aswasquitelikelywithamanofhisshallop'brainandvacillatingtemper——tobesimplyreturnedtothestockade。
　　Nothing,Iamsure,sincethedaysoftheInquisition——orstilllater,sincetheterriblepunishmentsvisitedupontheinsurgentsof1848bytheAustrianaristocrats——hasbeensodiabolicalasthestocksandchain—
　　gangs,asusedbyWirz。Atonetimesevenmen,sittinginthestocksneartheStarFort——inplainviewofthecamp——becameobjectsofinteresttoeverybodyinside。Theywereneverrelievedfromtheirpainfulposition,butwerekeptthereuntilallofthemdied。Ithinkitwasnearlytwoweeksbeforethelastonesuccumbed。Whattheyenduredinthattimeevenimaginationcannotconceive——IdonotthinkthatanIndiantribeeverdevisedkeenertortureforitscaptives。
　　Thechain—gangconsistedofanumberofmen——varyingfromtwelvetotwenty—five,allchainedtoonesixty—fourpoundball。TheywerealsostationedneartheStarFort,standingoutinthehotsun,withoutaparticleofshadeoverthem。Whenonemovedtheyallhadtomove。
　　Theywerescourgedwiththedysentery,andthenecessitiesofsomeoneoftheirnumberkeptthemconstantlyinmotion。Icanseethemdistinctlyyet,trampinglaboriouslyandpainfullybackandforwardoverthatburninghillside,everymomentofthelong,wearySummerdays。
　　AcomradewritestoremindmeofthebeneficentworkoftheMasonicOrder。Imentionitmostgladly,asitwasthesolerecognitiononthepartofanyofourfoesofourclaimstohumankinship。Thechurchesofalldenominations——exceptthesolitaryCatholicpriest,FatherHamilton,——ignoredusaswhollyasifweweredumbbeasts。Layhumanitarianswereequallyindifferent,andtheonlyinterestmanifestedbyanyRebelinthewelfareofanyprisonerwasbytheMasonicbrotherhood。TheRebelMasonsinterestedthemselvesinsecuringdetailsoutsidetheStockadeinthecookhouse,thecommissary,andelsewhere,forthebrethrenamongtheprisonerswhowouldacceptsuchfavors。Suchasdidnotfeelinclinedtogooutsideonparolereceivedfrequentpresentsinthewayoffood,andespeciallyofvegetables,whichwereliterallybeyondprice。MaterialsweresentinsidetobuildtentsfortheMasons,andIthinksuchasmadethemselvesknownbeforedeath,receivedburialaccordingtotheritesoftheOrder。DoctorWhite,andperhapsotherSurgeons,belongedtothefraternity,andthewearingofaMasonicemblembyanewprisonerwasprettysuretocatchtheireyes,andbethemeansofsecuringforthewearerthetenderoftheirgoodoffices,suchasadetailintotheHospitalasnurse,ward—master,etc。
　　Iwasnotfortunateenoughtobeoneofthemysticbrethren,andsomissedallshareinanyofthesebenefits,aswellasinanyothers,andItakespecialprideinonething:thatduringmywholeimprisonmentIwasnotbeholdentoaRebelforasinglefavorofanykind。TheRebeldoesnotlivewhocansaythatheevergavemesomuchasahandfulofmeal,aspoonfulofsalt,aninchofthread,orastickofwood。
　　FromfirsttolastIreceivednothingbutmyrations,exceptoccasionaltriflesthatIsucceededinstealingfromthestupidofficerschargedwithissuingrations。IowenomanintheSouthernConfederacygratitudeforanything——notevenforakindword。
　　Speakingofsecretsocietypinsrecallsanoteworthystorywhichhasbeentoldmesincethewar,ofboyswhomIknew。AtthebreakingoutofhostilitiesthereexistedinToledoafestivelittlesecretsociety,suchaslurkingboysfrequentlyorganize,withnootherobjectthanfunandtheusualadolescentloveofmystery。Therewereadozenorsomembersinitwhocalledthemselves"TheRoyalReubens,"andwereheadedbyabookbindernamedNedHopkins。SomeonestartedabranchoftheOrderinNapoleon,O。,andamongthememberswasCharlesE。Reynolds,ofthattown。Thebadgeofthesocietywasapeculiarlyshapedgoldpin。
