New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-01-31

~ tn''fy III Icbdfu 10 III that the Climate
unhealthy; but this is exploded BY the fact tina,
tn, Arkansas and Missouri soldiers, who bave been
aeon stoned to it all their lives in many cases suffer
more than the troops from Northern Illinois and
Iowa. There is the most marked disparity, too in
reuiuent eucamped side by side. After visiting al
the post a I'd regimenia hospitals, and the camp of
nearly every regiment, the following causes in the
order named. impress me as the origin of the
alarming mortah y:
l. Lack Of sanita Typrecautons. Camp he, under
proper conditions, is the heahest life in the world
but in THE climate il 'hose conditions are neglected,
death reaps fearful ba. vest. Among the comforts
and conveDienees of hom,, it 10 comparatively easy
to obey tie laws of health, in cleanliness of person
and dress and correct Diet bit in camp, soldiers will
not do It, unless it is insisted upon and made the OBJ
ect of unremitting personal attention by their off.
GERS. At this post, for instance willie there have
been upward of hundred deaths in IT, 35th Illinois,
the ID Missouri Colonel Schoefer), has lost
only four men by disease since il entered
she service, shortly after the war broke ot. This
regiment is composed exclusively Of Germans, who
show as q class much less mortality than oops Of
native birth; bnt Col. Schoefer is an old soldier,
who enforces the observation Of hygienic lawc, and
his hospital IL in better condition than any other in
the entire command. The 18th Illinois Col j b.
Wymau) which is one of the beat rrgiu,ents in he
country, composed of intelligent men, who have gone
through much hard service, was mentioned to me ~
another fortunate command, which bad lost only 10
members. visit to its camp explained tho cause.
The location ia high and dry; the men are all pro-
vided wish Fremont tents, properly warned and
ventilated, and their quarters dry, clean and
tidy All their garments are washed at least
once week. and cleanliness Of person and the
proper preparation of food is rgdly enforced. If the
officers Of other regiments exercised the same
in these respects as Col. Wyman and lis sutordi-
mates, the results would be most happL On the
other hand, we found the men of the regiments
which are suffering the most wallowing liz mud up
t0ther ankles, and their quarters often in condition
which rendered the prevalence of typhoid fever and
smallpox of Easy explanation. The 4th Iowa,
which bas saf .red severely, having buried ~ men
within a short time, should be excepted from this
category 1t from sparsely-settled region,
and when measles broke out among the men there
were upward Of 400 cases within mouth. The
di3easo LETT the systems dsbilitated, and in many
ns tances slight nprudence. in going ont toe soon in
the raw, damp air brought on pneumonias which
soon proved fatal.
II. Laek of proper medical attendance and s1p-
plies The commander of o division said to me: VI
needed and appliedfor FIVE surgeons, but have becn
able TO obtain only one and it is utterly impossible
for him 20 give my men the attention they require"
The Colonel of one of the regiments which has
very large yck list remarked: " Red tape, hcom-
petency, OF both is killing my men. 1t is impossible
to obtain proper medicines in adequate quantities.
When we require and ask for expectorants, were
ceiye little Of what we need, and great deal OF
calomel or something else which We do not need
Toe Surgeon Of the post hospitals complained IN the
same strain. that he found it impossible to o bsin
from the head Of the medical department In IS.
Lors articles imperativey needed by his pat ents-
Solar US bedding and clothing are concerned there
seems to be no lack but in medicines, there Is great
cause for complaint,
I'LL. Inact;on This has proved most injuric US 10
the health Of the troops. Accustomed to . ctivs
lives when they are shut up in their camps iontn
after month. With no excitement, no stimuli Us 70
exertion nothing TO fill up the vacan, hours bu the
tresome routine Of their light daily duties, they
become careless stless and after they get in TO the
bo,pals often hopeless. But let order foru larch-
ing be given when there is the slightest prosp ,ct for
meeting the enemy and they receive it with esfen-
ing cheers; their eyes light up with new entha-
sasm the patients in the hospitals leave theb co1
inspired with fresh life and the sck-lst de- ,rea,ss
msryeousy. All the officers unite in tesityi ng TINT
the health Of their men is much better in active
service than in the lethargy Of the posts.
These are few Of the obvious causes OF 10 prev"
alent sickness but the subject is one OF so uch i'm
portance, and disease is decimating our troaps 80
RAPIDLY not only here but At other points IN tbs ine-
rior of the State that thorough and sysc msIc ex-
animation of the hospitals and camps SHOULD % insti-
tinted at once BY the authorities and ntrus ed 20 par
,as comnesnt 20 point ous the abuses in ieai and
indicate practicable and adequate remedies.
The pos; hospitals here consist of five OF siX build
ings and contain nearly 200 patients. Cine ofthem
the new Court.IIouse) is not acsquste warmed;
not single one is properly ventilated. Nero than
100 of the conyalescpg patients take the meals i,
little confined room, where the DIT upo tho floor is
thick enough to aec, stronger sppett than those
of an invalid. Tbs excuse given for tnis WAS, that
no mons were to be obtained in Rols la the
kitchen ID found the wife Of ono Of the oicers doing
volunteer duty. Two three patterns were dig
Uinp and the remains Of two wero mating 10 DO
conveyed to the cemetery. Two ladies Of tbs Free
mont Relief Society of st. Leafs ucre going through
the different wards. conversng with tie patients and
;r,uir;nc IA TO their wants. One pox fellow from
N;cb;,on recopnsel in one Of them old acqlaint-
s,c. and bis ewes filled and his ufterslcs was
cbossd as he xrAsped her hand. All seemed revived
and yra,ied by the visit CT the good Sanaritsns.
No female nurses are employed even in the post
hospitals. The surgeon asserted that, after short
-: ,,,,., boS ,her ,vmnatbie, st ~ arfnl excited