The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-14
THE SUN, SUNDAY, FEBRUARY Ia, 1915

removed from Office. but some years
after the war was rehabllitated by
Act Of Congress. DR.. Brlnton reports
a conversation with Surgeon George
T. Cooper, a capital witness in the
Hammond court-martial, in which
Cooper said: Doctor, in the late trial
il was Hammond's head or mine
and saved mine" The author OF these
memoirs speaks with uniform praise
&c surgeon General Hammond's work.
As ne himself had the misfortune to
fall under the War Secretarys dis
pleasure, II may be that fellow feel
ing fostered kindly sense of kinshlp.
DIR. Hammond supported generously
the work on the history and the in
cidental process of collecting speci-
mems. 1t was hard to convince the
medical men in the field of the neces-
sity Of this collection and of its de-
pendence for success on their coop
GRAFTON; and especially difficult TO get
fun histories" OF the cases.
From the start DR.. Brinton had
been collecting specimens. bones and
proiectiles. and his collection formed
an excellent nucleus for the museum.
This quickly filled up its first quarters
in the Surgeon General's office: was
moved to a larger suite of rooms, and
overlooked into Mr.. Corcorans art
building, then into n couple of school
houses taken over for the purpose.
Amputated arms and legs and cleaned
bones were shipped in from the field.
picked in alcohol or salt water: cata-
logued and drawn for the history by
mi ~ gta
ing Incidents lightened the work; dis
abled warriors called to Identify their
missing bones, and one soldier, insist
ing on his proprietary rights. wanted
to take away the case containing his
Topped off leg. The curator decreed
that as the man had enlisted for the
war" the Government was entitled TO
AL Of him" until the war ended. As
the supply OF alcohol was inadequate,
an order was issued assigning to the
anatomical purposes of the museum
all liquor confscated by the Provost
Marshal In the District of Columbia.
The transit OF the assorted liquors
was quickly detected by men along the
railroad. and the kegs were tapped
SO literally that finally some Of the
contents had to be "doctored" pre-
vious 10 shipment, sfter which the
nuisance abated
The museum gained medical, official
ard Congressional favor, and annual
appropriations made expansion posi-
bic. so that from a mere museum Of
morbid anatomy IL came to bean OK
hibit 81 weapons as we'll as the wounds
they caused Of the means and meth
DDS Of medical military transporta-
ton, Of the whole detail OF medical
and sanitary operation in camp and
fed. DR.. Brinton had proposed the
establishment also of an army medical
school; the project had DR.. Ham
mond's approval and the preliminary
steps OF organization and equipment
had actually been taken when the
scheme was killed by Secretary Stan
ton.
At Nashville in the winter Of
lS6i-G5 Or Brinton had occasion to
Nobserve the condition OF negro troops
in hospital. Gen. Thomas. Assistant
( hdjutant-General and negrophllc.
gave him a rowing commission" to
/ look after the interests of colored SOL
diers wherever found. At Nashville he
/ visited their hospitals. and mo. 10"
moved him TO wrath. This was in a
warehouse building. several stories
high. Each room or ward had a big
stove which, against orders. the in
mates insisted on keeping red hot
| II was impossible to keep the place
and the patients as clean as hospital
discipline demands Candies and
grease OF every sort were stolen and
used generously as pomade-"it
seemed to be a prominent idea of the
negro soldiers to keep their hair thor
/ oughly greased"--and sheets and pill
low cases suffered Gen Thomas ait
! into the medical director.
/ But in these crowded and over
heated rooms the negroes throvc. The
wards were odorous and dirty. but the
wounded made rapid recovery and
! there were few cases Of disease. The
/ proportion OF deaths was less than
among white troops in well ventilated.
perfectly sanitary hospitals. More
than that, when the War Department
built, outside the city, model pavil-
ion hospital for negroes the mortal
ity was fearful" Pneumonia and
lung troubles ravaged the place.
/ DR., Brinton's book. with it's notes OF
battlefield horrors and hospital dis
tresses, contains many good stories
and anecdotes. especially of Grant.
II is typical hit of civll war lltera-
turc, with recollections OF life in camp
and field, Washington war politics,
experiences with spies and traitors
and iCG fttn,,aU