　　ReynoldsandHopkinsnevermet,andhadnoacquaintancewitheachother。
　　Whenthewarbrokeout,HopkinsenlistedinBatteryH,FirstOhioArtillery,andwassenttotheArmyofthePotomac,wherehewascaptured,intheFallof1863,whilescouting,intheneighborhoodofRichmond。ReynoldsenteredtheSixty—EighthOhioVolunteerInfantry,andwastakenintheneighborhoodofJackson,Miss。,——twothousandmilesfromtheplaceofHopkins'scapture。AtAndersonvilleHopkinsbecameoneoftheofficersinchargeoftheHospital。OnedayaRebelSergeant,whocalledtherollintheStockade,afterstudyingHopkins'spinaminute,said:
　　"IseedaYankintheStockadeto—daya—wearingapinegzacklylikethatere。"
　　ThisarousedHopkins'sinterest,andhewentinsideinsearchoftheother"feller。"Havinghissquadanddetachmenttherewaslittledifficultyinfindinghim。Herecognizedthepin,spoketoitswearer,gavehimthe"grandhailingsign"ofthe"RoyalReubens,"anditwasdulyrespondedto。TheupshotofthematterwasthathetookReynoldsoutwithhimasclerk,andsavedhislife,asthelatterwasgoingdownhillveryrapidly。Reynolds,inturn,securedthedetailofacomradeoftheSixty—Eighthwhowasfailingfast,andsucceededinsavinghislife——allofwhichhappyresultsweredirectlyattributabletothatinsignificantboyishsociety,anditsequallyunimportantbadgeofmembership。
　　AlonginthelastofAugusttheRebelslearnedthattherewerebetweentwoandthreehundredCaptainsandLieutenantsintheStockade,passingthemselvesoffasenlistedmen。Themotiveoftheseofficerswastwo—
　　fold:first,achivalrouswishtosharethefortunesandfateoftheirboys,andsecond,disinclinationtogratifytheRebelsbytheknowledgeoftherankoftheircaptives。ThesecretwassowellkeptthatnoneofussuspectedituntilthefactwasannouncedbytheRebelsthemselves。
　　Theyweretakenoutimmediately,andsenttoMacon,wherethecommissionedofficers'prisonwas。Itwouldnotdototrustsuchpossibleleaderswithusanotherday。
　　CHAPTERL
　　FOOD——THEMEAGERNESS,INFERIORQUALITY,ANDTERRIBLESAMENESS——
　　REBELTESTIMONYONTHESUBJECT——FUTILITYOFSUCCESSFULEXPLANATION。
　　Ihaveinotherplacesdweltupontheinsufficiencyandthenauseousnessofthefood。NowordsthatIcanuse,noinsistenceuponthistheme,cangivethereaderanyideaofitsmortalimportancetous。
　　Letthereaderconsiderforamomentthequantity,quality,andvarietyoffoodthathenowholdstobenecessaryforthemaintenanceoflifeandhealth。Itrustthateveryonewhoperusesthisbook——thateveryoneinfactoverwhomtheStarsandStripeswave——hashiscupofcoffee,hisbiscuitsandhisbeefsteakforbreakfast——asubstantialdinnerofroastorboiled——andalighter,butstillsufficientmealintheevening。
　　Inall,certainlynotlessthanfiftydifferentarticlesaresetbeforehimduringtheday,forhischoiceaselementsofnourishment。Lethimscanthisextendedbill—of—fare,whichlongcustomhasmadesocommon—
　　placeastobeuninteresting——perhapsevenwearisometothinkabout——
　　andseewhathecouldomitfromit,ifnecessitycompelledhim。Afterareluctantfarewelltofish,butter,eggs,milk,sugar,greenandpreservedfruits,etc。,hethinksthatperhapsunderextraordinarycircumstanceshemightbeabletomerelysustainlifeforalimitedperiodonadietofbreadandmeatthreetimesaday,washeddownwithcreamless,unsweetenedcoffee,andvariedoccasionallywithadditionsofpotatos,onions,beans,etc。ItwouldastonishtheInnocenttohaveoneofourveteransinformhimthatthiswasnoteventhefirststageofdestitution;thatasoldierwhohadthesewasexpectedtobeonthesummitlevelofcontentment。AnyoftheboyswhofollowedGranttoAppomattoxCourtHouse,ShermantotheSea,or"Pap"ThomastillhisgloriouscareerculminatedwiththeannihilationofHood,willtellhimofmanyweekswhenasliceoffatporkonapieceof"hardtack"hadtododutyforthebreakfastofbeefsteakandbiscuits;whenanothersliceoffatporkandanothercrackerservedforthedinnerofroastbeefandvegetables,andathirdcrackerandsliceofporkwasasubstituteforthesupperoftoastandchops。
