Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-06-16
The Soldiers, Hospitals.
A WOMAN'S VISIT TO THE SICK AND WOUA \,
IN PHILADELPHIA


Correspondence OF the New York Evening Post
PHILADELPHIA, June Z, 1927 have visit
ed the government hospitals in this city The
soldiers are doing well and are in good spirits.
Their food is wholesome and their meals are
served regularly. | sat down upon the clean
white mattress by one of the men, and asked
nm number of questions, which he answer
ed with animation. He informed me that he
had been there about two weeks, and was sent
home with typhoid fever, which had afflicted
him for some time before he left service. He
belonged to Pennsylvania regiment in Gen.
McClellans army, and saw service on the
peninsula.
sit was hard time for u.s." he said. "Once
we were thirty-siX hours without mouthful
of food and cold and wet besides But bore
it till after the battle of Yorktown. 1 had been
very sick for some time, but did not give up.
On the day of the battle our captain told me
must not go unless felt well enough; but |
could not be content without, and so | went.
fought that day but did not get a scratch. 1t
used me up, though. After that could not
help myself and they had to send me here"
"How do you feel about going back?" l
asked
Il want to go back, if am needed, just as
soon as l am well enough" he replied readi-
ly.
''You don't feel afraid again to brave the
hardships of war.
"No. l confess to a sort of dislike to leav-
ing good quarters for bad ones, but am will
ing and anxious to go for all that The care
we receive, however, makes it rather hard to
think about. Some Of the boys here, though
are disposed to complain Of their treatment
after all; but it's because they don't know
anything about hardship. For my part, all l
can say is that those who do complain ought
to be sent to Newport News. If they got back
there they would have no more complaints to
make"
''The physicians are kind?"
''The bestin the world"
By this time quite large number of men
had gathered round where we were talking,
each eager to tell something of his own expe-
rience. One had had his arm broken and
his shoulder dislocated by a wagon running
over him. The regimental surgeon examined
1t moment, said that nothing serious was the
matter, and the poor fellow was compelled to
do duty. For some hours after the accident
he was actively engaged; and then, when
they came to examine his arm, it was so swo-
len that his jacket had to be cut from his back.
1t was with difficulty that his life was saved.
He is doing well now, and will not lose his
arm; but 1t is nearly useless, and probably
will be so all his life. l tried to comfort him.
eAe'I AC heGp ROOQ
when he replied, with merry twinkle of the
eye, in broad German accent, that ste doc
tors would not let him hafe any spirits
The rooms in the hospital were filled with
the perfume Of flowers. On every little table
lay heap Of books and papers, and frequent
ly elegant boquets. The sheets and pillow
cases were white and clean as any one could
wish. Down stairs there was piano, and
sometimes fine musical entertainments are
given for the poor fellows who drag through
the weary, Gstless hours, thinking of home
and friends, but unable to reach them.
The general receiving hospital has now a.
bout four hundred inmates, who are all doing
well. The deaths average only about two
week. -Four or five excellent physicians are
in attendance-Dr. VIM. King acting as med
ical director. The Gays for receiving visitors
are Mondays, W Wednesdays, and FRIDAYS, from
one till five o'clock in the afternoon. walk.
ed up to three boys, spoke pleasantly, offered
my hand, and inquired into their condition
Several ladies stopped short and stared at me
in open-mouthed wonder. Then, when sat
down beside one of them and sponged his
face, heard one Of them say-"My isn't she
afrad?"
No, wasn't afraid, and if all of nv sex
were so, fear that many poor fellows would
miss the tender care they need. We must
not fear to touch them, to speak to them, to
soothe and comfort them in their loneliness
and suffering, if we hope to aid in the cause
of humanity and our country. And here let
me suggest to those who are ignorant of what
it is in their power to do, that they may battle
fevered face, brush the hair from an aching
brow prepare piece of toast nicely, and a
cup of tea, or carry some fruits or other deli
cacies to tempt an appetite too weak for coarse
and more substantial food.
There are thousand things that woman
can do to give relief to the soldiers. Many
wish letters written to friends which they are
too weak to pen; you can write for them, to
their dctation. You can speak kindly and
pleasantly to them of things which will win
their thoughts from sorrows they may have,
and make yourselves the blessing which God
designed that woman should be to man. Why
should we fear to approach them in suffering,
or fear to speak to them freely and kindly,
because their position in life is different, and
peIhaps their manners coarse and rough?
The St. Joseph hospital and the Christian
street hospital are full of sick and wounded
men. They have the best care, and think
the introduction of music, with the various
shades of suffering, capital idea. Many a
tedious hour Is thus idled pleasantly away.
In passing through one Of the hospitals
observed smart young girl sitting beside one
of the patients reading aloud. A little dis
lance from her several others sat listening at
tentively, betraying their interest in the scene