Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-10-29


and destitute. The Sate referred TO was
Georgia, and tie agency through which its
charity and beneiactOns distributed, was the
Georgia Relief aud Hospital Association. i
was SHOWN that the State, IN addition TO large
individual contributions of money, clothing,
medicines and stores, had appropriated the
sum Of $500 coo for the relief of the sick and
wounded; that the Associsiion had established
four large hospitals in Richmond that these
hospitals were supplied with surgeons, matrons,
nurses and cbsplains; that an ample supply Of
furniture, bed-sagks, sheets, towels, bsndages,
sulints and medicines mad been procured that
a large storeroom had been rented, where cloth
ing WIS kept for gratuitous distribution among
the troops from Georgis and the very needy
from other Sta es, and where extra baggage and
express freight mighs be stored tI6e of charge
and that the Association had ia its employ
number of agents, Gctive and Jealous agents,
who upon the OccuTreI CO of = OaELLci repaired
Immediately TO the scene OF action, carrying
with them a supply OF medicines, bed-sscEs,
sheets, towels, bandages, clothing etc, collect
ed tsp the wounded from their State, and ron
dered every assistance, moral and physical, It
was in their power to bestOw. 10 was shown,
also, that these agents were industrious and en-
ergehc men, tuil Of sympathy and good feeling,
vino did not wait for the sick and destitute 90
90 to them. bat went OUt in search OF toe suffer
ers, got them into as comfortable quarters SIS
possible, put beds of straw under thsic weary
limbs, furnished them with r change OF cloth
ing, ard cursed them ike br0theTs-as they
are.
To-day I propose to show what the govern
meut Is doing for the sick and wounded under
the same circunstaDces-nOt with view OF hnd-
ing fault, but to iadicats the defects in the sys-
TEN it has adopted, to the end that they may be
corrected
Il is customary after battle has been fought,
TO collect the wounded together in temporary
hospitals or send them to the rear. At Rich
mOnd, they were placed IL the hosplta IN that
citv after the second battle of Manassas they
were sent back 10 WsrrentoH and other towns ia
the vicinity, snd ct sharpsburg they were sent
across the river 30 ShepheTdsi0wn and thence 60
this place and S.nunton The legimentzl sur
geoas dress the wound, aud set or amputate the
limb, IS the case msy be, before the patient
passes from their hands TO TIA rear Some of
these operators perform their work sHi luliy and
conscienu0usly others do 1t huIuediy or lg-
uoIautly " bile few DO it ia manner that
can only bo properly characterized IS brutal
have known Of caseg of aeputa.ionS where tne
lsypng part Of the flesh was sewed together
oveF the bnue so stupidity, that Ihs thread "OulC
d ssngaEa itself aud tie bone be exposed IN less
than twenty -iouc hours The object OF many
with their WORK in some sort Ct fashion, rs soon
as possible, and turn their subjects over TO the
hoSuit. surgeons. While engaged at the am
pUjation table. many of them feel it to be thelr
solemn duty, every time tney adm mister brandy
to the pstieut, 20 take drink themselves. Ims
part of their work ia performed wish great Unc-
lion aud conscjentiousuess. 10 a nsj sj)Tty Of IN
stances, however, I am glad 90 say, the h-id
surgeons DO quite as well as should be expected
of young meu whs have had but little pTScJ-
csl experience in the art Of surgery. In cases
Of ordinary sickness they have but little to d5.
iuasmuch as the government has been able 10
furnish them With but few medicines, and lEey
have, consequently but little % administer.
Bat it is when the wounded man falls into
the hands Of the hospital surgeons ths5 his
greatest suHsGngs begin ] DO not mean such
surgeons as Nl0ss in the Richmond hospitals
which are located in large city under the eye
of the government, and are provided for "Itl
careful matroUs and nurses and an ample
supply of hospital stores; the circumstances sur
rounding these officers, if nothing else, would
constrsin them TO perform their duties but j
a.lude TO the surgeons in those hospitals which
are improviscd in the rear Of the 6rmy, as st
his place aud Wsrfsnton, and who being Of
but little value st Richmond and other central
points are sent TO tire country. ohsll 1 da8I5i-
reOtype Two Of these surgeons Tor you sam
eler would call them " SawbGnes,' and per
hsps ths! is a more appropriate term tor them
than surgeons.
Nearly two weeks after the battle Of ShaTps-
burg, two y0Uag gentlemen, Of iTrepToachabls
moustsches, were introduced into my room vt
hotel in this place by the iaEdiady, who informed
me- that they would be my room mates for the
present 1t appeared from their conversation
that they had Just arrived from BichmoEd-
that they he'd been acting in the capacity OF as
sistsnt surgeons there for nearly year, aud
that they had been dispatched 50 Winchester to
assist in taking care Of the wounded in the bat
Ito of Sharpsburg Two questions Of much
magnitude occupied their attention for halt an
hour or ra0re-to-wit lst, whether they should
report to the surgeon of the post in person or by
note l. whether, IN the event they reported IN
person, they should " dress mp or 60 as thoy
were. They faally decided to dress hEs5, and
tben send up their report in writing. The con
sideration W hich brought them TO this conclu-
sion arose from the fact thst -hey were without
ver, and the idea of their going into the street
lrchase = supply in their present plight,
com ,lnot be entertained for momeBt NesEy
two hours we're devoted to their toilet. After
washing and serubbiDg ever 50 long, their hair
! and rnousteches had TO be carefully cleaned and
oiled. their uniforms covered all over with gold
! lsee, neatly busted, snd their boots duly pol
ished One Of them put Oh rutl5d calico snHt
with a large diamond pin and in mense gold
studs, a pair Of Write linen pantaloons, and
Handsome black cloth coa5 made up in the ex-
trene military style. He first thought he would
wear q pair Of gsiter shoes, but ON consulting
" jim" (his companion) it was fnslly agreed
tina. boots would become the set OF hls pants
better So be put on the boots
Having fmsbed their elaborate toilets and
started out Of the room, the following lecOnic
dialogue ensued:
BooTs-I say, Jim, don't you think We hsd
be,tsr take drop before going Ous
| JHI-Y-s, l 30 thIuk We had. ieel rather
shaky after last nights sftsir
They cou1tsously inquired, afl-r moments
hesitation, whether l would not jjia them but
[ was suffering al the iima from fever cOnse-
quent upon a chill, and q still teTcsr fever of
Indignation that such stupid creatures should
De sent here to attend to the w0uudo1-and
declined to participate They returned TO the
room after an hours absence, complained that
they had 10 walk 50 far through the heat
and dus; to get istie paper, prepared their
note 70 the chief surgeon of the post, snd sent
it Up 10 him IN due form. The chief surgeon,
vino is represented to be q man Of industry and
energy, replied promptly, ordering them 10 6
certain hospital, which they proceeded 70 take
charge of next moruug-uearly twenty -iour
hours after their arrival in town
You are ready to inquire Of what use can
suc' dainty gsntry be in dirty hospital ii led
with stern sUtf rers-men with broken bones
and ehas,ly wounds, uh sse bodies are covered
with filthy rags and alive with veTmin-with
nothing to lia upon but litJie straw and the
air they breathe poisoned By exha.alious from
The fostering wounds and feveEish bodies around
them? The answer is, they are OF no use what
ever. If ever So skilled in their profession, the
nsatness Of their toilet and The dslicscy Of then
nsses would totally disquslfy them tor such
/ work as this. a hospital at best is not very
| desirable place to abide IN oat when hi.ny
| and filled ;Fith vermin, and cTsmm5d Tih sick
and wounded mon, " hose wounds are seldom
| dressed, and whose eeessites require them to