　　Isaytotheseveteransinturnthattheydidnotarriveatthefirststagesofdestitutioncomparedwiththedepthstowhichweweredragged。
　　Therestrictionforafewweekstoadietofcrackersandfatporkwascertainlyahardship,butthecrackersalone,chemiststellus,containalltheelementsnecessarytosupportlife,andinourArmytheywerealwayswellmadeandverypalatable。IbelieveIrisknothinginsayingthatoneoftheordinarysquarecrackersofourCommissaryDepartmentcontainedmuchmorerealnutrimentthanthewholeofouraverageration。
　　Ihavebeforecomparedthesize,shapeandappearanceofthedailyhalfloafofcornbreadissuedtoustoahalf—brick,andIdonotyetknowofamorefittingcomparison。Atfirstwegotasmallpieceofrustybaconalongwiththis;butthesizeofthisdiminishedsteadilyuntilatlastitfadedawayentirely,andduringthelastsixmonthsofourimprisonmentIdonotbelievethatwereceivedrationsofmeataboveahalf—dozentimes。
　　Tothissmallnesswasaddedineffablebadness。Themealwasgroundverycoarsely,bydull,weaklypropelledstones,thatimperfectlycrushedthegrains,andleftthetough,hardcoatingofthekernelsinlarge,sharp,mica—likescales,whichcutandinflamedthestomachandintestines,likehandfulsofpoundedglass。Thealimentarycanalsofallcompelledtoeatitwerekeptinacontinualstateofirritationthatusuallyterminatedinincurabledysentery。
　　ThatIhavenotover—statedthisevilcanbeseenbyreferencetothetestimonyofsocompetentascientificobserverasProfessorJones,andI
　　addtothatunimpeachabletestimonythefollowingextractfromthestatementmadeinanattempteddefenseofAndersonvillebyDoctorR。
　　RandolphStevenson,whostyleshimself,formerlySurgeonintheArmyoftheConfederateStatesofAmerica,ChiefSurgeonoftheConfederateStatesMilitaryPrisonHospitals,Andersonville,Ga。":
　　V。Fromthesamenessofthefood,andfromtheactionofthepoisonousgasesinthedenselycrowdedandfilthyStockadeandHospital,thebloodwasalteredinitsconstitution,even,beforethemanifestationofactualdisease。
　　Inboththewellandthesick,theredcorpuscleswerediminished;andinalldiseasesuncomplicatedwithinflammation,thefibrinouselementwasdeficient。Incasesofulcerationofthemucousmembraneoftheintestinalcanal,thefibrinouselementofthebloodappearedtobeincreased;whileinsimplediarrhea,uncomplicatedwithulceration,anddependentuponthecharacterofthefoodandtheexistenceofscurvy,itwaseitherdiminishedorremainedstationary。Heart—clotswereverycommon,ifnotuniversallypresent,inthecasesofulcerationoftheintestinalmucousmembrane;whileintheuncomplicatedcasesofdiarrheaandscurvy,thebloodwasfluidanddidnotcoagulatereadily,andtheheart—clotsandfibrinousconcretionswerealmostuniversallyabsent。
　　Fromthewateryconditionofthebloodthereresultedvariousserouseffusionsintothepericardium,intotheventriclesofthebrain,andintotheabdominalcavity。
