated as compared with some of the Volunteer Homes. The question of a mess hall and kitchen in a separate building, centrally located, equipped with the most modern appliances, should be given due consideration if new buildings are to be erected. Of course there is a certain convenience among old soldiers, as in families, in having the dining room in the same building where most sleep, and the dining hall is a large feature in the construction of the Sherman wing, as it was of the annex, which adds to an impression of waste of space either in construction or use. Would it not be well to authorize the treasurer and surgeon to accompany the InspectorGeneral to one or more of the Branches of the Volunteer Home to witness how the idea has been developed there? The bill of fare at this Home, which is given in full in Exhibit M, appears ample and of sufficient variety. It compares very favorably with that at the Volunteer Homes, and a large quantity of milk of exceedingly good quality is consumed. The contract price of the principal articles of food, the amount purchased, and the places where bought, for the quarter ending June 30, 1901, is given below: The average daily amount of food consumed in the dining room and hospital is given in the table below for the months of December, 1900, and June, 1901. It is also compared with the latest figures received from the Volunteer Homes. It will be observed that the average cost of food issued to the general dining hall is about 2 cents higher per man in this Home than in the Volunteer Home in the months given, and that in the hospital the cost is over 8 cents per man more in this Home. The number of meals given to transient destitute ex-soldiers is reported as 11,108 during the year. This is an increase of nearly a thousand meals over the figures of last year. The percentage of breakage of crockery reported at this Home is surprisingly low compared with that of the Volunteer Homes. In the Army the allowance of breakage per annum is fixed at 20 per cent. In coffee bowls, for instance, the breakage here is reported as but 3.5 per cent, while the lowest figures reported from the Volunteer Homes were 11.5 per cent at the Danville Branch, and from that to threefourths of the total number in use at the Central Branch. The bowls here are purchased from the Qurtermaster's Department, and are heavier and appear of better quality than at the Volunteer Homes. FIRE DEPARTMENT. No fires have occurred during the year, and the protection against fires was reported ample. The apparatus is frequently tested, and adequate, and reported to be in good condition. LAUNDRY. The same contractor has continued to do the laundry work of the inmates at a cost of 12 cents per man per month, and each man is allowed to have laundered 1 sheet, 1 pillowcase, and 1 complete change of underclothing per week. The other laundry work of the Home is also done by contract at a small cost, as shown by Exhibit F. At the Volunteer Homes, where the laundry is part of the Home plant, the cost for material and labor was given as $24,573.44 for the year 1900; this is $0.106 per man per month of the average present. At some of the Volunteer Homes no limit is put on the number of pieces, while at others the allowance is practically the same as here. FARM AND DAIRY. There were 250 acres under cultivation in the farm, 200 of which was in hay and 50 acres in vegetables. The value of the vegetables raised was reported as $1,678.20, and the total products of the farm were valued as follows: The value of live stock was given as $3,790. The labor, forage, fertilizers, seeds, repairs, and purchase of animals amounted to $10,639.10, as against $10,080.70 last year. A fair herd of 43 cows, 10 heifers, 2 bulls, and 5 calves was maintained on June 30, 1901, and efforts were being made to improve the quality. Tuberculosis caused the loss of a herd at the Home some years ago. The police of the barn and dairy was good. HOSPITAL. With the new annex, recently completed, the capacity of "Barnes Hospital has been increased to 112 beds, or 24 per cent. This capacity would appear ample for the present needs. Supplemental details as to the dimensions and construction of this annex will be found in Appendix L. The wall cracks, etc., may not indicate more than the average faults in construction here. The equipment in elevators, sterilizers, ice plant, mess hall, and all paraphernalia seems a great improvement. On June 30, 1901, there were 93 patients under treatment in the hospital, a decrease of 6 from the figure shown last year; but the number of patients in the barracks was 8, as against 5 for the former year. The average number of sick during the past year in the hospital is given as 99.76, and 7.43 were daily on the sick call. The principal ailments and causes for treatment, and their percentage to the whole number of diseases, were reported as follows: Chronic.-Nervous and general debility, 9.6; rheumatism, 7.2; tuberculosis, 3.9; bronchitis, 3.2; nephritis, 1.8. Acute. Gastritis, 6.4; pleurisy and pneumonia, 3.4; influenza, 3; diarrhea, 1.6; malaria, 1.1. Surgical.