The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-07-10
WARRINGTON, July 8, I0A7.

WAsHIseTOs, July 8, IsA7.
The Medical StcGcfMe .army-G General Scott and Mr..
Tria.
see In the Herald Of yesterday an article quoted
from the New Orleans Mercury, implicitly calling In
question the accuracy Of a statement made in one Of
my letters-to the effect that many members of the
medical department Of the army lamentsbly def
cient In skill and experience "This very case Of Gen.
Shields the Mercury says lis proof Of the possession
OF great medical skill in the army since Il is highly
probable nothing else saved him.
Gen Shields was pronounced by his medical attend.
ants as past recovery opinion by discredt
able to their xiii experience ninety nine men out
of hundred would have died of the wounds the Cana
raj received He recovered without any merit OF his
medical attendants rs effort Of theirs could have
been eifectual to him. perforated lung In gene
rally held to be hopeless case The happy accident Of
an iron constitution saved Gen Shield life and not the
skill OF his medical attendants efnca-
cious unless nature herself work out the salvation Of
the wounded mans life The assertion therefore
Gen. Shields his life TO the skill OF his medical
attendants Is quite gratutous.
Some weeks since, n statement appeared in the New
Orleans papers, and copied, believe into every
daily paper In the country that 1t had been discovered
month more after the affair Of Cerro Gordo that tive
of General Shields ribs seriously injured Taking
this statement the same authority from which de-
rived most Of information Of the Of the war
adduced the tact in support Of my assertion, that MANY
members Of the medical stan Of the army are ds0oisnt
in skill and experience surgeon who, In making an
examination Of such that Of General Shisds
should overlook the important particulars two broken
ribs would be accounted by most medical men a irno.
rant or incompetent or else criminaly careless chose
the former assumption the charitable m will
be recoeced that General shields reported a. wound
ed by grape shot)
But my assertion not based upon this instance
alone. Numerous facts are record in the War De
partment, which amply sustain my ayermept II VIII
remark, that feel entirely justified In excepting the
medical stan OF the old army the censure CONVEX
ed In my statemept) Several cases recorded In
which the soldersvounteers most cases-refaved -
be treated by the regimcDal surgeons garipR vas
the ncompetency OF the latter.
The Mercury says that % in New Orleans. vhsrs -.
are constantly seeing soldiers and other persona arrivtr
from the army, hear complaints reRarding the
members Of the medical profession In the army Viz
tins Of surgical medical Incompetence are se,aor.
unfortunately In condition to bear testimony 20 thew
bad treatment.
plants but merely re.echocd those again ana sssn -
terated at the War Department. Il could no,3 No y.
pleasure--on the contrary it would DO extremely nm
pleasant to me-to be obliged TO name msnv
instances within my knowledgs gross and disarace
fu Ignorance ON the part Of medical men now or lately
with the army In Mexico Nevertheless | am prepared
TO do so should II be necessary Such contingency
trust may not The charges TO which refer have
been preferred in person. at the War Department by
officers OF the highest rank In the army and remon-
strances made In favor Of thorough OF all
the medical officers with the army except OF
the old army, who are already examined and medical
men OF acknowledged merit This, however, 90 have
before shown, found impracticabe. The evil Wv
without remedy. =.
There Us great deal Of In circuatiop..vu'
sir Trist and Gen. Scott. Rumor has made ~, t.
between them, and Afterwards reconcilintiov WV