The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-09-05
SsEiIh Of Soldiers.

ktEith Of Soldiers.
The perils Of the battlefield 10 armies are
literally nothing in comparison with those OF
disease. 1t is not moro essential tns. military
movements should be guided and controlled
~ ,.o hishes. order Of genius than IL is that
the daily lilo Of the cAnp and the hospital
service should be directed and regulated by
tbs hiShss. Intelligence, experience and sys-
tsln. IL is rot more important that the mi
nulest details vi discipline and drill shouid be
oaIoroed upon The soldier, than that the mi
nu.est detail of everything which affects Lis
hvaith or TENDS 10 his res.oEauon Wen sick,
suUuid DO diligently observed. BetaeL Bull
kua, Manassas and Springfield have proved
inat, IL military Skill ana lighting qualities,
our Southern army Is ahead vi ally other GA
tals continent, but we hays q moro dangerous
enemy than bay oness and puIle~s t. contend
VITA, In disease. Although lie enemy suffers
Is much in this Eespecs as We d., and probably
m9Ie, yet thorough Gttultltu 10 d.tails il
,hu methods OF providing TOR TIC SICK may
teLd TO lessen greatly ms losses i1om this
cause.
We have before ca He'd attention to the fact
tuat, whore SUCH disease as measles is preva-
ion,, great care should bs taken to quarter
.rosh roo ps, VINO have just arrived, heated
aal exhausted after lopg march, and some
hines perhaps il polling rain, II dry and
comfortable quarters, such as are afforded by
nf ha nd tobacco far
tories ana public buildings, whish may be
found in our OWE and OF her cities. 70 march
men IN such condition to wet camp would
Dc as reckless and destructive to human life
as to order al unarmed regiment to storm Old
Point. OF course, to march patients suffering
from measles or any other disease from o rail-
read station to hospital, through driving
rain, instead CT conveying them in the easiest
carriages, and most perfectly protected from
the weather, that can be found, would prove
almos. certain death to the victims of such
treatment. Measles is comparatively limo
cen. disease when the patient is not exposed
to cold; but, when thus exposed, dangerous in
the extreme. Another rulo that ought to be
uniformly observed, is to keep patients who are
suffering from contagious diseases in rooms or
wards by themselves, and carefully isolated
from those whose diseases are not of that
character. Nor should any encanpmeat of
healthy soldiery be ever posted in the neigh
bcrhood Of hospital. Is is also desirable
that, as soon as the men in q hospital become
no fae Oh 10 do 1no
to citizens who are willing to receive then into
their hOuses-and everybody is willing-and
they should be at once removed.
We throw out from time to time these crude
suggestions by way of stirring up those who
have such matters in charge to the most
thorough, intelligent, and energetic provision
for the health Of our men. The daily food Of
those who are well, their cookery, their pro-
lection against the weather, and everything
connected with ensuring to our army the
highest degree Of physical ard moral Efficiency;
the treatment of those who are sick, and the
management OF hospitals in all their details,
deserve tbs most profound consideration and
energy of the departments to which they are
fscts and causes Of complaint must be found in
the beginning Of great military operations in q
country and among generation wholly IN
used to war, and we refer to this subjec. in no
fault- fading mood. We know tina. vast deal
hiss been &C comPhshed in those branches of
the service which are responsible for the health
aud comfort Of the soldiers; moro, perhaps
than could have been reasonably expected.
But there is abundant room for improvement
yet, and we have no intention of losing sight
of the subject till we have attained perfection
as nearly as possible. There is no lack of Off
GERS charged with these duties, and the co-
operation of the public with them, in every
way and to any extent that may be required, il
thing they may calculate upon as surely as
the rising Of to-morroW's sun. As q CORES
respondent of the Wilmington Herald observes
in relation to another branch of the service
the people, who furnish tia sinsws Of war and
fight the battles, have right to demand of
their officials the most faithful, intelligent,
and efficient service. "The widows mite and
the widows only son are being laid on the
altar of freedom. people bringing such sac
ri6ces, net grudgingly, but with chserfulress
and alacrity, have right to scrutinise and
critic;ss the public acts of their servants
They have right to demand that their free
will offerings bs applied to the best purposes,
at the tight time, and at the proper place"
No subject connected with Southern mill
tary operations is Of moro practical import
ancs than this, and memo appeals more pow.
erfully to the ssnsibilities Of every humans
and generous heart. To neglect any detail
no matter how Insignificant, by which the
health and lives Of our soldiers may be pre-.
served, is as criminal and ruinous as to neg
lecs any of those precautions in camp which
are employed against sudden surprise or mid.
| night massacre by an enemy. Disease MAJ
dscimate, Gu. to pieces, and even rout an army
more effsctuaily than bayonsts or bullets. Il
Is, therefore, the dictate VI patriotism, Loyalty
aud aonuoa sense, to ssy nothing Of eoruos
baAsaisy 10 use IS aBslssylsa visllsass sad
sasr2y 10 pfe.saiias sss srMy fsom aissAss
Ara sli INST d calculated - sssasss II u non
tAs sssaiagsns, assassadss kad asssalts q
NJ sss.y. Tbs fsis u sAS sel1au Who ssf
Afs, md perhaps dis y Aat, fssm liAgss.
Ing dissass, prsssats go d ~ nest nslan'
sholy features of was. Par han Aons, T.
pssved II ~ deu.sstio sympatAiss vhisA =,