andersonville-第61章

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languid　muscular　motions；　lowness　of　spirits；　and　fetid　breath；　to　the
dusky；　dirty；　leaden　complexion；　swollen　features；　spongy；　purple；　livid；
fungoid；　bleeding　gums；　loose　teeth；　oedematous　limbs；　covered　with　livid
vibices；　and　petechiae　spasmodically　flexed；　painful　and　hardened
extremities；　spontaneous　hemorrhages　from　mucous　canals；　and　large；　ill…
conditioned；　spreading　ulcers　covered　with　a　dark　purplish　fungus　growth。
I　observed　that　in　some　of　the　cases　of　scurvy　the　parotid　glands　were
greatly　swollen；　and　in　some　instances　to　such　an　extent　as　to　preclude
entirely　the　power　to　articulate。　　In　several　cases　of　dropsy　of　the
abdomen　and　lower　extremities　supervening　upon　scurvy；　the　patients
affirmed　that　previously　to　the　appearance　of　the　dropsy　they　had
suffered　with　profuse　and　obstinate　diarrhea；　and　that　when　this　was
checked　by　a　change　of　diet；　from　Indian　corn…bread　baked　with　the　husk；
to　boiled　rice；　the　dropsy　appeared。　　The　severe　pains　and　livid　patches
were　frequently　associated　with　swellings　in　various　parts；　and
especially　in　the　lower　extremities；　accompanied　with　stiffness　and
contractions　of　the　knee　joints　and　ankles；　and　often　with　a　brawny　feel
of　the　parts；　as　if　lymph　had　been　effused　between　the　integuments　and
apeneuroses；　preventing　the　motion　of　the　skin　over　the　swollen　parts。
Many　of　the　prisoners　believed　that　the　scurvy　was　contagious；　and　I　saw
men　guarding　their　wells　and　springs；　fearing　lest　some　man　suffering
with　the　scurvy　might　use　the　water　and　thus　poison　them。

I　observed　also　numerous　cases　of　hospital　gangrene；　and　of　spreading
scorbutic　ulcers；　which　had　supervened　upon　slight　injuries。　　The
scorbutic　ulcers　presented　a　dark；　purple　fungoid；　elevated　surface；　with
livid　swollen　edges；　and　exuded　a　thin；　fetid；　sanious　fluid；　instead　of
pus。　　Many　ulcers　which　originated　from　the　scorbutic　condition　of　the
system　appeared　to　become　truly　gangrenous；　assuming　all　the
characteristics　of　hospital　gangrene。　　From　the　crowded　condition；　filthy
habits；　bad　diet；　and　dejected；　depressed　condition　of　the　prisoners；
their　systems　had　become　so　disordered　that　the　smallest　abrasion　of　the
skin；　from　the　rubbing　of　a　shoe；　or　from　the　effects　of　the　sun；　or　from
the　prick　of　a　splinter；　or　from　scratching；　or　a　musketo　bite；　in　some
cases；　took　on　rapid　and　frightful　ulceration　and　gangrene。　　The　long　use
of　salt　meat；　ofttimes　imperfectly　cured；　as　well　as　the　most　total
deprivation　of　vegetables　and　fruit；　appeared　to　be　the　chief　causes　of
the　scurvy。　　I　carefully　examined　the　bakery　and　the　bread　furnished　the
prisoners；　and　found　that　they　were　supplied　almost　entirely　with　corn…
bread　from　which　the　husk　had　not　been　separated。　　This　husk　acted　as　an
irritant　to　the　alimentary　canal；　without　adding　any　nutriment　to　the
bread。　　As　far　as　my　examination　extended　no　fault　could　be　found　with
the　mode　in　which　the　bread　was　baked；　the　difficulty　lay　in　the　failure
to　separate　the　husk　from　the　corn…meal。　　I　strongly　urged　the
preparation　of　large　quantities　of　soup　made　from　the　cow　and　calves'
heads　with　the　brains　and　tongues；　to　which　a　liberal　supply　of　sweet
potatos　and　vegetables　might　have　been　advantageously　added。　　The
material　existed　in　abundance　for　the　preparation　of　such　soup　in　large
quantities　with　but　little　additional　expense。　　Such　aliment　would　have
been　not　only　highly　nutritious；　but　it　would　also　have　acted　as　an
efficient　remedial　agent　for　the　removal　of　the　scorbutic　condition。
The　sick　within　the　Stockade　lay　under　several　long　sheds　which　were
originally　built　for　barracks。　　These　sheds　covered　two　floors　which　were
open　on　all　sides。　　The　sick　lay　upon　the　bare　boards；　or　upon　such
ragged　blankets　as　they　possessed；　without；　as　far　as　I　observed；　any
bedding　or　even　straw。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。

