New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-01-15

describing certain military hospitals in Missouri.
II tells of abominations such as have been I'M
known in the !jeils ard mad.houscs Of christen-
dom FOR hundred years. II describes hcspitols,
the places Of refjgc which TIE nation provides for
tho shelter and care of. volunteer soldiers
wounded or stricken by disen.e in the netional
service, "ovclrm with vo,nin," and rcekirs
with pestiential filth. 1t speaks Of sick men kott
for weeks in these pcglectod pest.houses "~rh-
" out change OF clO.hirg, and with 40 bels bu'
" straw"-aHd goes mo yet further details OF
oathsomeness at whch We prefer thai our read
ers should strive to guess if thy desire to be
nauscated, not Only physically but by keen
sense OF national hu.nation.
Has there been 20 shameful an outrage on civil
ization and Christian charity in this land (norh
ot the Potomac at least) within the memory Of
this generaton7 Is the nation willing that its
volunteer soldiers, its elect who come forward In
his hour of rational peril, 70 give their lives for
the life of tie country, should perish at Hilton
Head FOR want of such h.lter from the weather
rs humanit would give sick dos-and should
of NewgaS, before Howard came to their rescue
Any civil hospital, alns-hOuse. or county jail,
thus murderOusly nsmGnaged would be indicted
as nuisance. It's managers would be punished
rs criminals in due course of law, and would be
in danger at least of lawless violence from rght-
eous public Indignation.
Are our disabled soldiers entitled to lees tender
ness and consideration than paupers aud eriini-
nails Are we willing that the nation should do less
to comfort and relieve them in their suffering than
New-Yoik does for the sturdy vagrant Oh Black
wells Island, or the diseased ruffian In the
Tonbs' 1t is nantes. that the Medical Bureau
has signally failed TO perform It's duty. 1t has
done nothing for Ouy eco, coo volunteers but carry
out tie established routine, now forty years old,
under which & has looked after our little army oi
ten or fifteen thousand regulars 1t Is response
Die for these Western pest-houses. nliscaed mill
tary hospitals for EXPEDITIONS sent oil to ina'alous
REGIONS without medical stores or hospital accom-
mediation; for soldiers who have been cured OF
measles in the Smal-Pox Hospital at Washing
ton, and who have returned TO camp cured,
only 10 sicken and die and infect half dozen OF
their comrades every one OF whom an efficient
medical department would have thoroughly re-
yaccnated within a week after his enlistment.
| Champions Of the Medical Buroau viii reply
that Congress has not given il sufficient means, or
that certain provisions in The Army Regulations
tie it's hands and that all this disease and misery
and death are strictly regular and according TO
law, or that they occur because some subordinate
official has failed TO do his duty. These difficult
ties might in some degree e1onerate the Medical
Bureau if it could show that il has made any reso-
/ Lutte effort TO remove them. But il cannot. II
has done nothing 10 relieve itself Of responsibility
1t has presented charges against no subordinate
medical officer for neglect Of duty. 1t has mase
uo earnest ard energetic appeal 10 Congress, or
to the President, or the War apartment, fol- such
additional appropriations, or such changes in the
old Army Regulations os should enable it 10 ID iis
duty. Ii has never represented 10 Government
that our sick soldiers were rotting in crowded aud
poison shaDties, without clothes, or bedding, or
attendance; that All appropriation was wanted 10
enable IT to reyacciGate the army, or to increase
its of hospital stores and medicine, or that
any embarrassing provision Of the Army Rogula-
latious must be instantly abolished or modified.
| 1t has exerted no material Influence on Govern
ment for the preservation of health. If il has
done 50, and without effect, it has most certainly
never appealed TO the people, as it should in that
case have done, TO make Government do its duty
But the moment bill is introduced into the
Senate for the remodeling Of tie Medical Bureau,
to enlarge its powers and extend IT'S duties of
some cost of its senior member official dignity
and prcrOgatye, the Bureau discovers that it can
exert for its own sake Il most potent influence
which il has never put forth for the sake of the
army Though it has never lobbied for the sake
Of soldiers in hospital, it lobby most energetic
ally against any interference with its own special
privilege of doing nothing, and labor to influence
public opinion by distributing all over the country
the fceblest and most malignant attacks on the
motives Of all who presume to criticize its nefFi-
cheney. Whether it will prevail OF not, only time
can tel. 1t has one great practical advantage, in
The special zeal and vigilance with which official
and personal interests defend themselves apaus,
measures required by mere general welfare.
1 But we commend to the consideration Of Con.
gress these self-evident propositions: Every sick
OF wounded soldier ought TO have decent shell.
ter (if it be merely the cheapest shanty), bed to
lie on, hospital clothing Of some sort, blanket,
sufficient medicine, aud a reasonable supply of at
tendance. In other words, he should be treated