Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1861-10-11
TIE HEALTH OF OUR CAMPS.

The Enquirer Of yesterday, contains a paper from
Professor Darby OF East Alabama College the cause
and cure Of the sickness that has prevailed distress
ingly IN camps that deserves attention. Prof. d.
visited the clmps beyond Manassas for the purpose OF
Gseertaiiing "h there any obvious cause OF the
amount of sickness among forces As the re-
suit Of his investigation, be says;
The causes, in my opinion, are most apparent. |! is
well established fact, that for the atmosphere 10
rightly perform is Office in supporting human health, II
must contain oz1is, the active condition oil oxygen IL
il readily detected in all healthy localities tested tor
L. IN The tents OF soldiers, and none could De dscoV
cred IN the lower parts OF the tents In thu merning-
The sleepers then without this essential condition
OF tie vital air. Toe mere absence o. this might,
perhaps be borne by most constitutions for mahy src
ssiye hours bat il would be remarkable that the
agent that neutrazsd the one should juss be sGif
cent 20 produce q a. neutrality and not be in excess
Hence We tested for what Saw calls psris, and found
Il abundanty in tent in which five Of soldiers slept
This heavy, putrescibe substance without door, and
l. genera ed in certain conditions OF decAying matter
Is in the PROBABLY mostly from the 6m-
Nations Of the bodies OF the sleepers Nothing puIehes
more readily than those CARNATIONS, as may ably be
proved. Another source is om the soil on which they
lie. The living yegeaion which would otherwise con-
sumo those materials is destroyed, ard the warmth OF
the body lis production, and there IL no ozone
the cir 10 consume il.
Oz)le and pu,erine are antagonisms Where one e1-
Iyls the other cannot
PrOE D. states that the sickness is at present some
Nha subsid1g "for OF material in subjects" but
p,sd etl Il no better arrangements made that paeu
mols pelr.y and typhoid fever will appear with great
er vrIleae,." Il proposes the following remedies:
The tents are too close at night They might be made
80 that they could be closed only TO shelter keep
"a he storm. Ole third OF the tent should always be
open the opening arranged thai it might BE- altered
u dill rent iies OF TIE tent SO be the leevard
l. s,oIAL
There are too many ia a tent as now constructed.
The tents are too near each other. There should be
a. Least one rod between the tents that the may
have its toll eii,e, on the intervening space.
Tn contents OF the tentS especially blankets straw
g. should be placed 10 the every Gay when The
sIl shines The tents should BE- completely rolled up
IssgeG a. leSs: week that the sua may have lis
plriiycg effect on the soil
Mu:h advantage DO doubt, might be gained in the To-
CT ion the in regard each other and surround
ips localities Oar prevA'lng Winds are westerly. All
offensive localities should OF course, De TO the leeward
G side OF the camp the tents being arranged north
and south Tue cooking and Erss should much pcss
b. be on that sii that the vitil,sd air may not be
driven into the tents. These conditions reversed 10
the arrange ncnt Of many Of the camps.
Mary OF the camps kept clear from offensive ma
ter. bur this sorry 20 say, Is not the care
Egl all But the utmos; cleanliness Is lot sufficient -
TIE virus has necessary eounexion with hIh as ex
hbtd 70 sight SINE The most loathsome conditions
my be free tho active sgen IN producing disease,
AID zoe most clearly, a=9a'eatly, may prodrce 1t IA
great poSer The tests the only criterion and these
should D. applied.
Il IS said tSe conditions required iupractieAble.
However tbs mas be, SAuuo say. II army Discipline
- enac,s and IS ind xhle it is in conflict with laws
sloe flexible and whiea will never yield. Human be
igg have pure ar containing all essential clemens
aud tue conditions OF supply be observed, such
s.su-s r0v mAniiss'ing themselves in our army
Will - low.