andersonville-第56章

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place　as　to　be　uninterestingperhaps　even　wearisome　to　think　about
and　see　what　he　could　omit　from　it；　if　necessity　compelled　him。　　After　a
reluctant　farewell　to　fish；　butter；　eggs；　milk；　sugar；　green　and
preserved　fruits；　etc。；　he　thinks　that　perhaps　under　extraordinary
circumstances　he　might　be　able　to　merely　sustain　life　for　a　limited
period　on　a　diet　of　bread　and　meat　three　times　a　day；　washed　down　with
creamless；　unsweetened　coffee；　and　varied　occasionally　with　additions　of
potatos；　onions；　beans；　etc。　　It　would　astonish　the　Innocent　to　have　one
of　our　veterans　inform　him　that　this　was　not　even　the　first　stage　of
destitution；　that　a　soldier　who　had　these　was　expected　to　be　on　the
summit　level　of　contentment。　　Any　of　the　boys　who　followed　Grant　to
Appomattox　Court　House；　Sherman　to　the　Sea；　or　〃Pap〃　Thomas　till　his
glorious　career　culminated　with　the　annihilation　of　Hood；　will　tell　him
of　many　weeks　when　a　slice　of　fat　pork　on　a　piece　of　〃hard　tack〃　had　to
do　duty　for　the　breakfast　of　beefsteak　and　biscuits；　when　another　slice
of　fat　pork　and　another　cracker　served　for　the　dinner　of　roast　beef　and
vegetables；　and　a　third　cracker　and　slice　of　pork　was　a　substitute　for
the　supper　of　toast　and　chops。

I　say　to　these　veterans　in　turn　that　they　did　not　arrive　at　the　first
stages　of　destitution　compared　with　the　depths　to　which　we　were　dragged。
The　restriction　for　a　few　weeks　to　a　diet　of　crackers　and　fat　pork　was
certainly　a　hardship；　but　the　crackers　alone；　chemists　tell　us；　contain
all　the　elements　necessary　to　support　life；　and　in　our　Army　they　were
always　well　made　and　very　palatable。　　I　believe　I　risk　nothing　in　saying
that　one　of　the　ordinary　square　crackers　of　our　Commissary　Department
contained　much　more　real　nutriment　than　the　whole　of　our　average　ration。

I　have　before　compared　the　size；　shape　and　appearance　of　the　daily　half
loaf　of　corn　bread　issued　to　us　to　a　half…brick；　and　I　do　not　yet　know　of
a　more　fitting　comparison。　　At　first　we　got　a　small　piece　of　rusty　bacon
along　with　this；　but　the　size　of　this　diminished　steadily　until　at　last
it　faded　away　entirely；　and　during　the　last　six　months　of　our
imprisonment　I　do　not　believe　that　we　received　rations　of　meat　above　a
half…dozen　times。

To　this　smallness　was　added　ineffable　badness。　　The　meal　was　ground　very
coarsely；　by　dull；　weakly　propelled　stones；　that　imperfectly　crushed　the
grains；　and　left　the　tough；　hard　coating　of　the　kernels　in　large；　sharp；
mica…like　scales；　which　cut　and　inflamed　the　stomach　and　intestines；
like　handfuls　of　pounded　glass。　　The　alimentary　canals　of　all　compelled
to　eat　it　were　kept　in　a　continual　state　of　irritation　that　usually
terminated　in　incurable　dysentery。

That　I　have　not　over…stated　this　evil　can　be　seen　by　reference　to　the
testimony　of　so　competent　a　scientific　observer　as　Professor　Jones；　and　I
add　to　that　unimpeachable　testimony　the　following　extract　from　the
statement　made　in　an　attempted　defense　of　Andersonville　by　Doctor　R。
Randolph　Stevenson；　who　styles　himself；　formerly　Surgeon　in　the　Army　of
the　Confederate　States　of　America；　Chief　Surgeon　of　the　Confederate
States　Military　Prison　Hospitals；　Andersonville；　Ga。〃：

V。　　From　the　sameness　of　the　food；　and　from　the　action　of　the　poisonous
gases　in　the　densely　crowded　and　filthy　Stockade　and　Hospital；　the　blood
was　altered　in　its　constitution；　even；　before　the　manifestation　of　actual
disease。