The　haggard；　distressed　countenances　of　these　miserable；　complaining；
dejected；　living　skeletons；　crying　for　medical　aid　and　food；　and　cursing
their　Government　for　its　refusal　to　exchange　prisoners；　and　the　ghastly
corpses；　with　their　glazed　eye　balls　staring　up　into　vacant　space；　with
the　flies　swarming　down　their　open　and　grinning　mouths；　and　over　their
ragged　clothes；　infested　with　numerous　lice；　as　they　lay　amongst　the　sick
and　dying；　formed　a　picture　of　helpless；　hopeless　misery　which　it　would
be　impossible　to　portray　bywords　or　by　the　brush。　　A　feeling　of
disappointment　and　even　resentment　on　account　of　the　United　States
Government　upon　the　subject　of　the　exchange　of　prisoners；　appeared　to　be
widespread；　and　the　apparent　hopeless　nature　of　the　negotiations　for　some
general　exchange　of　prisoners　appeared　to　be　a　cause　of　universal　regret
and　deep　and　injurious　despondency。　　I　heard　some　of　the　prisoners　go　so
far　as　to　exonerate　the　Confederate　Government　from　any　charge　of
intentionally　subjecting　them　to　a　protracted　confinement；　with　its
necessary　and　unavoidable　sufferings；　in　a　country　cut　off　from　all
intercourse　with　foreign　nations；　and　sorely　pressed　on　all　sides；　whilst
on　the　other　hand　they　charged　their　prolonged　captivity　upon　their　own
Government；　which　was　attempting　to　make　the　negro　equal　to　the　white
man。　　Some　hundred　or　more　of　the　prisoners　had　been　released　from
confinement　in　the　Stockade　on　parole；　and　filled　various　offices　as
clerks；　druggists；　and　carpenters；　etc。；　in　the　various　departments。
These　men　were　well　clothed；　and　presented　a　stout　and　healthy
appearance；　and　as　a　general　rule　they　presented　a　much　more　robust　and
healthy　appearance　than　the　Confederate　troops　guarding　the　prisoners。

The　entire　grounds　are　surrounded　by　a　frail　board　fence；　and　are
strictly　guarded　by　Confederate　soldiers；　and　no　prisoner　except　the
paroled　attendants　is　allowed　to　leave　the　grounds　except　by　a　special
permit　from　the　Commandant　of　the　Interior　of　the　Prison。

The　patients　and　attendants；　near　two　thousand　in　number；　are　crowded
into　this　confined　space　and　are　but　poorly　supplied　with　old　and　ragged
tents。　　Large　numbers　of　them　were　without　any　bunks　in　the　tents；　and
lay　upon　the　ground；　oft…times　without　even　a　blanket。　　No　beds　or　straw
appeared　to　have　been　furnished。　　The　tents　extend　to　within　a　few　yards
of　the　small　stream；　the　eastern　portion　of　which；　as　we　have　before
said；　is　used　as　a　privy　and　is　loaded　with　excrements；　and　I　observed　a
large　pile　of　corn…bread；　bones；　and　filth　of　all　kinds；　thirty　feet　in
diameter　and　several　feet　in　hight；　swarming　with　myriads　of　flies；　in　a
vacant　space　near　the　pots　used　for　cooking。　　Millions　of　flies　swarmed
over　everything；　and　covered　the　faces　of　the　sleeping　patients；　and
crawled　down　their　open　mouths；　and　deposited　their　maggots　in　the
gangrenous　wounds　of　the　living；　and　in　the　mouths　of　the　dead。　　Musketos
in　great　numbers　also　infested　the　tents；　and　many　of　the　patients　were
so　stung　by　these　pestiferous　insects；　that　they　resembled　those
suffering　from　a　slight　attack　of　the　measles。

The　police　and　hygiene　of　the　hospital　were　defective　in　the　extreme；
the　attendants；　who　appeared　in　almost　every　instance　to　have　been
selected　from　the　prisoners；　seemed　to　have　in　many　cases　but　little
interest　in　the　welfare　of　their　fellow…captives。　　The　accusation　was
made　that　the　nurses　in　many　cases　robbed　the　sick　of　their　clothing；
money；　and　rations；　and　carried　on　a　clandestine　trade　with　the　paroled
prisoners　and　Confederate　guards　without　the　hospital　enclosure；　in　the
clothing；　effects　of　the　sick；　dying；　and　dead　Federals。　　They　certainly
appeared　to　neglect　the　comfort　and　cleanliness　of　the　sick　intrusted　to
their　care　in　a　most　shameful　manner；　even　after　making　due　allowances
for　the　difficulties　of　the　situation。　　Many　of　the　sick　were　literally
encrusted　with　dirt　and　filth　and　covered　with　vermin。　　When　a　gangrenous
wound　needed　washing；　the　limb　was　thrust　out　a　little　from　the　blanket；
or　board；　or　rags　upon　which　the　patient　was　lying；　and　water　poured　over
it；　and　all　the　putrescent　matter　allowed　to　soak　into　the　ground　floor
of　the　tent。　　The　supply　of　rags　for　dressing　wounds　was　said　to　be　very
scant；　and　I　saw