The United States Sanitary Commission.

Date:
1864
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The United States Sanitary Commission. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

    21/54
    them. For the sick and enfeebled, they promptly order for- ward snch supplies as the surgeons require ; to the camp's that are exposed to malaria, they advise, and, when necessary, they offer supplies of the needed prophylactics; while, throughout the long lines of our forces that occupy the scathed and desti- tute borders' of the rebellion, far from planted fields, these faithful inquisitors against diseate are unceasingly on the watch for the Protean outbreaks of scurvy. In their cru- sade against this scourge of camps and protracted campaigns, the Sanitary Commission has successfully laid the gardens of the great Northwest under contribution. With the strate- gic foresight of a veteran campaigner, — as he is, — Dr. New- berry, the Western Secretary, wisely gained possession of im- mense and fertile fields about Murfreesboro' and Nashville, just in the rear of the forces, and there planted in hospital gar- dens his strongly defensive batteries to guard against this most insidious enemy that has yet threatened our brave soldiers. During all the past year the Federal forces down the Atlantic coast have been menaced by that enemy, and, but for the con- tinual watchfulness and promptitude of the Sanitary Inspec- tors, and the bountiful supplies of fresh vegetables which, upon their requisition and the request of army surgeons, the Commission has sent forward by every steamer to the army of the South, it may reasonably be doubted if our forces could have continued the siege of Charleston, or to-day have been in condition to prosecute an active campaign. We shall again recur to this homely but life-saving warfare of the Sanitary Commission against the evil bred of the un- varied camp-kettle and hard-tack, and it is mentioned here as an imperative function of one branch of the Preventive service. But it must be borne in mind, that the good which the Sanitary Commission has accomplished by its direct and immediate interpositions and supplementary work has been continually exceeded by the beneficent results of the power exerted by its example and influence upon the regular agen- cies or methods of supply and care for the soldier. To the honor of the generals in command, and the medical officers in the field, this fact is frankly, thankfully confessed by them, for they know too well that it is a chronic habit of commissa-