New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-06-12
THE NECESSITY OF AN AMBULANCE
SYATEM.

THE NECESSITY OF AN AMBULANCE
SYSTEM.
DR.. Henry I. Bowditch, an eminent physi-
clan of Boston, and Professor Of clinical
medicine in Harvard College, has recently
printed an appeal for On Ambulance System for
the army Of the United States, based chiefly
upon the extraordinary sunerings of his son,
the late Lieut. Bowditch, Of The LIST Massachu.
setts Cavalry; suaerings which were caused
BY the deficiency of proper regulations and
supplies for the care Of the wounded. His
pamphlet il not so much On argument as an
illustration of the deplorabe organization OF
the army in respect to the care Of its wounded,
the necessity for an improvement in which
needs no argument to convince any person who
is in any degree familiar with the facts. DR..
Bowd briefly and forcibly states the con-
dltOn of the armies in the field, saying that
"a wounded soldier is liable to be left to sui
fer, and die, it may be, on the battle ground,
without the least attention, save what common
humanity would lead one soldier to bestow up
on a comrade." II is difficult to conceive what
statement could be made, more likely to sur
prize and shock the community unless it be the
additional fact that this objectionable neglec!
has continued from the beginning of the war
! to the present moment, with the full knowledge
Of the Genera.in- Chief, the Secretary Of War,
! and the Head ofthe Medical Bureau, aud that no
efficient steps have yet been taken by either TO
supply remedy.
, The case Of Lieut.. Bowditch is a very pain
| full one 10 read, but BY no means worse than
many thousands OF Others which occur during
and after every great battle. lie was mortal
| " wounded ut Kcys Ford in the recent
crossing Of the Rappahannock, and for some
! time lay helple" on the ground. Two sur
geons went by him meanwhile. but were with.
out the means of removing him. A passing
cavalry soldier finally helped him into the
saddle, and, though with terrible wound IN
the abdomen, be rode of On tho horse
| ,Las accidentally furnished. This happened
IN iLr rear Of ,hA advancing army, the
place Of al others where an ambulance corps
should have been on duty. But THE Govern.
ment to meet such eXgenciei provide, n
wretchedly uncomfortable carriage. driver
whose attention is occupied with hi. horses, aud
no men rhaterr whose duty il !, TO seek out
and bring away the wounded. Such a carriage
Lieut. Bowdch happened TO meet. There wa.
no water in its casks aud il. driver was too care
less H. learn the name- Of those whom be-
drove aud TOO brutal 10 be at the trouble Of
getting water, though the Lieutenant and
wounded comraje with bin longed aud begged
for it. When finally water was brought to
Lieut.. Bowditch By anotber officer, TIE young
Sidney offered il 10 bis companion, bu. the
dying soldier was then too much exhausted To-
receive it, and his last breath ebbed before
the water touched his lips.
The present deficiency is not because there
has been no effort TO establish n competent
sysiem. The Government has been vanly ap-
pealed 10 by many persons, and by the Medl-
cal Societies Of some of the large States. Ur-
gent representations have been made BY these
societies, by committees, and BY private CHI
zen,, to Congress, to Gen. llalleck, aud to
Mr. Stanton, but 80 far without effect. "Tho
Senate of the United States, under the leader
ship OF the Chairman Of its Military Com
mittee--an honorable Senator from Massachu-
.etts-refused, few days before the late
Congress adjourned, TO concur in the pas
sage of a bill previously passed unanimously
by the House of Representatives The Senate
considered the plan proposed imPraciicAbc.
and therefore declined doing anything" 1t Is
understood that much Of the opposition which
this measure encountered, and which has sue
cessfully resisted the adoption Of other plans,
came from Gen. Halleck, and that he deems 1t
mex pedient TO attempt the introduction Of nov
elites into our army administration That
certain civilians" have been presump,uous
enough TO entertain opinions of the practical
bility Of one or another scheme, may be- sui
fcent reason with Gen. Iialleck for rejecting
them, but will hardly be 40 regarded by the
people at large who have so deep AL interest
in the subject.
What is needed is first a corps Of men spe-
cially enlisted for this duty. Such q corps.
says DR.. Bowditch, exists in every army IN
Europe; and he quotes from q pamphlet BY
NJ. Boudin, Chief Physician of Military
Hospital in Paris, tabular statement Of the
formation. the number Of men employed, the
amount and character Of materials used, and
the means Of transportation, OF IN active am
bulance service for division Of 10000 men,
in tho French army aud the sections that
should follow the advancing columns Of
any smaller force. This corps comprises