andersonville-第70节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


gangrene　depended　upon　the　powers　and　state　of　the　constitution；　as　well
as　upon　the　intensity　of　the　poison　in　the　atmosphere；　or　upon　the　direct
application　of　poisonous　matter　to　the　wounded　surface。　　This　was　further
illustrated　by　the　important　fact；　that　hospital　gangrene；　or　a　disease
resembling　this　form　of　gangrene；　attacked　the　intestinal　canal　of
patients　laboring　under　ulceration　of　the　bowels；　although　there　were　no
local　manifestations　of　gangrene　upon　the　surface　of　the　body。　　This　mode
of　termination　in　cases　of　dysentery　was　quite　common　in　the　foul
atmosphere　of　the　Confederate　States　Military　Prison　Hospital；　and　in　the
depressed；　depraved　condition　of　the　system　of　these　Federal　prisoners；
death　ensued　very　rapidly　after　the　gangrenous　state　of　the　intestines
was　established。

XI。　　A　scorbutic　condition　of　the　system　appeared　to　favor　the　origin　of
foul　ulcers；　which　frequently　took　on　true　hospital　gangrene。

Scurvy　and　gangrene　frequently　existed　in　the　same　individual。　　In　such
cases；　vegetable　diet　with　vegetable　acids　would　remove　the　scorbutic
condition　without　curing　the　hospital　gangrene。　　。　　。　　Scurvy　consists
not　only　in　an　alteration　in　the　constitution　of　the　blood；　which　leads
to　passive　hemorrhages　from　the　bowels；　and　the　effusion　into　the　various
tissues　of　a　deeply…colored　fibrinous　exudation；　but；　as　we　have
conclusively　shown　by　postmortem　examination；　this　state　is　attended　with
consistence　of　the　muscles　of　the　heart；　and　the　mucous　membrane　of　the
alimentary　canal；　and　of　solid　parts　generally。　　We　have；　according　to
the　extent　of　the　deficiency　of　certain　articles　of　food；　every　degree　of
scorbutic　derangement；　from　the　most　fearful　depravation　of　the　blood
and　the　perversion　of　every　function　subserved　by　the　blood　to　those
slight　derangements　which　are　scarcely　distinguishable　from　a　state　of
health。　　We　are　as　yet　ignorant　of　the　true　nature　of　the　changes　of　the
blood　and　tissues　in　scurvy；　and　wide　field　for　investigation　is　open　for
the　determination　the　characteristic　changesphysical；　chemical；　and
physiologicalof　the　blood　and　tissues；　and　of　the　secretions　and
excretions　of　scurvy。　　Such　inquiries　would　be　of　great　value　in　their
bearing　upon　the　origin　of　hospital　gangrene。　　Up　to　the　present　war；
the　results　of　chemical　investigations　upon　the　pathology　of　the　blood　in
scurvy　were　not　only　contradictory；　but　meager；　and　wanting　in　that
careful　detail　of　the　cases　from　which　the　blood　was　abstracted　which
would　enable　us　to　explain　the　cause　of　the　apparent　discrepancies　in
different　analyses。　　Thus　it　is　not　yet　settled　whether　the　fibrin　is
increased　or　diminished　in　this　disease；　and　the　differences　which　exist
in　the　statements　of　different　writers　appear　to　be　referable　to　the
neglect　of　a　critical　examination　and　record　of　all　the　symptoms　of　the
cases　from　which　the　blood　was　abstracted。　　The　true　nature　of　the
changes　of　the　blood　in　scurvy　can　be　established　only　by　numerous
analyses　during　different　stages　of　the　disease；　and　followed　up　by
carefully　performed　and　recorded　postmortem　examinations。　　With　such　data
we　could　settle　such　important　questions　as　whether　the　increase　of
fibrin　in　scurvy　was　invariably　dependent　upon　some　local　inflammation。

XII。　　Gangrenous　spots；　followed　by　rapid　destruction　of　tissue；　appeared
in　some　cases　in　which　there　had　been　no　previous　or　existing　wound　or
abrasion；　and　without　such　well　established　facts；　it　might　be　assumed
that　the　disease　was　propagated　from　one　patient　to　another　in　every
case；　either　by　exhalations　from　the　gangrenous　surface　or　by　direct
contact。

