Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-05-14
Iettsr from DR.. A. n. Read, IBspsotsF
6nMffarw EomMfREfuEs

~- ~
Commission, so much of the report of
DR.. Hamilton, Medical Inspector, o. S. A.,
as has reference to the work Of the Com
mission in this Department.
think it will aid us vastly in Jul work,
for it is the testimony of a faithful, com
petent, earnest man, whose influence for
good in this Department is beyond all
praise. DR.. Hamilton is now visiting
every hospital for the purpose Of sending
to the hospitals nearest their homes, those
who have been passed over but are dis
abled.
EXTRACT OF REPORT FROM DR.. HAMILTON
MEDICAL INSPECTOR OF ROsECRANs ARMY.
"Through the 0. s. Sanitary Commits
sion the hospitals are now supplied to a
moderate extent with vegetables, especial
" potatoes and picked cabbage. l scarce
" visited a hospital in which they had
not more or less of these articles in small
quantities. By direction Of Surgeon Pc
rine, and under the especial auspieies oil
the Sanitary Commission about 40 acres
Of excellent soil adjacent to the Field Hos
pital are prepared for garden purposes.
NJ. C. Read, special agent for the Sani-
tary Commission, has taken it under his
immediate care and supplied it with a
great variety of the best vegetables, gar
den seeds and cuttings, and a large pro
portion Of it is already planted. If the
season is favorable, and the garden is not
molested, it will prove of inestimable val
ne to the soldiers in this and in the other
hospitals at Murfreesboro'. With very few
exceptions 1 found the camps we'll pOliced,
better than 1 have ever seen in any vOlun-
teer army. Their food was ample IN
quantity and good in quality, with only
the following exceptions
1.-THE fresh meat was not always very
fat frequently not well bled, in conse-
Of which latter circumstance 1t was
prone to rapid decomposition. And there
we're no fresh vegetables furnished to the
troops except what was obtained from the
Sanitary Commission for the Regimental
Hospitals. Nearly all the regiments have
been without potatoes and onions as a reg
ular issue, and not a few Of these regi-
ments have not had more than one or two
issues Of these vegetables, in eight ten, or
twelve months. It is not surprising there
fore that scurvy is beginning to manifest
itself throughout the army, a few marked
cases Of which, perhaps two or three,
be found in most Of the regiments.
It is TO me only a matter Of surprise that
it does not prevail to a much greater ex-
tent and that the men present. on the
whole. so healthy and robuts appearance.
[ am very much afraid, however, that in a
a very short period those signs Of scorbutic
faint will increase and extend, and espec-
ially if the men are subjected to any eX-
tr~aordinary hardships in marching, on
picket duty, or in the trenches. And That
in the event of a battle, the wounds of
those who now appear the most robust
would not heal kindly.
The season for vegetables and fruit Is
approaching, and the army cannot look to
the surrounding country for a supply Of
these articles, since its numbers are vastly
disproportioned to the amount Of lands
which will be cultivated, and fruit trees
do not at this time abound within the lines
which we command.
There is, therefore, in my judgment, a
pressing demand for large and immediate
supplies Of potatoes and onions, and this
will not cease for some months to
come.
These opinions have been expressed to
the Medical Director of the Department,
Surgeon Perrin, who informed me that the
Commissiaries we're already receiving at
the rate of 100 barrels Of potatoes per day,
These supplies having commemorate arrive
about the lst Of April; but on the ninth Of
April-the day before 1 left Murfreesboro
Of the regiments had not yet re-
ceived any potatoes.
I am afraid that this amount therefore,
will not be much more han sufficient to
supply the demands Of the officers, hospi-
tails, etc connected with the post.
On my arrival at Nashville, on the 18th,
I represented these facts to DR.. A. N. Read,
Sanitary Inspector of the Department of
the Cumberland, whom I found already
upon these matters, by personal
inspections, and who had already written
upon the subject to DR.. j. s. Newberry,
Secretary, and in charge Of the Western
Department of the Sanitary Commission,
with headquarters at Louisville.
Shipments Of vegetables commenced TO
made more freely under his orders, on
the 18th from Louisville, and on the same
date DR.. Newberry writes There will be
a succession Of large shipments Of vegeta-
bles for Rosecrans army, by railroad and
by boat. The General superintendent of
Railroads, Mr.. Andersen, has been re-
ouested by the Commander-in-Chi to for
ward promptly, all the Commission can
send therefore, let them go to the front
as fast as possible"
On the 18th Of April, Drs. Post and
Gum Special Inspectors for the Sanitary
Commission, having returned from Muir
f~reesboro', confirmed the statements DR..
Read had already made, and we sent a
Joint telegram 10 DR.. Newberry, requesting
that the vegetables be sent forward as
copiously as possible.
On the same day DR.. Newberry replied
by telegram to me Large shipments are
being made daily. Yesterday l tele-
graphed to Cincinnati, Chicago and
Pittsburg-for vegetables and had a
reply from him that larger shipments will
be at once made from there. On the 10th
DR.. Read was at MurfreesbOro' and $50
barrels had Just arrived from the Commits
sion. It is my belief that in respect to
vegetables the wants of the army at Muir
freesbOro' and vicinity will now for a time
at least be fully supplied. We do not think,
however, that for this reason the Govern
ment Commissaries ought to relax their
efforts to obtain potatoes and in large
quantities. As the Of the Com
mission may be soon exhausted OF their
contributions be diverted into other chan
nels. Too much prominence cannot we
think, be given to this matter.
We find in the absence of vegetable diet,
a cause for a great part Of the mortality Of
our troops, both after the receipt of wounds
and from disease. Indirectly it may &C
count for suppuratiOn, gangrene, pyemia,
erysipelas, diarrhes, %dysentery, fever,
rheumatism, SC. SC, and we fully believe
that one barrel Of potatoes per annum is
to the Government equal to one a I
here omitted to state that in all the regi-
mental hospitals, as we'll as the general
hospitals, 1 found the Sanitary Commission
had already supplied them with vegetables