Stevens County tribune., 1878-11-07
THE HEALTH OF THE ARMY.

iI The annual report of Surgeon General
Barnes, of the United States army, has been
submitted to the secretary of war. It shows
that there were disbufsed during the year.
for medical and hospital supplies, $4'i ,001. 10:
exrenses of purgeying depots, $5,657.23:
pay of employees, $35, ,303.73; medical attend
ance, nursing, etc., S7,471.81; miscellaneous
expenses, $6,111.16' total, $l00,545.03, bal
ance June 80, 1878, S99, ,98S.67. The great
er part of this balance has since been dis
0arsed, and the rem ainder will be required
in fulfilling contla made before June 80.
There were furnished dnring the year lightly
three artificial limbs to disabled soldiers,
while 1,7O0 drew commutation for the same.
The monthly reports of sick and wounded
represents an average mean strength of the
army Of 20,794 white and 1895 colored
troops. The total number of deaths report
I'd Arom all causes was 256. Of these 121
died from diseases, and 1876 of
wounds, accidents and injuries. The pro-
portion of deaths from all causes to cases
treated was one to 107. The removal of
garrlsons from threatened points, although
in some instances deferred later than pru-
dence would dictate, has saved the army
from any serious losses during the ipreya-
lence of the dreadful epidemic of yellow
fever which has proved SO fatal this year
among the citizens of the Southern States.
The only cases reported in the army up to
Sept. occurred in small detachment left
at jackson barracks, New Orleans, when the
garrison was removed. There were FIVE
cases and two deaths in this detachment.
The surgeon general next refers to the
work in the record and pension divisions of
the office, and says: "1'he number of official
demands upon this division during the fiscal
year for information as to the cause of death
in the case of deceased soldiers and the hos
pital record of invalids was q, ,074, being
rather more than the average number of such
demands received annually since 1870. The
number of unanswered cases on hand at the
close of the previous fiscal year was 1857,
making the total number of cases to be
searched during the year 59,771." He then
refers to the increase of the clerical force in
this division, authorized by Congress at the
last session, and says the beneficial effect of
this increase of force was speedily felt, and
that they are now gaining upon the cases in
arrear. SC Ea Zrgels-gr sE 81
In the division of surgical records a large
number of very Interesting and complete
reports were received during the past fiscal
year from medical officers of the army serv-
ing on TIE frontier with troops engaged in
Indian hostilities, on various matters connect
ed with army surgery, but perhaps no sub
ject received such careful attention as that
of conveying the sick and wounded from the
field of battle to points of safety, and many
we're the devices that suggested themselves
to practiced officers to make the Journey as
comfortable as, possible to the patients in
trusted to their care. The work upon the
surgical. statistics of the war was continued.
During the last fiscal year 571 cases of
wounds and injuries and All cases of surgi-
cal operations have been entered on the reg
listers. The aggregate is 268,927 cases now
tabulated. About 1000 volumes and 5000
pamphlets have been added to the library
during the past year. making the total num-
Der about $4,000 volumes and $4,000 pam
phlets. The index catalogue, includ
ing original papers in medica
journals and transactions, has
been completed to date, and the work of
classification by subjects, including the
preparation of a network of cross-refer-
ences, is SO near completion that the work
can be sent to the press at any time and
pushed forward as rapidly as the necessities
of careful proof-reading will permit. He
earnestly renews the recommendation that
Congress should authorize the printing of
this catalogue ''Of its great utility, not
only to the medical profession, but through
that profession to the people at large, there
can be no doubt; and there are special rea-
sons why it should be placed beyond the
reach of casualty, and made accessible to
physicians with as little delay as possible. I
know of no action within the power of Con-
gress which would at this timc so greatly
aid medical education, the treatment of dis
ease, and the preservation of the public
health as the publication and distribution of
this index catalogue among our leading phy-
sicians, surgeons and hygienists." &
The work on the second medical volume
Of the medical history of the war was stead
lily advanced, 352 pages having been stereo-
typed during the year.
The requirements of the army as to med
ical officers during the past year have been,
as follows: Number of permanent posts