Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1864-04-22
The Sanitary Commission.

ed TO call the attention Oh our fedu-
ers to the United States Sanitary
Commission, and to the need of their
doing something, and that immedi-
alely, in aid of its benevolent and
patriotic purposes. Not that we
have hope of stimulating them to
any such great contributions of no
ney to its treasury as are given at
the fairs in large cities. Nor is
there any need that they should give
largely of their money. The treas
ury of the commission must now he
full of funds, or, if not, the fairs yet
to be held in Philadelphia, Cincin-
natl, and elsewhere, viii supply all
us nrcu ur cash. Dut tlIvIU Is an
other kind of assistance, which these
fairs do not and can not afford, an
assistance quite as necessary, with
out which, indeed, the work Of the
Commission can not be accomplish
ed. This assistance our readers can
render, and to the rendering Of it
we earnestly invite and urge them.
The origin Of the Sanitary Com
mission was this: 1t was found early
in the war to be altogether impossi-
bic to meet the wants of the sick
and wounded soldier through the
agency of the ordinary Medical Bu-
rcau. Every part of the machinery
OF government was put to severe
strain by the gigantic operations that
were required, but no part was
strained so severely as that which
had in care the relief Of the disa-
bled. Their wants could not posi-
bly, be supplied. The new wine
could not be put into old bottlcs.-
In this emergency a new organiza-
ton was established, partly auXilia-
~ to the medical department Of the
army, partly Independent Of that
II was so far auxiliary as to cooper
ate with the medical department. and
receive the hearty sanction of the
government, and so far Independent
that it was not tied hand and foot
by red tape, but could administer re-
lief whenever and wherever there
was need. From a comparatively
small beginning it has gradually en-
larged its operations till there is I.
hardly brigade in the army which
does not experience its benefits.
The work of the Commission is
carried on under two general heads
Inspection and Relief. The latter
is the more important Of the two
1t extends to everything that a sol
der may require, from the food and
lodging which he needs when tempo
rarily detained in a strange place, to
the nursing, medicine, dclicacies, and
tender care that alleviatcs his suf-
ferings when wounded on the battle
field or sick in the hospital. Time
and time again, after the occurrence
of a bloody battle, has the Commits
sion performed a kind and amount of.
work which could not otherwise have
been done, but without which an in
calculable amount of suffering would
have ensued, and thousands would
have persisted through neglect whose
lives have been saved by care. The
Commission employs men of cour-
age to do its work of relief, men who
will not only serve in comfortable
hospitals in places of security, but
will perform their errands of mercy
on the very battle field while the
balls are flying around them. tbs
they did on the field Of Gettysburg.
What the Commission did at Get
tysburg well illustrates what We have
said as to the inability of the gov
eminent to perform the work which
the Commission has taken in hand.
More than thirty thousand articles
of clothing, and more than sixty tons
of provisions, delicacics, cordials,
and other things needful for the
wounded, were distributed there in
an incredibly short space of time
Nor was this all. When Meade was
pursuing the flying rebels, and an
other battle was hourly expected
near Antietam, he could. not and
would not allow the vast medical
- -