　　InalmostallcaseswhichIexaminedafterdeath,eveninthemostemaciated,therewasmoreorlessserouseffusionintotheabdominalcavity。Incasesofhospitalgangreneoftheextremities,andincasesofgangreneoftheintestines,heart—clotsandfirmcoagulawereuniversallypresent。Thepresenceoftheseclotsinthecasesofhospitalgangrene,whilsttheywereabsentinthecasesinwhichtherewerenoinflammatorysymptoms,appearstosustaintheconclusionthathospitalgangreneisaspeciesofinflammation（imperfectandirregularthoughitmaybeinitsprogress）,inwhichthefibrinouselementandcoagulabilityofthebloodareincreased,eveninthosewhoaresufferingfromsuchaconditionofthebloodandfromsuchdiseasesasarenaturallyaccompaniedwithadecreaseinthefibrinousconstituent。
　　VI。Theimpoverishedconditionoftheblood,whichledtoserouseffusionswithintheventriclesofthebrain,andaroundthebrainandspinalcord,andintothepericardialandabdominalcavities,wasgraduallyinducedbytheactionofseveralcauses,butchieflybythecharacterofthefood。
　　TheFederalprisoners,asageneralrule,hadbeenreareduponwheatbreadandIrishpotatos;andtheIndiancornsoextensivelyusedattheSouth,wasalmostunknowntothemasanarticleofdietprevioustotheircapture。OwingtotheimpossibilityofobtainingthenecessarysievesintheConfederacyfortheseparationofthehuskfromthecorn—meal,therationsoftheConfederatesoldiers,aswellasoftheFederalprisoners,consistedofunboltedcorn—flour,andmealandgrist;thiscircumstancerenderedthecorn—breadstillmoredisagreeableanddistastefultotheFederalprisoners。WhileIndianmeal,evenwhenpreparedwiththehusk,isoneofthemostwholesomeandnutritiousformsoffood,ashasbeenalreadyshownbythehealthandrapidincreaseoftheSouthernpopulation,andespeciallyofthenegros,previoustothepresentwar,andbythestrength,enduranceandactivityoftheConfederatesoldiers,whowerethroughoutthewarconfinedtoagreatextenttounboltedcorn—
　　meal;itisneverthelesstruethatthosewhohavenotbeenreareduponcorn—meal,orwhohavenotaccustomedthemselvestoitsusegradually,becomeexcessivelytiredofthiskindofdietwhensuddenlyconfinedtoitwithoutadueproportionofwheatbread。LargenumbersoftheFederalprisonersappearedtobeutterlydisgustedwithIndiancorn,andimmensepilesofcorn—breadcouldbeseenintheStockadeandHospitalinclosures。Thosewhoweresodisgustedwiththisformoffoodthattheyhadnoappetitetopartakeofit,exceptinquantitiesinsufficienttosupplythewasteofthetissues,were,ofcourse,intheconditionofmenslowlystarving,notwithstandingthattheonlyfarinaceousformoffoodwhichtheConfederateStatesproducedinsufficientabundanceforthemaintenanceofarmieswasnotwithheldfromthem。Insuchcases,anurgentfeelingofhungerwasnotaprominentsymptom;andevenwhenitexistedatfirst,itsoondisappeared,andwassucceededbyanactualloathingoffood。Inthisstatethemuscularstrengthwasrapidlydiminished,thetissueswasted,andthethin,skeleton—likeformsmovedaboutwiththeappearanceofutterexhaustionanddejection。Thementalconditionconnectedwithlongconfinement,withthemostmiserablesurroundings,andwithnohopeforthefuture,alsodepressedallthenervousandvitalactions,andwasespeciallyactiveindestroyingtheappetite。Theeffectsofmentaldepression,andofdefectivenutrition,weremanifestednotonlyintheslow,feeblemotionsofthewasted,skeleton—likeforms,butalsoinsuchlethargy,listlessness,andtorporofthementalfacultiesasrenderedtheseunfortunatemenobliviousandindifferenttotheirafflictedcondition。Inmanycases,evenofthegreatestapparentsufferinganddistress,insteadofshowinganyanxietytocommunicatethecausesoftheirdistress,ortorelatetheirprivations,andtheirlongingsfortheirhomesandtheirfriendsandrelatives,theylayinalistless,lethargic,uncomplainingstate,takingnonoticeeitheroftheirowndistressedcondition,orofthegiganticmassofhumanmiserybywhichtheyweresurrounded。Nothingappalledanddepressedmesomuchasthissilent,uncomplainingmisery。Itisafactofgreatinterest,thatnotwithstandingthisdefectivenutritioninmensubjectedtocrowdingandfilth,contagiousfeverswererare;andtyphusfever,whichissupposedtobegeneratedinjustsuchastateofthingsasexistedatAndersonville,wasunknown。Thesefacts,establishedbymyinvestigations,standinstrikingcontrastwithsuchastatementasthefollowingbyarecentEnglishwriter:
　　"Adeficiencyoffood,especiallyofthenitrogenouspart,quicklyleadstothebreakingupoftheanimalframe。Plague,pestilenceandfamineareassociatedwitheachotherinthepublicmind,andtherecordsofeverycountryshowhowcloselytheyarerelated。ThemedicalhistoryofIrelandisremarkablefortheillustrationsofhowmuchmischiefmaybeoccasionedbyageneraldeficiencyoffood。Alwaysthehabitatoffever,iteverynowandthenbecomestheveryhot—bedofitspropagationanddevelopment。Lettherebebutasmallfailureintheusualimperfectsupplyoffood,andthelurkingseedsofpestilencearereadytoburstintofrightfulactivity。Thefamineofthepresentcenturyisbuttooforcibleandillustrativeofthis。Itfosteredepidemicswhichhavenotbeenwitnessedinthisgeneration,andgaverisetoscenesofdevastationandmiserywhicharenotsurpassedbythemostappallingepidemicsoftheMiddleAges。Theprincipalformofthescourgewasknownasthecontagiousfaminefever（typhus）,anditspread,notmerelyfromendtoendofthecountryinwhichithadoriginated,but,breakingthroughallboundaries,itcrossedthebroadocean,andmadeitselfpainfullymanifestinlocalitieswhereitwaspreviouslyunknown。Thousandsfellunderthevirulenceofitsaction,forwhereveritcameitstruckdownaseventhofthepeople,andofthosewhomitattacked,oneoutofnineperished。Eventhosewhoescapedthefatalinfluenceofit,wereleftthemiserablevictimsofscurvyandlowfever。"
　　Whilewereadilyadmitthatfamineinducesthatstateofthesystemwhichisthemostsusceptibletotheactionoffeverpoisons,andthusinducesthestateoftheentirepopulationwhichismostfavorablefortherapidanddestructivespreadofallcontagiousfevers,atthesametimeweareforcedbythefactsestablishedbythepresentwar,aswellasbyahostofothers,botholdandnew,toadmitthatwearestillignorantofthecausesnecessaryfortheoriginoftyphusfever。AddedtotheimperfectnatureoftherationsissuedtotheFederalprisoners,thedifficultiesoftheirsituationwereattimesgreatlyincreasedbythesuddenanddesolatingFederalraidsinVirginia,Georgia,andotherStates,whichnecessitatedthesuddentransportationfromRichmondandotherpointsthreatenedoflargebodiesofprisoners,withoutthepossibilityofmuchpreviouspreparation;andnotonlydidthesemensufferintransitionuponthedilapidatedandoverburdenedlineofrailroadcommunication,butafterarrivingatAndersonville,therationswerefrequentlyinsufficienttosupplythesuddenadditionofseveralthousandmen。
　　AndastheConfederacybecamemoreandmorepressed,andwhenpowerfulhostilearmieswereplungingthroughherbosom,theFederalprisonersofAndersonvillesufferedincrediblyduringthehastyremovaltoMillen,Savannah,Charleston,andotherpoints,supposedatthetimetobesecurefromtheenemy。Eachoneofthesecausesmustbeweighedwhenanattemptismadetoestimatetheunusualmortalityamongtheseprisonersofwar。
　　VII。Scurvy,arisingfromsamenessoffoodandimperfectnutrition,caused,eitherdirectlyorindirectly,nine—tenthsofthedeathsamongtheFederalprisonersatAndersonville。
