The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1894-04-26
missioner of Pensions report, the follow
ing army invalids were on the rolls:
Under old law. =. 360,658
Under act of June 81, E. S65,0S4

L
Under old law. :. -. 360658
| Under act of June OF. -. 3650s4
| Total army invalids 72o,742
This seems a great number until we
turn for information to the report of the
Surgeon-General of the Army, in which
we find the following appalling statistics
of the hospital service during the war:
No. of cases of disease treated 5,64S,715
I" wounds " 433,933
No. discharged from the serv-
ice on account of wounds
and disabilities 2S5,197
No. killed and died of wounds 110,070
died of disease 24S,4oo
After all, these are only approximate
figures, as the Surgeon General had no
official knowledge of an immense num-
Der of deaths, wounds, and injuries. He
reports only 29,729 deaths in rebel
prisons, based on the imperfect reports
that reached him. The War Depart
ment has now reason to believe that
fully II 900 men died in prison. The
Surgeons General knew nothing of deaths
occurring Immediately after discharge,
or on furlough, and so ON.
The figures given above are much
more than sufficient to account for
725,742 invalid pensioners on the roll.
Nearly half that number had been dis
charged before the war ended for wounds
and disabilities so severe as to unfit them
for farther service. An immense num-
Der more of this class, who were in the
hospitals or on furlough on account of
wounds and disabilities, were discharged
by the General Order of June, 1865,
which directed their immediate dis
charge, in order to cut down the army
and reduce the expenses of the Govern
ment.
Studying these figures the wonder
grows that the pension roll is not very
much larger than it is.
There were 100000 cases of MAS
matte diseases treated, which resulted
in 125, 274 deaths, Reasoning from the
great number of deaths from malaria
which exceeded the number of deaths in
battle-how many men ought we to ex-
pect are suffering to-day from the virus
lodged in their systems by camping in
the fever-smitten swamps of the South ?
1t is very reasonable to suppose that
where 100000 cases were treated, and
1924 men actually died, at least
100000 came out of the service more
or less Injured by this cause alone.
617, $50 cases of diseases of the digestive
organs were treated. These resulted di-
rectly in only 5,117 deaths, but they weak
ened the system so as to cause many more
from other ailments, and left their life
long mark on nearly every man affected.
500,103 cases of diseases of the res
piratory organs were treated, which re-
suited in 24,100 deaths, and the dis
charge from the army of 20,905 more.
This tells a fearful story of the exposure
to inclement weather, of wading icy
streams, and bedding in the snow and
sleet.
35,140 died of diarrhea, and 1888
were discharged from the army as in
durable. How many thousands yet
survive who suffer from its effects?
425,270 were treated for wounds
50, 115 died in hospital, and $4,000 were
discharged from the army.
1868 men were discharged for rheu-
matism, 10,797 for heart disease, 5,040
for debility and so the awful list goes
| on.
Again we say that the wonder is that
there are not many thousands more on
the pension-roll than there are. They
would be there # the Government car
ried out its promises and laws with any
degree of fairness or honesty.
These are figures that soldier-hating
papers like the Times dare not re-
produce.
Col. w. P. HEPBURN, of Iowa, has
become very tired of the constant de-
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