In　both　the　well　and　the　sick；　the　red　corpuscles　were　diminished；　and　in
all　diseases　uncomplicated　with　inflammation；　the　fibrinous　element　was
deficient。　　In　cases　of　ulceration　of　the　mucous　membrane　of　the
intestinal　canal；　the　fibrinous　element　of　the　blood　appeared　to　be
increased；　while　in　simple　diarrhea；　uncomplicated　with　ulceration；　and
dependent　upon　the　character　of　the　food　and　the　existence　of　scurvy；
it　was　either　diminished　or　remained　stationary。　　Heart…clots　were　very
common；　if　not　universally　present；　in　the　cases　of　ulceration　of　the
intestinal　mucous　membrane；　while　in　the　uncomplicated　cases　of　diarrhea
and　scurvy；　the　blood　was　fluid　and　did　not　coagulate　readily；　and　the
heart…clots　and　fibrinous　concretions　were　almost　universally　absent。
From　the　watery　condition　of　the　blood　there　resulted　various　serous
effusions　into　the　pericardium；　into　the　ventricles　of　the　brain；　and
into　the　abdominal　cavity。

In　almost　all　cases　which　I　examined　after　death；　even　in　the　most
emaciated；　there　was　more　or　less　serous　effusion　into　the　abdominal
cavity。　　In　cases　of　hospital　gangrene　of　the　extremities；　and　in　cases
of　gangrene　of　the　intestines；　heart…clots　and　firm　coagula　were
universally　present。　　The　presence　of　these　clots　in　the　cases　of
hospital　gangrene；　whilst　they　were　absent　in　the　cases　in　which　there
were　no　inflammatory　symptoms；　appears　to　sustain　the　conclusion　that
hospital　gangrene　is　a　species　of　inflammation　（imperfect　and　irregular
though　it　may　be　in　its　progress）；　in　which　the　fibrinous　element　and
coagulability　of　the　blood　are　increased；　even　in　those　who　are　suffering
from　such　a　condition　of　the　blood　and　from　such　diseases　as　are
naturally　accompanied　with　a　decrease　in　the　fibrinous　constituent。


VI。　　The　impoverished　condition　of　the　blood；　which　led　to　serous
effusions　within　the　ventricles　of　the　brain；　and　around　the　brain　and
spinal　cord；　and　into　the　pericardial　and　abdominal　cavities；　was
gradually　induced　by　the　action　of　several　causes；　but　chiefly　by　the
character　of　the　food。

The　Federal　prisoners；　as　a　general　rule；　had　been　reared　upon　wheat
bread　and　Irish　potatos；　and　the　Indian　corn　so　extensively　used　at　the
South；　was　almost　unknown　to　them　as　an　article　of　diet　previous　to　their
capture。　　Owing　to　the　impossibility　of　obtaining　the　necessary　sieves　in
the　Confederacy　for　the　separation　of　the　husk　from　the　corn…meal；　the
rations　of　the　Confederate　soldiers；　as　well　as　of　the　Federal　prisoners；
consisted　of　unbolted　corn…flour；　and　meal　and　grist；　this　circumstance
rendered　the　corn…bread　still　more　disagreeable　and　distasteful　to　the
Federal　prisoners。　　While　Indian　meal；　even　when　prepared　with　the　husk；
is　one　of　the　most　wholesome　and　nutritious　forms　of　food；　as　has　been
already　shown　by　the　health　and　rapid　increase　of　the　Southern
population；　and　especially　of　the　negros；　previous　to　the　present　war；
and　by　the　strength；　endurance　and　activity　of　the　Confederate　soldiers；
who　were　throughout　the　war　confined　to　a　great　extent　to　unbolted　corn…
meal；　it　is　nevertheless　true　that　those　who　have　not　been　reared　upon
corn…meal；　or　who　have　not　accustomed　themselves　to　its　use　gradually；
become　excessively　tired　of　this　kind　of　diet　when　suddenly　confined　to
it　without　a　due　proportion　of　wheat　bread。　　Large　numbers　of　the　Federal
prisoners　appeared　to　be　utterly　disgusted　with　Indian　corn；　and　immense
piles　of　corn…bread　could　be　seen　in　the　Stockade　and　Hospital
inclosures。　　Those　who　were　so　disgusted　with　this　form　of　food　that　they
had　no　appetite　to　partake　of　it；　except　in　quantities　insufficient　to
supply　the　waste　of　the　tissues；　were；　of　course；　in　the　condition　of　men
slowly　starving；　notwithstanding　that　the　only　farinaceous　form　of　food
which　the　Confederate　States　produced　in　sufficient　abundance　for　the
maintenance　of　armies　was　not　withheld　from　them。　　In　such　cases；　an
urgent　feeling　of　hunger　was　not　a　prominent　symptom；　and　even　when　it
existed　at　first；　it　soon　disappeared；　and　was　succeeded　by　an　actual
loathing　of　food。　　In　this　state　the　muscular　strength　was　rapidly
diminished；　the　tissues　wasted；　and　the　thin；　skeleton…like　forms　moved
about　with　the　appearance　of　utter　exhaustion　and　dejection。　　The　mental
condition　connected　with　long　confinement；　with　the　most　miserable
surroundings；　and　with　no　hope　for　the　future；　also　depressed　all　the
nervous　and　vital　actions；　and　was　especially　active　in　destroying　the
appetite。　　The　effects　of　mental　depression；　and　of　defective　nutrition；
were　manifested　not　only　in　the　slow；　feeble　motions　of　the　wasted；
skeleton…like　forms；　but　also　in　such　lethargy；　listlessness；　and　torpor
of　the　mental　faculties　as　rendered　these　unfortunate　men　oblivious　and
indifferent　to　their　afflicted　condition。　　In　many　cases；　even　of　the
greatest　apparent　suffering　and　distress；　instead　of　showing　any　anxiety
to　communicate　the　causes　of　their　distress；　or　to　relate　their
privations；　and　their　longings　for　their　homes　and　their　friends　and
relatives；　they　lay　in　a　listless；　lethargic；　uncomplaining　state；　taking
no　notice　either　of　their　own　distressed　condition；　or　of　the　gigantic
mass　of　human　misery　by　which　they　were　surrounded。　　Nothing　appalled　and
depressed　me　so　much　as　this　silent；　uncomplaining　misery。　　It　is　a　fact
of　great　interest；　that　notwithstanding　this　defective　nutrition　in　men
subjected　to　crowding　and　filth；　contagious　fevers　were　rare；　and　typhus
fever；　which　is　supposed　to　be　generated　in　just　such　a　state　of　things
as　existed　at　Andersonville；　was　unknown。　　These　facts；　established　by　my
investigations；　stand　in　striking　contrast　with　such　a　statement　as　the
following　by　a　recent　English　writer：

