Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1871-02-23
Inventions Suggested by the Late Civil
..a...r s.l War rsrs ..=. Dr. 90 q

with inventions suggested by the
necessities of war. Not piece of ord
nance, nor firearm, nor vehicle, nor
tent, camp-chest, cooking-utensil, nor
appurtenance of war of any kind, but
was Improved" by the indomitable,
| fellow. The caisson, gun-carriage, bomb
shell, gun-wad, the cap and the bullet,
are all of new fashion. There are new
modes of working, packing, transport
ing, cleaning, and loading such antigua
ted Instruments of warfare as are per-
| mitted to still exist-new kinds of pFim-
ing-new methods of igniting- new
fashioned cartridges, with new machines
for cutting, trimming, pressing, filling
and packing. An officers arms must be
attached by a modren method; his
shoulders straps be fastened on with a
spring; and even the old flag is expect
ed to run up the staff and unfurl to the
breeze by means of some new-fangled,
patent contrivance. 90 sTlm sHo >
As great ingenuity, if not as great
genius, is shown in models of apparatus
designed to promote the comfort of the
sick or wounded. In the beginning of
the war there was no hospital tent
which gave satisfaction. That used in
France is the same which answers the
ordinary purposes of shelter-the regu-
lation tent, as it is called-by it's conical
shape giving to the tented field a pictur-
esqueness gratifying, no doubt, to
French love of effect, but inclosing too
many feet of useless space to suit
Americans. The English marquee"
serves an excellent purpose after it is
pitched and ready for use, but the quail
ties of compactness, portableness, con-
venience in pitching and striking are
quite overlooked. 1t is substantial.
ponderous, costly, but it isn't handy; and
this, to Americans, is objection enough,
A score or more are there, of all shapes
and sizes, but that finally adopted and
used during the war, the walltent, with
sloping roof and straight side, is pre-
eminently superior. 1t is light, easily
managed, portable, and cheap. An UNI
brella- tent was suggested and even
made, having central pole or handle,
radiating arms upon which the cover is
spread, hosting apparatus raising and
shutting it. But it was too complicated.
Still pursuing our search, we see
miniature ambulances, procession of
which adorns the shelves. The ambu
lance in use of old was bare of all com
fort. Look now inside one of these new
models, and you see every contrivance
imaginable to lessen the suffering of the
sick or wounded. The ambulance is no
longer the instrument of torture. The
mattresses, used as stretchers also, slide
along the floor as rollers fastened to a
framework, resting upon springs be
IN cath and at the sides. An immense
amount of ingenuity is shown in econo-
mizing and utilizing means and space.
Each appliance is mode to serve many
purposes. Seats are used as beds; iron
wheels answer for legs. A second tier
of berths is suspended from the sides of
the wagon by rubber rings. Seats,
readily put out of the way, are placed
outside for attendants. Each is fur
nished with chest for supplies, ice and
water tanks. The cover is of enameled
cloth, light and impermeable. Two
horses can draw it, while on European
battle-felds four are required. The
American ambulence combines strength
and Hghtness-the European, with its
wooden cover, enormous weight and
small capacity, carrying but two per-
sons, supposes strength and clumsiness
inseparable. - -
Inventive genius does not desert
the soldier after wounding him accord
ing to scientific methods and nursing
him to health with the aid of its i'm
proved apparatus. 1t also does its best
to make good his loss of members. The
L
legs and arms, which seem so excellent,
with all their springs and cords, ten
mons and joints, and if it were not for
suspicion that we might be as stupid as
the Irishwomen with the washing ma
chine, we should almost regret having
no use for them. A dear old lady from
the country, whose eyesight was poor,
had her attention called to these mo-
dels. Glancing at them without her
% Specs" she said III tone of deepest
sympathy, " And these are the limbs of
our soldiers shot to pieces in battle.
Poor fellows And now their legs are
brought up here for kooroSities." There
are arms which bend backward to the
shoulder and over the head-hands of
which the fingers and palm act with
such facility that pen or a playing
card is held with ease. At the Paris
Exposition the American specimens of
this class were pronounced superior to
all Others One is surprised to observe
how greatly we are indebted to the use
of caoutchouc for this degree of excel
lence In this direction, as well as in
the manufacture of surgical instru-
ments, and dentistry, it has effected a
revolution. Contrary to the general
rule, too, that cheapening processes are
inferior processes, this substance is su-
perior for the surgeons use to the cost
ly metals its supersedes. Mr.. Stewards
face bears testimony to its utility, one
of the bones broken by the assassin's
blow being restored to shape by its
help. The capability which caoutchouc
possesses of hardness or elasticity; its
susceptibility of moulding and coloring,
the fact that it is incorruptible and in
oxidizable, and cannot therefore poison
or irritate the flesh, give it an essential
advantage over any other MATERIAL
Lippecott's Magazine.
CONUNDRUMs FOR THE SExEs.-For the