The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-08-21
he l~Aeortance or Sanitary Regulations
fer she Army

fer she Army.
II is, we believe weil-established fact, that
10 every eampaign-even where tho sanitary
regulations approach nearest TO perfection
faoro men are destroyed by disease than by
the casualties of battle. This is truth which,
we venture to suggest, should be ever foremost
in the minds of rulers, and per sons generally
who have charge Of such matters Above al
things. c}ca nlipess, comfort in camp, and whole
some food for the soldier, should be attended to.
We know not that our armies want any Of
these thing but it is well to keep the sub
jet before the ruling powers. We speak not
gov Of our hospitals, or the means and appli-
aLces there collected for restoring the sick and
wounded. We confRe ourselves to measures
fer preventing the appearance of disease.
To gia with this city. Troops are continually
arriving and er.camping here. Ii sometimes
happens that they arrive in the midst of heavy
rain. When tins happens. it strikes us it
would 10 the isest plan TO march them at
once % some OF cur tobacco factories, or other
QHoccup!td houses, where they can remain
until their clothes become dry, aud no, take
hem of at once TO their tents This seems
20 las peculiarly advisable just at this time,
chen the measles ere very prevalent, and
aaon it might happen that whole corps bore
With tnemsthe seeds OF the disease. Persons
.aooriDg under measles are in general easily
cured II lEey d. not lake cold. Bu. tho ma
turo u the complaint 10 such DIS 70 render the
patient peculiarly liable to cold upon very
81 snt t Ngosure. When cold super, enes, great
danger almost invariably follows. \ man
VITA JAo noLsles on him incurS fearful risk
from berg drencAcd in the rain. We make
these suggestions II order that our authorities
may taho the hat, and turn their attention at
once 10 this very important subject.
Too Luca attention cannot be paid to the
aeaIta Of the soldier while in camp. sick
man cannot so duty; and an array in which
large numbers are Frustrated by disease is
nigh akin 70 10 army at all. Hospitals Of
course ought 10 be as complete as cucum-
.taness nlll allow; but it is best to keep out Of
ne hospital altogether. IA many cases this
IS impossible; bat, in still more, the necessity
may De obyiatcd By timely precautions. Some
# these are ia the power OF tho men them
salyes 81: h rs s0briety, temperance in eating
aud drinking, strict attention to personal
cleanliness and care in always spreading a
blanket or al over coat on the earth before
Wing down upon it. Others belong to the
Authorities. Care should be taken to have the
tents rs dry rs possible. Nothing can be
c,ore uncymfJr.ahie, or more deleterious, than
damp tents. In ono Of tho volumes Of NAro-
LIONS Memoirs, written under his dctation at
st. Helena, he defends himself against an
asssilant who had charged him with a want Of
care for the health OF his soldiers, in diScardiDg
tents, and substituting the biyouac in the open
air. He cVntended, and we thiIk successfully,
that the latter practice better fer the soldiers
on the score If health. 4 tent, he said would al
ways be more or less damp il damp weather,
and the inmates Of course, would suffer in pro-
portion. When troops bivouacked, On the con
trary, they always built large fres, which
e0unterac-ed the effects Of moist aln osphcte,
and slept around them. Elsewhere, be says
tua, l)cality famous st the time for pestilsu-
tial fevers throughout The first months # Au-
,umn, suffered very little from haYing adopt!
81 the simple prccauti9n of keeping UP large
fires throughout TIE night. Of course We DC
not expect our troops to gait their tents, and
take to the b;yonac. We merely introduce
these facte to illustrate the extreme impor-
lance Of dry, airy tents to the health of the
soldie,.
Not less important is it to keep the m,
perfectly clear Of I'll impurities r,a,,nsrt.
Of broken victua!8 ard eveeyth,n< hat pro
dace5 foul 'nIonv. toyh' 10 be carefully ex-
oiud'd' The CVMmissary should eestov, the
rtn'ca, attention 20 .htr sah'oot lis depart
mont shoa!1 be 'en; as sweet as a plenty of
air ana he utmost cleanliness can make it
Re foul Air should be suffered to exist. free
circulation OF air throughout the camp is abso-
iu:cly necessary, and if it cannot be obtained,
tho locality ought to be changed.