Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1864-05-18
THE UNITED STAEs SANITARY
COMMISSION.
[From tho ModicaI & surgicnl Rcrortcr.l !

CUMMlSSlUN.
From the Medical Surgical Rcportcr.l
Every few weeks the United States
Sanitary Commission" appears before the
public in a new role in the art of money
getting. 1t seems determined to make its
burdens felt hy the community to the ut
most extent. No one objects, much less
do we, to the ostcnsible objects that the
/ Commission profess to accomplish,
viz; the preyentior of disease in
camp and hospital, and the care Of the
sick aud wounded soldier,
We have some very scrious objections
to this ors2iI ization and its way Of doing
+ business. In the first place, the thing it.
self is founded on a false issue, and Is a
standing insult TO tho Government thro'
| its medical department. 1t WAS started
on the plea of necessity, to accomplish
| duties that it was the Acknowledged bust
ness of The medical bureau to Perform
| Granted that there may have been O plaus-
| ible excuse for its existence for time as
an adjunct to the medical department,
Just as our militia and emergency men
have on two or three occasions been called
Iuya.. s.o an ana TO the army, why has it
were no longer needed? Because it has
assumed to perform the legitimate work
of the medical department is no proof
that it is needed The department is full
| ly competent to perform all the work that
! the Commission has taken out of its hands,
and we think that its continual appeals
to the public for money now, for many of
the objects for which they are made are
| taniamount to fraud on the commuui-
| ty.
One Of the strongest arguments used by
the Commission in its appeals, is the ne
cessity CT supplying the sick and woun-
! ded soldier with the articles that the Gov
eminent does not furnish. That this is
derogatory TO the Government, is we'll
known to those who are cognizant ofwhat
provision is made for every emergency.
| This will be made somewhat apparent to
our readers by the following imperfect in
ventory of the contents of one of the store
| houses of the Government, taken from the
Nc,0 York EUening Post, end which we COM
mend to their persual,
"No person can pass through tho spa
CiOus rooms of the Medical Purveyor in
this city, at the corner of Broomo street
and Green, without being strongly impress
eed with the extentand minutcness Of the
arrangements made for supplying our
military hospitals with the necesSarles
and comforts which the sick and woun-
ded of our army require. Here are vast
magazines OF medlcines-enough one
would think, either to kill or cure almost
every man in both the loyal and rebel ar
my. Toe other day call for lint for the
horpiCals was made in the newspapers. At
No. d6G Broome street are mountains oi
|old linen for the purpose-bags on bags
oiled up to the ceiling. Here are cotton
'aud flannel shirts by thousands, acres OF
r linen sheeting, vast supplies OF towels,
heaps of flame, dressing gowns; piles OF
, bcdsteads, mattresses, pillows, counter
panes, and cushions, the entire Kitchen
and table furniture Of hospitals, the ex
tract of beef. condenced milk, the extract
| of coffee, kin-dried sugar, corn starch, &c
, lat;ne, farina, tapioca, and many othei
5 things Of the same class in as largo abun
p dance as they are needed. Ofsomo thing
whole cargoes as they come from foreign
countries are omptied into these maya
! zines. 1t is difficult TO think of anything
/ wanted in a hospital which is not here
from case Of surgical instruments to
/ Igridiron.
"Thoso who desire to know precisely t.
what extent the Government provides 10
the supplies Of hospitals can be fully in
, formed here. The medical purveyor, DR.
:. SATrERLEE, a gentleman, we fear, not oi
, the most amable terms with the Sanitar.
T.. Commission, but prompt, energetic, an'
/ outspoken, will give the benevolent ladie
who interest themselves in behalf OF ou
soldiers any explanations which they ma
D require, They will probably discover tha
r the care of the Government and OF To
8 medical officers oGthe hospital department
q for the comfort Of the sick and wounded
i Of our army, has q much wider eXten
}. than they have been in the habit oil attri
buting to it. If, in some respects, ther
: has been r deficient supply of needtul az
ticles, it will be found, we think, that th
acquisitions have not been duly made, a
n we have every reason to believe that wheI
: made they arc promptly answered.
"In the buildings used as magazines 70
& these stores there are employed one hun