The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-09-09

lished facts, it might be assumed that the
disease was propagated from one patient
to another In sucha filthy and crowded
hospital as that of the Confederate
States Military Prison at Andersonville,
it was impossible to isolate the wounded
from the sources of actual contact of the
gangrenous matter.
9TH. In this atmosphere amputation
did not arrest hospital gangrene; the
disease almost invariably returned. AL
most every amputation was followed
finally by death, either from the effects
Of gangrene or from the prevailing diar-
rhea and dyscnterv. As far as my OBJ
servation extended, very few of the cases
Of amputation for gangrene recovered.
The progress Of these cases was fire.
quently very deceptive. | endeavorcd
to impress upon the medical officers the
view that in this disease treatment was
almost useless without an abundant sup
ply of pure, fresh air, nutritious food,
and tones and stimulants. Such
changes. however, as would allow of
the isolation Of the cases Of hospital
gangrene appeared to be out of the power
Of the medical officers. r x x
"9th. The best, and in truth the only
means Of protecting large armies and
navies as we'll as prisoners, from the
ravages of hospital gangrene, is to furnish
liberal supplies of well-cured meat, to-
gelher with fresh beef and vegetables,
and TO enforce rigid system Of hygiene.
"10th. Finally, this gigantic mass Of
human misery calls loudly for relief, not
only for the sake Of suffering humanity,
but also on account of our own brave
soldiers now captives in the hands of the
Federal Government. Strict justice to
the gallant men of the Confederate
armies who have been or who may be
so unfortunate as to be compelled to
surrender in battle, demands that the
Confederate Government should adopt
that course which will best secure their
health and comfort in captivity; or, at
least, leave their enemies without shadow
Of an excuse for any violation of the
rules of civilized warfare in the treat
mcnt of prisoners"
This ended Prof .Joness testimony.
The variation, from month to month,
Of the proportion Of deaths to the whole
number living is singular and interest
ing. 1t supports the theory | have adj
vanced above, as the following facts,
taken from tie official report, will show:
In April one in every 10 died. In
May one in every rs died. In June one
in every % died. In July one in every
IS died. In August one in every |
died. In September one in every three
died. In October oae in every two died.
In November one in every three died.
Does the reader fully understand that
in September one-third of those in the
pen died; that in October one-half of the
remainder persisted, and in November
one-third of those who still survived,
died? Let him pause for moment and
read this over carefully again, because
its startling magnitude will hardly dawn
upon him at first reading. 1t is true
that the fearfully disproportionate NOR
taity of those months was largely due to
the fact that it was mostly the sick that
remained behind, but even this dimin-
ishes but little the frightfulness of the
showing. Did any one ever hear of an
epidemic so fatal that one third Of those
attacked by it in one month died one
half Of the remnant the next month,
and one-third Of the feeble remainder
the next month? II he did, his reading
has been much more extensive than mine.
The number of prisoners i'll the Stock
ade, the number of deaths each month,
and the daily average is given as follows: