The Memphis union appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1862-1862, 1862-08-09
TIE SANITARY OONNIgsIOY.
Letter f<em the Executive COMMITTEES
10 the PresIdent.

STR: Three hundred thousand raw recruits
are about to be called into the field. 1t is i'm
possible for the United States Sanitary Com
mission to contemplate this momentous fact
without a profound feeling of It's obligation to
lend Government whatever aid and counsel
its peculiar experience may enable it TO offer
as the safest and best method Of getting these
men into thu field and kaepiag them there in
the most se-viceable condition and with the
| highest attaiRabie economy of life and health.
Aher studying for fifteen months the Sanitary
Interests Of our great army, We have arrived
at definite conclusions as to measures necessary
to protect these new levies against certain of
| the dangers that threaten them, and it is our
plain duty, as a q Commission of inquiry and
advice IN ragsri 70 the Sanitary interests of
the United States Forces" TO submit these
conclusions, most respectfully, to the consid-
Grafton Of yourself, heiriCommander-in-Chi
The careless and superficial medical inspec-
ton of recruits made at leas: twenty five per
cent. Of the volunteer army raised last year
not only utterly useless, but a positive eacun-
brance and embarrassment, filing orr hospi-
tails with inyalids and the whole country witt
| exaggerated notions Of the dangers of war that
now seriously retard the recruiting of the new
levies We 50 urgently need. The wise and hu
name regulations of the United States army
that require minute and searching investiga-
ZION of the physical condition Of every recruit
were, during the spring and summer of 1861,
criminslly disregarded by inspecting officers
1 In twenty-nine per cent Of the regiments mus
/ tered into service during that period there had
! been no pretense even Of a thorough inspec-
| ton. Few regiments have thus far taken the
| field that did not Include among their rank
and file many boys of from fourteen to sixteen
men with hernia ysricose veins, consump-
/ ton aud other diseases, wholly uniting them
/ for duty, and which could not have escaped
/ the eye of competent medical oficer-and
/ others with constitutions broken by intem-
perance or disease, or long past the age
| of military service. Each Of these men
cost the nation certain amount OF money
amounting in the aggregate TO millions OF dol
/ lars. Not one of them was able, however
well disposed, to endure weeks hardship or
/ render the nation "a dollar worth of effective
service ia the Geld. Some regiments left ten
| per cent OF their men IL hospitals on the road,
before thsy reached the seat of war. No ma
| tional crisis can excuse the recruiting of such
! material. 1t increases for time the strength
Of The army on paper, bat dinnishes its ac-
| tual efficiency. 1t is mere source of weak
ness, decentralization, and wssteful expense,
and of manifold mischief to the army and to
the national cause The frequent spectacle Of
immature youth, and men Of diseased or en-
feebled constitutions returning to their homes,
| shattered and broken down after months
camp life, destructive to themselves and useless
to the country, has depressed the military
spirit and confidence of the people How can
we escape a repetition OF this manifest evil ex-
cept by more vigiiant and thorough luspec-
ton of our new levies We respectfully sub
nit that no new recruits should be accepted
until they have been examined by medical Of
fcers Of the United States ARM, entirely
without personal interest in the filing up Of
any regiment. And these medical men should
have had some experience IN the haFdships
and exposures Of military life. No one, in
short, should be allowed 10 serve as Medical
Inspector Of recruits who has not passed u
regular Army Board named by the Surgeon
General HIMSELF and con yened ut some one of
the great fonters Of medical science.
A IargG percentage Of the disease and weak
ness Of orr armies up to this time, lin other
words the waste Of many millions OF our re-
sources, has been due to the inexperience Of
medical and military officers alike, as to the
| peculiar dangers and exposures that surround
the soldier IN camp and on the march, and
which render the money the nation has ex-
pended in putting him into the field far more
precarious investment than it would be, were
he kept under strict subsection to sanitary
laws. The liability of soldiers to disease
should be far less than it is. 1t would be so
were they required to observe the laws of
health. They and their officers, and the peo-
pie and their Government have thus far too
| generally overlooked those laws. But the last
twelve months have taught the army and the
people The immense Importance of sanitary
science in war. Our school has been costly,
but il has already taught US much. For the
last three months thousands and thousands of
wan and wasted forms brought North by rail-
road, and on hospital transports, stricken by
no rebel bullet, but by far deadlier enemies OF
the nation-malarial fever and camp dysen-
tery-have been impressing on the people the
lesson the Sanitary Commission has been en-
deayoriDg to teach ever since the war began,
viz: That our soldiers were in far greater
danger from disease than from she violence oil
their enemies--and that we lose ten men use
lessly by preVentable disease for every man
destroyed by the enemy.
We have been learning rapidly during the
past year. LIE we have Learned anything, it Ia;
been that it Was mistake TO keep the reg
ular army and the volunteer army separate
Had the regulars been from the first inter
mingled with the volunteers, they would have
leavened the whole lump with their experience
I. of camp police, discipline, subordinstlon aut
! the sanitary conditions of military life. w,
. should have no Bull Run panic to blush for
q Our little regular army, diffGsed among tins
volunteers OF last year, would within thre'
# months have brought them up TO its own stan
!, dard of discipline and efficiency.
r As it il, the greatest efforts have been re
It CURED TO inspire officers and men with sens
i of the nature and importance Of sanitary laws
and with the practical application of hygieni
{. principles to their tents, their camps, thei
: persons, and their habits and food. In thi
work The sanitary commission, through its pro
fessionsl experts, has labored methodicaily
and with marked success. Bat il cannot con
template the needless renewal of its painful
experience without warning government tina
I the loss of life by debility, disease ard imma
= turity-ten times that by our bloodiesG battle
: lis wholly unnecessary; that of every te
men lost by the army during the past veal
:, nine have been needlessly wasted that b
5 proper medical inspection of recruits, the ms
terisl of disease can be reduced to the loves