〃A　deficiency　of　food；　especially　of　the　nitrogenous　part；　quickly　leads
to　the　breaking　up　of　the　animal　frame。　　Plague；　pestilence　and　famine
are　associated　with　each　other　in　the　public　mind；　and　the　records　of
every　country　show　how　closely　they　are　related。　　The　medical　history　of
Ireland　is　remarkable　for　the　illustrations　of　how　much　mischief　may　be
occasioned　by　a　general　deficiency　of　food。　　Always　the　habitat　of　fever；
it　every　now　and　then　becomes　the　very　hot…bed　of　its　propagation　and
development。　　Let　there　be　but　a　small　failure　in　the　usual　imperfect
supply　of　food；　and　the　lurking　seeds　of　pestilence　are　ready　to　burst
into　frightful　activity。　　The　famine　of　the　present　century　is　but　too
forcible　and　illustrative　of　this。　　It　fostered　epidemics　which　have　not
been　witnessed　in　this　generation；　and　gave　rise　to　scenes　of　devastation
and　misery　which　are　not　surpassed　by　the　most　appalling　epidemics　of　the
Middle　Ages。　　The　principal　form　of　the　scourge　was　known　as　the
contagious　famine　fever　（typhus）；　and　it　spread；　not　merely　from　end　to
end　of　the　country　in　which　it　had　originated；　but；　breaking　through　all
boundaries；　it　crossed　the　broad　ocean；　and　made　itself　painfully
manifest　in　localities　where　it　was　previously　unknown。　　Thousands　fell
under　the　virulence　of　its　action；　for　wherever　it　came　it　struck　down　a
seventh　of　the　people；　and　of　those　whom　it　attacked；　one　out　of　nine
perished。　　Even　those　who　escaped　the　fatal　influence　of　it；　were　left
the　miserable　victims　of　scurvy　and　low　fever。〃

While　we　readily　admit　that　famine　induces　that　state　of　the　system　which
is　the　most　susceptible　to　the　action　of　fever　poisons；　and　thus　induces
the　state　of　the　entire　population　which　is　most　favorable　for　the　rapid
and　destructive　spread　of　all　contagious　fevers；　at　the　same　time　we　are
forced　by　the　facts　established　by　the　present　war；　as　well　as　by　a　host
of　others；　both　old　and　new；　to　admit　that　we　are　still　ignorant　of　the
causes　necessary　for　the　origin　of　typhus　fever。　　Added