　　Notonlywerethedeathsreferredtounknowncauses,toapoplexy,toanasarca,andtodebility,traceabletoscurvyanditseffects;andnotonlywasthemortalityinsmall—pox,pneumonia,andtyphoidfever,andinallacutediseases,morethandoubledbythescorbutictaint,buteventhoseallbutuniversalanddeadlybowelaffectionsarosefromthesamecauses,andderivedtheirfatalcharacterfromthesameconditionswhichproducedthescurvy。Intruth,thesemenatAndersonvillewereintheconditionofacrewatsea,confinedinafoulshipuponsaltmeatandunvaryingfood,andwithoutfreshvegetables。Notonlyso,buttheseunfortunateprisonersweremenforciblyconfinedandcrowdeduponashiptossedaboutonastormyocean,withoutarudder,withoutacompass,withoutaguiding—star,andwithoutanyapparentboundaryortotheirvoyage;andtheyreflectedintheirsteadilyincreasingmiseriesthedistressedconditionandwaningfortunesofdevastatedandbleedingcountry,whichwascompelled,injusticetoherownunfortunatesons,toholdthesemeninthemostdistressingcaptivity。
　　IsawnothinginthescurvywhichprevailedsouniversallyatAndersonville,atalldifferentfromthisdiseaseasdescribedbyvariousstandardwriters。Themortalitywasnogreaterthanthatwhichhasafflictedahundredshipsuponlongvoyages,anditdidnotexceedthemortalitywhichhas,uponmethanoneoccasion,andinamuchshorterperiodoftime,annihilatedlargearmiesanddesolatedbeleagueredcities。ThegeneralresultsofmyinvestigationsuponthechronicdiarrheaanddysenteryoftheFederalprisonersofAndersonvilleweresimilartothoseoftheEnglishsurgeonsduringthewaragainstRussia。
　　IX。DrugsexercisedbutlittleinfluenceovertheprogressandfatalterminationofchronicdiarrheaanddysenteryintheMilitaryPrisonandHospitalatAndersonville,chieflybecausetheproperformofnourishment（milk,rice,vegetables,anti—scorbutics,andnourishinganimalandvegetablesoups）wasnotissued,andcouldnotbeprocuredinsufficientquantitiesforthesickprisoners。
　　Opiumallayedpainandcheckedthebowelstemporarily,butthefraildamwassoonsweptaway,andthepatientappearstobebutlittlebetter,ifnottheworse,forthismerelypalliativetreatment。Therootofthedifficultycouldnotbereachedbydrugs;nothingshortofthewantingelementsofnutritionwouldhavetendedinanymannertorestorethetoneofthedigestivesystem,andofallthewastedanddegeneratedorgansandtissues。Myopiniontothiseffectwasexpressedmostdecidedlytothemedicalofficersinchargeoftheseunfortunatemen。Thecorrectnessofthisviewwassustainedbythehealthyandrobustconditionoftheparoledprisoners,whoreceivedanextraration,andwhowereabletomakeconsiderablesumsbytrading,andwhosuppliedthemselveswithaliberalandvarieddiet。
　　X。ThefactthathospitalgangreneappearedintheStockadefirst,andoriginatedspontaneously,withoutanypreviouscontagion,andoccurredsporadicallyallovertheStockadeandPrisonHospital,wasproofpositivethatthisdiseasewillarisewhenevertheconditionsofcrowding,filth,foulair,andbaddietarepresent。
　　TheexhalationsfromtheHospitalandStockadeappearedtoexerttheireffectstoaconsiderabledistanceoutsideoftheselocalities。