-Wounds, gunshot, 3.2; infections, 2.1; fractures, 1.9; hernia, 0.08. The rollers have been removed and rubber substituted on the beds, which seems a decided improvement in alignment and solidity. Three thousand three hundred and twenty-eight cases were treated during the year, an increase of 772 over last year. Of this number, 364 cases resulted in a cure, and 96 deaths are reported, 42 of which occurred in the hospital proper, 2 in other portions of the grounds, and 52 outside of the reservation. Ninety-four were from natural causes, 1 a suicide, and 1 was killed by accident. The average age at death was 64.59, and at the Volunteer Homes it was 67.12 for the year 1900. Although the average age of the inmates of this Home is between three and four years less than that at the Volunteer Homes, the death rate per 1,000 of the whole number cared for, as compared with the latest figures from the latter Home is somewhat higher, as illustrated by the following small tabulation: The sporadic infectious or contagious diseases were reported as influenza and tuberculosis, and of the latter affliction the percentage of cases has dropped from 6.33 last year to 3.9 this year, and a net reduction of over 50 per cent is noted from the figures given in 1899. These patients are being sent to the general hospital at Fort Bayard, N. Mex., and if sent there in the incipient stages of the disease it is said very good results follow. The cost of transporting a patient from Washington to Fort Bayard is $46.35 for the railroad and sleeping car fare and a few dollars is given the member transferred for subsistence en route. The cost there per patient at the hospital is $5 a week, and on June 30, 1901, 58 patients were under treatment. This is an increase of 26 in the past year. The total amount paid to the Fort Bayard hospital during the year was $15,097.82. Twenty-two inmates showed indications of disordered minds during the year, 8 of whom were considered permanently insane. The principal classes of illusions were persecution, power, and religion. The insane are confined in two small barred isolation rooms when necessary, but if not violent are kept in the general quarters of the hospital. The facilities for their care are considered ample, and from time to time they are transferred to the Government Asylum at St. Elizabeth, where 10 were sent during the past year. The same amount of board ($5) per week is paid to this asylum for each patient as to the Fort Bayard hospital, and the reported amount paid for the year was stated as $7,104.28. Four members were totally blind, and 19 had impaired eyesight, so as to be unable to read. They are read to daily by one reader and are given whatever assistance is necessary by attendants and orderlies. The hospital employed 40 members and 7 civilians, and the annual cost of employees was $9,539.40, of which the members received $7,363.40. How immaculate some of the wards are should be proverbial now, as can be remembered when the building was made so from basement to attic and became a model. The average cost of a ration in the hospital, including extra diet for the sick, per man per day, is given as 22.2 cents, and the total cost of extra diet was reported as $4,500.81. Some cockroaches or croton bugs were seen in the food bins. The question of trained female nurses to supplant the twelve members who are now employed in that capacity may deserve consideration. At the Volunteer Homes female nurses have long been employed, meet every requirement, and are considered far superior to the male nurses formerly employed. As a rule, a suitable cottage has been erected at those Homes in close proximity to the hospital, where the nurses are domiciled and messed." Attention is invited to the exhibits appended for detailed information on various subjects. Respectfully submitted. The SECRETARY OF WAR. WAR 1901-Vol 1, pt 1—33 J. C. BRECKINRIDGE, LIST OF EXHIBITS. A.-Field return of inmates, June 30, 1901. B.-Recapitulation of expenses, July 1, 1900, to June 30, 1901. D-1. Statement relative to members on outdoor relief. 2. Statement showing number of inmates on outdoor relief June 30, 1901, rates of relief, pensions, etc. E.-Statement showing number of inmates present June 30, 1901, length of service, age, and rates of pensions. F.-List of contracts for supplies and services June 30, 1901. G.-Amount expended on officers' quarters and permanent buildings from July 1, 1900, to June 30, 1901. H.-Garden account from July 1, 1900, to June 30, 1901. I.-Farm and dairy account from July 1, 1900, to June 30, 1901. K.-Vegetables furnished Home and hospital mess from farm for year ending June 30, 1901. L.-Vegetables purchased in addition to those furnished by the farm for the year ending June 30, 1901. M-1. Sample of regular bill of fare for a week. 2. Subsistence stores consumed in the month of December, 1900. 3. Subsistence stores consumed in the month of June, 1901. N-1. Clothing washed during June, 1901. 2. Extra washing done during June, 1901. 3. Regular and extra washing done from July 1, 1900, to June 30, 1901. O.-List of crockery in daily use during the year ending June 30, 1901, with per cent of breakage. P.-Number of horses and mules owned and employed June 30, 1901. Q.-Hospital diet, special and general. R.-List of medicines on hand March 31, 1901, and six months' supply received S.-Material, dimensions, and general condition of annex to Barnes's Hospital. 1901. EXHIBIT A.-Field return of the inmates of the United States Soldiers' Home near Wash ington, D. C., June 30, 1901. 1 With bedroom space of 271,990 cubic feet; 1,192.94 cubic feet per man. GEO. D. RUGGLES, |