In　such　a　filthy　and　crowded　hospital　as　that　of　the　Confederate；　States
Military　Prison　of　Camp　Sumter；　Andersonville；　it　was　impossible　to
isolate　the　wounded　from　the　sources　of　actual　contact　of　the　gangrenous
matter。　　The　flies　swarming　over　the　wounds　and　over　filth　of　every
description；　the　filthy；　imperfectly　washed；　and　scanty　rags；　the　limited
number　of　sponges　and　wash…bowls　（the　same　wash…bowl　and　sponge　serving
for　a　score　or　more　of　patients）；　were　one　and　all　sources　of　such
constant　circulation　of　the　gangrenous　matter；　that　the　disease　might
rapidly　be　propagated　from　a　single　gangrenous　wound。　　While　the　fact
already　considered；　that　a　form　of　moist　gangrene；　resembling　hospital
gangrene；　was　quite　common　in　this　foul　atmosphere　in　cases　of　dysentery；
both　with　and　without　the　existence　of　hospital　gangrene　upon　the
surface；　demonstrates　the　dependence　of　the　disease　upon　the　state　of　the
constitution；　and　proves　in　a　clear　manner　that　neither　the　contact　of
the　poisonous　matter　of　gangrene；　nor　the　direct　action　of　the　poisoned
atmosphere　upon　the　ulcerated　surface；　is　necessary　to　the　development　of
the　disease；　on　the　other　hand；　it　is　equally　well…established　that　the
disease　may　be　communicated　by　the　various　ways　just　mentioned。　　It　is
impossible　to　determine　the　length　of　time　which　rags　and　clothing
saturated　with　gangrenous　matter　will　retain　the　power　of　reproducing　the
disease　when　applied　to　healthy　wounds。　　Professor　Brugmans；　as　quoted　by
Guthrie　in　his　commentaries　on　the　surgery　of　the　war　in　Portugal；　Spain；
France；　and　the　Netherlands；　says　that　in　1797；　in　Holland；　'charpie；'
composed　of　linen　threads　cut　of　different　lengths；　which；　on　inquiry；　it
was　found　had　been　already　used　in　the　great　hospitals　in　France；　and　had
been　subsequently　washed　and　bleached；　caused　every　ulcer　to　which　it　was
applied　to　be　affected　by　hospital　gangrene。　　Guthrie　affirms　in　the　same
work；　that　the　fact　that　this　disease　was　readily　communicated　by　the
application　of　instruments；　lint；　or　bandages　which　had　been　in　contact
with　infected　parts；　was　too　firmly　established　by　the　experience　of
every　one　in　Portugal　and　Spain　to　be　a　matter　of　doubt。　　There　are　facts
to　show　that　flies　may　be　the　means　of　communicating　malignant　pustules。
Dr。　Wagner；　who　has　related　several　cases　of　malignant　pustule　produced
in　man　and　beasts；　both　by　contact　and　by　eating　the　flesh　of　diseased
animals；　which　happened　in　the　village　of　Striessa　in　Saxony；　in　1834；
gives　two　very　remarkable　cases　which　occurred　eight　days　after　any　beast
had　been　affected　with　the　disease。　　Both　were　women；　one　of　twenty…six
and　the　other　of　fifty　years；　and　in　them　the　pustules　were　well　marked；
and　the　general　symptoms　similar　to　the　other　cases。　　The　latter　patient
said　she　had　been　bitten　by　a　fly　upon　the　back　d　the　neck；　at　which　part
the　carbuncle　appeared；　and　the　former；　that　she　had　also　been　bitten
upon　the　right　upper　arm　by　a　gnat。　　Upon　inquiry；　Wagner　found　that　the
skin　of　one　of　the　infected　beasts　had　been　hung　on　a　neighboring　wall；
and　thought　it　very　possible　that　the　insects　might　have　been　attracted
to　them　by　the　smell；　and　had　thence　conveyed　the　poison。

＇End　of　Dr。　Stevenson's　Statement＇

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

The　old　adage　says　that　〃Hunger　is　the　best　sauce　for　poor　food；〃　but
hunger　failed　to　render　this　detestable　stuff　palatable；　and　it　became　so
loathsome　that　very　many　actually　starved　to　death　because　unable　to
force　their　organs　of　deglutition　to　receive　the　nauseous　dose　and　pass
it　to　the　stomach。　　I　was　always　much　healthier　than　the　average　of　the
boys；　and　my　appetite　consequently　much　better；　yet　for　the　last　month
that　I　was　in　Andersonville；　it　required　all　my　determination　to　crowd
the　bread　down　my　throat；　and；　as　I　have　stated　before；　I　could　only　do
this　by　breaking　off　small　bits　at　a　time；　and　forcing　each　down　as　I
would　a　pill。

A　large　part　of　this　repulsiveness　was　due　to　the　coarseness　and　foulness
of　the　meal；　the　wretched　cooking；　and　the　lack　of　salt；　but　there　was　a
still　more　potent　reason　than　all　these。　　Nature　does　not　intend　that　man
shall　live　by　bread　alone；　nor　by　any　one　kind　of　food。　　She　indicates
this　by　the　varying　tastes　and　longings　that　she　gives　him。　　If　his　body
needs　one　kind　of　constituents；　his　tastes　lead　him　to　desire　the　food
that　is　richest　in　those　constituents。　　When　he　has　taken　as　much　as　his
system　requires；　the　sense　of　satiety　supervenes；　and　he　〃becomes　tired〃
of　that　particular　food。　　If　tastes　are　not　perverted；　but　allowed　a　free
but　temperate　exercise；　they　are　the　surest　indicators　of　the　way　to
preserve　health　and　strength　by　a　judicious　selection　of　alimentation。

In　this　case　Nature　was　protesting　by　a　rebellion　of　the　tastes　against
any　further　use　of　that　species　of　food。　　She　was　saying；　as　plainly　as
she　ever　spoke；　that　death　could　only　be　averted　by　a　change　of　diet；
which　would　supply　our　bodies　with　the　constituents　they　so　sadly　needed；
and　which　could　not　be　supplied　by　corn　meal。

How　needless　was　this　confinement　of　our　rations　to　corn　meal；　and
especially　to　such　wretchedly　prepared　meal；　is　conclusively　shown　by　the
Rebel　testimony　heretofore　given。　　It　would　have　been　very　little　extra
trouble　to　the　Rebels　to　have　had　our　meal　sifted；　we　would　gladly　have
done　it　ourselves　if　allowed　the　utensils　and　opportunity。　　It　would　have
been　as　little　trouble　to　have　varied　our　rations　with　green　corn　and
sweet　potatos；　o