Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1861-05-22
SOLDIERS HEALTH.

SOLDIERS HEALTH.
By DR. nALL, OF The n =. JOURNAL OF HEALTH.
To tile Editors Of TIE Neu York Espress:
l. In any ordinary campaign, sickness dsables or
destroys three times rs many as the sword. g,-ss |
O. On . march, from April to November, the en- |
tire clothing should be colored flannel shirt with |
loosely -buttoned collar, cotton drawers, wooden
felt hat with broad brm to protect the neck, eyes
and face from the glare of the sun and from the !
rain, and substantial but not heavy coat when |
off duty. !
8. Sunstroke may be prevented by wearing silk |
handkerchief in the hat white linen hood hat
cover, extending like cape over the neck and
shoulders.
4. Colored blankets are best and if lined with
brown drilling the warmth and durability are
doubled while the protection against dampuess
from lying on the ground, is almost complete.
8. Never lie or sit down ON the grass or bare
earth for moment; rather use your hat-a hand
kerchief even, is great protection. The warmer
you are, the greater need for this protection, rs
damp vapor is immediately generated, to be ab.
sorbed by the clothing, and to cool you off too
rapidly. -. 49,.
!, 6. While marching, or on other active duty, the
more thirsty you are, the essential it is to
safety of life ITSELF to rinse out the mouth two
three times, and then take swallow of water at
! time, with short intervals. A brave French gen.
eId Oh lOrCeO WaCCE, lel ueaN Oh Tic lfStaut, ny
drinking largely Of cold water, when snow was
on the ground
Z. Abundant sleep is essential to bodily efficiency
and to that atertness of mind which is allimpor.
) tant in an engagement; and few things more GER
Ainly and more efectually prevent sound sleep than
eating heartily after shutdown, especially alter
heavy march or desperate battle
T. Nothing is more certain to secure endurance
and capability Of long continued effort than the
! avoidance Of everything as drink except cold wa
| ter, not excluding Coffee at breakfast Drink even
cold water very slowly.
: Q. After any sort of exhausting effort cup of
J coffee hot cold is an admirable sustainer of the
. strength, until nature begins to recover herself
, TO- Unless after long abstinence great fati-
que, do not eat very heartily just before great un
dertaking because the nervous power is irresistis
bly, drawn to the stomach to manage the food eaten,
) thus drawing off that supply which the brain and
muscles so much need.
H. If persons will drink brandy, it is incompara.g
bly, safer to do after effort than before; for it
give only transient strength, lasting but a
few minutes; but as it can never be known how
long any given effort is to be kept in continuance.
and if longer than the few minutes, the body be-
comes more feeble than it whould have been with
out the stimulus, it is clear that its use before
an effort is always hazardous, and is always unwise
ls. Never go to sleep, especially after great ef-
fort, even in hot weather, without some covering
over you.
IS. Under all circumstances rather than lie down
on the bare ground lie in the hollow Of two logs
placed together or across several smaller pieces Of
wood, laid side by side; sit your hat, leaning
against tree. A nap Of ten or fifteen minutes in
that position will refresh you more than an hour on
the bare EARTH with the additional advantage Of per-
feet safety. ~
II. A cut is less dangerous than a bullet wound,
and heals more rapidly.
Is. If from any wound the blood spirits out in
JETS instead of steady stream, you will die in a
few minutes unless it is remedied because artery
has been divided, and that takes the blood direct
from the fountain of life. To stop this instantly,
tic handkerchief cloth very loosely 6etceen i!
the wound and the heart; put stick, bayonet or
ramroad betaoeen the skin and the handkerchief and
twist it around until the bleeding ceases and keep
it thus until the surgeon arrives.
l6. If the blood flows in a SLOW regular stream,
vein has been pierced, and the handkerchief must
be on the other side of the wound from the heart
that is, below the wound
! II. A bullet through the abdomen Cbelly OF
stomach is more certainly fatal than if aimed a. ths
head OF heart; for in the latter cases the ball Of
ten glanced of by the bone or follows round it IN
der the skln but when it enters the stomach Of
bowels, from any direction, death is inevitable un
der almost all circumstances but is scarcely eve
instantaneous. Generally the person lives day o.
two with perfect clearness of intellect often not sui
1cslOS greatly. 1De gearing OF tQlS SC0t6
ment in reference to the great future>is clear.
| Is. Let the whole beard grow, but not longe
} than some three inches. This strengthens AM
thickens its growth, and thus makes more perfec
protection for the lungs against DUST and Of tn
throat against winds and cold in winter, while il
the summer greater perspiraton of the skin is in
duced, with an increase of evaporation hence
greater GOODNESS of the parts the outside, Will
the throat is less feve:ish, thirsty and dry.
10 Avoid fats and fat meats in summer and in Al
r warm days.
t 20. Whenever possible, take plunge into an
lake or running stream every morning, us soon a
you get up; if none at hand, endeavor to wash tn
body all over as soon as you leave your bed, 70
, personal cleanliness acts like charm against a
Diseases always either wardng them off altogcthe
or greatly mitigating their severity and shoItenin
their duration.
!, 81. Keep the hair of the head closely cut, sa
within inch and half of the scalp in every par
repeated on the first Of each month, and wash tn
whole scalp plentifuly in cold water every morning
%. Wear woollen stockings and easy fitting shoe
keeping the toe and finger nails always cut moderate
+ ly close
%. 1t is more important to wash the feet we
a every night than to wash the face and hands
mornings because it aids to keep the skin and mai
sot and to prevent chafngs, bsters and corns, a
+ of which greatly interfere with soldiers duty.
% a. The most universally safe position, after a
StunnlngS nurtS ana WOUNDS ID tnat OF oelng place
:, the back the head being elevated three or for
% inches only aiding more than any one thing els
can do, to eqnalize and restore the proper circuit
ton of the blood.
e 25 The more weary you are after march
If other work, the more easily will you take cold
you remain still after il is over; unless the momel
you cease motion, you throw coat or blanket ov'
It your shoulders. This precaution should be take
in the warmest weather, especially if there is eve
y slight air stirring
!, &c. The greatest physical kindness you can sho
y severely wounded comrade is first to place him
his back, and then run with all your might for SON
), water to, drink not second ought to be lost.
. no vessel is at hand, take your hat; if no hat I
d with your shirt wiring it ont once tie the arms
r knot, as also the lower END, thns making b.
r, open at the neck only. A fleet person can cow.
r. bucketful half mile 10 this way I've seen
" dying man clutch ct single drop of water fro
:. tS HS,or., .d i'll a. - 49, e go