Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-09-12

tant to affect the flowing waters. The
water from all sources flowing into
| the stockade is remarkably pure. but
| that flowing from the stockade is
loaded with filth and emits a sicken-
ing odor, disgusting and overpower-
ing:
and hills indicates poverty of the soil.
The low grounds and swamps border
ing the streams are clothed with pines
and oaks of stunted growth. From
this examination there is no recognize
able source of disease in the soil and
waters of AnderSonville. After exam
ination l was impressed with the be-
lief that this region of the country
was as healthy as any region of the
world situated in the same latitude
and at the same elevation above the
sea, and that this locality, chosen by
the Confederates for the confinement
of Federal prisoners, was much more
salubrious than most of the region in
Georgia lying to the south and south
east of it.
1.-The heat caused the rapid de-
composition of filthy matter in the
stockade area, and this may have
been the cause of debility; but the aw-
full mortality must have been due to
other cauSeS-Crowded condition and
lack Of medicine, rather than to all
the elements of climate combined. No
blame can be attached to the Confed-
crate authorities for this great NOR
tality at Andersonville.
"In this collection of men from all
parts of the civilized world every
phase of human character was repre-
scented. The stronger preyed upon
the weaker. and even the sick, who
- I~f
were robbed Of their scanty supplies
Of food and clothing. Dark stories
were af1oat Of men murdered at night,
strangled to death by their comrades
for clothing or money. I heard a
wounded Federal prisoner accuse his
nurse, fellow prisoner, of having in
oculated his arm with gangrene in
order to destroy his life, to fall heir
to his clothing.
1.-THE haggard, distressed counte-
nances of these miserable, complain
ing, detected, living skeletons, crying
for medical aid and food, and cursing
their Government for it's refusal to
exchange prisoners, and the CHASTITY
corpses, with their glazed eyeballs
| staring up into vacant space, with
| flies swarming down open mouths
| formed a picture of helpless, hopeless
misery, which it would be impossible
to portray by word or brush. AS
| many men as possible were paroled
and allowed to follow trades.
THE police and hygiene of the hos.
pital were defective in the extreme
but no blame should be attached to
the Confederate government. to the
| commanding officer or to the guards
| Scurvy was not confined to the pris
| oners. 1 saw we'll developed case of
scurvy in a surgeon in care of one OF
| the hospitals"
X X X X
| 1T is plain that DR.. Jones was an.
swering a charge that the Confed
| crate authorities chose Andersonville
because it would be fatal to Union
| prisoners. 1t was a healthful locality
He found policing of the hospital de
! fective in the extreme" but found the
| hospital authorities blameless. Wheth
er he spared his brother physicians OF
knew that conditions were beyond
their control is a question to which
| there is no answer. The policing OF
| the stockade must have been wretch
ed. Wirz was a physician, and, nc
doubt, knew as much of camp ny
giene as was known. Perhaps he was
| not able to enforce discipline neces
sary to keep the stockade clean. Per