The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1854-11-03

TREATMENT OF THE WOUNDED AT THE BATTLE
OF the ALMA. A letter from Constantinople
says; i 10 impossible for any one to zee the
melancholy sights of the last lew days with.
out feelings of surprise and indignation OF
the DEFICIENCIES of onr medical system. The
manner in which the sick and wounded have
been treated is worthy only ofthe savages Of
Dahomey. The sufferings on board the Vul.
can were band enough. There wero three
hundred wounded, and 10 cholera patients,
and these were attended 10 by ionr surgeons.
The scene Is described as terrible. The
wounded seized the surgeons by the skirts
as they picked their way through the heaps
of dying and dead but the surgeons shook
them off 1t may be expected, and perhaps
was right, that the officers should receive
the principle attention, and they possibly
required the almost undivided labor of four
men; bnt some one must be in fault when
large bodies of wounded men are put on
board ship with no one to give them sur.
gical assistance or even supply their necess'
ary requirements.
Large numbers arrived at Scutarl without
having been touched by q surgeon since they
fell pierced by Russian 5illets on the slopes
of Alma. Their wounds were stia and their
strength exhausted as they were lifted out
of the boats to be carried 10 the hospital,
where, fortunate ly, sergical aid may DO OBJ
tanned. But all other horrors sink into in
significance compared with the state OF the
unfortunate passengers by the Colombo
This vessel left the Crimea on the morn.
ing Of the 25th, Wounded men were being
placed onbcard for two days before she sailed
and when she weighed anchor she carried the
following numbers: q wounded officers, 422
wounded soldiers, and LOG Russian prisoners
in all $50 souls.
About half of the wounded had received
surgical assistance before they were put on
board. To supply the wants Of this mass OF
misery were four medical men, one OF whom
was the surgeon of tho ALPHABETICALLY
employed in looking after the crew who at
this place and season ore seldom free from
sickness. Tho ship was literally covered
with the PROSTATE, so rs 10 be almost unman-
ageable. The officers could not get below to
find their sextants, and The run WINS made ai
hazard The vessel was Mt seq IL hours
tUTOuDH tUlo uiSCuuiSO' - uO Woios SeoSs
cases were placed upon The upper deck, which
in day or two became mass OF putricity.
The neglected gun shot wounds bred maggols
which craw)ed in every direction, insecting
the food of the unhappy beings on board.
The putrid animal matter caused such a
stencil that The officers and crew were near.
ly overcome, and the captain is now i'll from
the effects OF the FIVE days misery. All the
blankets 10 the number Of 1900, have been
thrown overheard as useless. Thirty men
died during their voyage.
The surgeons worked hard rs possible, but
could do little among so many and many an
unfortunate fellow first came undora medi-,
ical mans hand on his arrival ut Scutari
six days after the battle. II is an ungracious
task 10 find fault and to speak Of the short
comings of men who do their utmost, but an
unfortunate neglect has occurred since the
arrival oil the steamer. Forty.six men have
beer left on board for two days, when by
some extra exertion they might have been
safely placed in the hospital. The vessel is
quite putrid, but lnrge number OF men will
DO Immediately employed TO clean and fami
gate her, and thus avoid the danger Of
typhus, which generally arises in such
conditions. Two transports were towed by
the Colombo, and their state was nearly as
bad.