Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1877-12-26
A MEDICINAL. FAMINE.
Resources of Confederate Surgeons Du.
ring the Blockade.

The greatest prlvation suffered by the
confederates was from lack of medi-
clnes. The government at Washing
ton made them contraband of war.
Quinine and morphine were worth
double, nay treble, their weight in gold.
and when StoneWall Jackson's arm was
amputated, the fact that he had the aid
OF chlorotorm to sustain him under
the operation was telegraphed as news
throughout the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. to
be received with thanklulness by the
waiting heart of the people. Federal
prisoners cursed the confederate sur
geon5 who refused them morphia and
chloroform in their agonies but CON
tederatcs and fcderals suffered alike :;
nothing was scarcer or more precious
than such drugs, and not few southern
hospitals had little of the one and none
of the other in their stores. An at
tempt was made to cultivate opium,
and to that end the seeds of the red
and white poppy were distributed
through the country by the government
at Richmond. The plan was to pick
the gum capsules of the plant, and col
lect the gum which exuded from the
wounds thus made; but the project
met with no success farther north than
southern Alabama and Mississippi, and
even there was only partially success
full. | believe that some sort of decoc-
ton made from the green seed stepped
IN brandy was used as Il lotion in case
of acute neural gia, but | am not sure.
Corn, wheat and other grains were so
precious as breadstuffs that their dis
tlIlatlon into intoxicating liquors was
forbidden both by the confederate CON
gress and by the various State legisla-
lures. So that fruit brandies, rum made
from the Juice of the Chinese sugar
cane and grape wines were the only
lawful strong drinks of the country.
These paid heavy taxes, but they also
brought high prices, and large quanti-
ties OF them were manufactured. Vic
TINS OF neuralgia were forced to drink
and forget their misery when hot
poultices failed to bring relief, since
opium was to be had only at fancy
prices. Bromine was unattainable.
and all anodynes so wholly out Of
reach that few people even ever sighed
for them.
The medical department sent botan-
lzlng parties prospecting through the
country in search of roots and herbs
which might be of medical value. and
appealed to the people Of the confeder-
acy to collect and prepare such simples
AS slippery elm, sarsaparilla, black
berry root, ginseng, etc. Herb teas
were used i'll the hospitals by surgeons
who for years had ridiculed them as old
wives remedies, but who now turned
to them III necessity, for lack of more
efficient medicines. Southern women
trod on bare floors, cutting the carpets
which had covered them into blankets
for sick soldiers, Linen sheets and
undertaking were torn into bandages.
and private stores were freely used for
the sick and dying. Once, during the
seven days fight around Richmond.
public worship was Suspended on Sun
day and the members of the churches
worked all day long in their lecture
rooms, making sand-baga for the for
tliications, and rolling bandages and
scraping lint for the wounded. MS.
". p. Handy, IN Philadelphia Times.