The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1898-08-11

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GEORGE NJ. srERNBERG.SS>zs=. u.
tsurgeon General of the United States
ly nursed back into life and health, or
whether they were dying of neglect un--
der the fierce southern sun. ,..st IS
During the civil war from 1861 to
1866 men were killed and wounded
every day, because the war was con-
tinued by day and by night. Men were
wounded on picket and skirmish lines,
in Reconnaissance, and in the terrific
impact of battle.
On June 3, 1864, when Gen. Grant or
dered an assault along the entire line
at Cold Harbor, Va, $4,000 men fell in
side of Is minutes; almost as many
men as Shafter had il his entire army
when he landed on Cuban soil.
What to do with the wounded was a
problem which it became necessary
for the surgeon general of the army
to solve early in the beginning of the
civil war; and the result was the es-
tablishment of system of field hos
pitfalls and general hospitals which
was wel-nigh perfect in all its ap-
pointments.
The soldiers wounded ct Fredericks-
burg, Charlottesville, Gettysburg,
and other battles in which the Army of
the Potomac was engaged, were taken
to general hospitals at Fairfax Sem
mary, near Alexandria, Va, to Armory
Square, Columbian and Kalorama hos
pitfalls in Washington, D. c., the Chest
nut Hill, Philadelphia, Bedloe's Island,
New York city, and Harris general
hospital, Albany, N. Y.
There were scores of vessels fitted
for the transportation of sick and
wounded sailors, which were called
hospitals, afoat, and they conveyed
the soldiers from the battlefelds to
the general hospitals. The wounded
men of the western armies were taken
to the Cotton-Gin general hospital at
New Orleans, the Gayoso at Memphis,
No. 16 at Jeffersonville, Ind, the Jeffer.
son barracks at St. Louis, the Estes
house at Keokuk, and the Douglass gen
eral hospital at Chicago, III.
At the beginning of the civil war the
hospital system CT our army was en-
tirely inadequate, and thousands of
lives were lost because the wounded
soldiers did not receive prompt as well
as skillful treatment. 1t is we'll known
that promptness is as important as
skill in such emergencies. Because
there was not promptness at the be-
ginning of the civil war many of our
soldiers died of traumatic fever.
Men experienced in affairs in the ma
tional capital were not only surprised
but amazed when Gen. Shafter tele-
graphed for a hospital ship, after the
first sbatt1e of Santiago. Ordinary
common sense would seem to have die
tated to the military authorities in
Washington the necessity of having a
hospital ship before the battle took
place; because men are always wound
ed, if not killed, whenever a battle
takes place, and provision should have
been made for that contingency. The
writer has heard no utterance of any
excuse for the negligence and careless
ness which produced this state of af-
fairs at Santiago. &C..
But since the war has begun the Of
flee of the surgeon general has been
diligently engaged in making prepara-
tions to meet emergencies of this char
acter, so that hereafter it cannot be
said that the soldiers in our army were
not taken care of with promptness as
well as with skill when prompt atten-
ton is required. Provisions are prac-
tically completed for taking care Of
the sick and wounded. In large bodies
of men in the open field there is always
a percentage of sickness; and sick men
require as prompt and .skillful atten-
ton to preserve theirlives as wounded
men.
In actual warfare many men die
from relapses because they have not
proper surroundings during their con-
valescence. Maj. Gen. Miles, in com
mand of the army, has taken upon
himself the responsibility of attend
ing to part of the work which should
have been performed by the surgeon
general. He has prepared a place for
the sick and wounded which will be-
come the most complete military hos
pital in the world; and which will be
the most delightful place for the con-
valescing soldiers upon the face of
the earth. 50 <
On the point of the Virginia PENN
sula, running out into Chesapeake bay,
is Fort Monroe. From time immemo-
rial this has been known along the
Atlantic coast as Old Point Comfort.
Every foot of the soil of Old Point Com
fort belongs to the United States gov
eminent. It was ceded to the United
States by the state of Virginia for the
purpose Of local and national defense.
Across the spur Of the great Virginia
peninsula Fort Monroe stretches its
acres Of ground. Many years ago the
government permitted the Hygeia Ho-
tel company to build there, and as a
pleasure and health resort the Hygeia
hotel has long been famous.
John Chamberlain recently de-