　　Theoriginofgangreneamongtheseprisonersappearedclearlytodependingreatmeasureuponthestateofthegeneralsystem,inducedbydiet,exposure,neglectofpersonalcleanliness;andbyvariousexternalnoxiousinfluences。Therapidityoftheappearanceandactionofthegangrenedependeduponthepowersandstateoftheconstitution,aswellasupontheintensityofthepoisonintheatmosphere,oruponthedirectapplicationofpoisonousmattertothewoundedsurface。Thiswasfurtherillustratedbytheimportantfact,thathospitalgangrene,oradiseaseresemblingthisformofgangrene,attackedtheintestinalcanalofpatientslaboringunderulcerationofthebowels,althoughtherewerenolocalmanifestationsofgangreneuponthesurfaceofthebody。ThismodeofterminationincasesofdysenterywasquitecommoninthefoulatmosphereoftheConfederateStatesMilitaryPrisonHospital;andinthedepressed,depravedconditionofthesystemoftheseFederalprisoners,deathensuedveryrapidlyafterthegangrenousstateoftheintestineswasestablished。
　　XI。Ascorbuticconditionofthesystemappearedtofavortheoriginoffoululcers,whichfrequentlytookontruehospitalgangrene。
　　Scurvyandgangrenefrequentlyexistedinthesameindividual。Insuchcases,vegetabledietwithvegetableacidswouldremovethescorbuticconditionwithoutcuringthehospitalgangrene……Scurvyconsistsnotonlyinanalterationintheconstitutionoftheblood,whichleadstopassivehemorrhagesfromthebowels,andtheeffusionintothevarioustissuesofadeeply—coloredfibrinousexudation;but,aswehaveconclusivelyshownbypostmortemexamination,thisstateisattendedwithconsistenceofthemusclesoftheheart,andthemucousmembraneofthealimentarycanal,andofsolidpartsgenerally。Wehave,accordingtotheextentofthedeficiencyofcertainarticlesoffood,everydegreeofscorbuticderangement,fromthemostfearfuldepravationofthebloodandtheperversionofeveryfunctionsubservedbythebloodtothoseslightderangementswhicharescarcelydistinguishablefromastateofhealth。Weareasyetignorantofthetruenatureofthechangesofthebloodandtissuesinscurvy,andwidefieldforinvestigationisopenforthedeterminationthecharacteristicchanges——physical,chemical,andphysiological——ofthebloodandtissues,andofthesecretionsandexcretionsofscurvy。Suchinquirieswouldbeofgreatvalueintheirbearingupontheoriginofhospitalgangrene。Uptothepresentwar,theresultsofchemicalinvestigationsuponthepathologyofthebloodinscurvywerenotonlycontradictory,butmeager,andwantinginthatcarefuldetailofthecasesfromwhichthebloodwasabstractedwhichwouldenableustoexplainthecauseoftheapparentdiscrepanciesindifferentanalyses。Thusitisnotyetsettledwhetherthefibrinisincreasedordiminishedinthisdisease;andthedifferenceswhichexistinthestatementsofdifferentwritersappeartobereferabletotheneglectofacriticalexaminationandrecordofallthesymptomsofthecasesfromwhichthebloodwasabstracted。Thetruenatureofthechangesofthebloodinscurvycanbeestablishedonlybynumerousanalysesduringdifferentstagesofthedisease,andfollowedupbycarefullyperformedandrecordedpostmortemexaminations。Withsuchdatawecouldsettlesuchimportantquestionsaswhethertheincreaseoffibrininscurvywasinvariablydependentuponsomelocalinflammation。
　　XII。Gangrenousspots,followedbyrapiddestructionoftissue,appearedinsomecasesinwhichtherehadbeennopreviousorexistingwoundorabrasion;andwithoutsuchwellestablishedfacts,itmightbeassumedthatthediseasewaspropagatedfromonepatienttoanotherineverycase,eitherbyexhalationsfromthegangrenoussurfaceorbydirectcontact。
　　InsuchafilthyandcrowdedhospitalasthatoftheConfederate,StatesMilitaryPrisonofCampSumter,Andersonville,itwasimpossibletoisolatethewoundedfromthesourcesofactualcontactofthegangrenousmatter。Thefliesswarmingoverthewoundsandoverfilthofeverydescription;thefilthy,imperfectlywashed,andscantyrags;thelimitednumberofspongesandwash—bowls（thesamewash—bowlandspongeservingforascoreormoreofpatients）,wereoneandallsourcesofsuchconstantcirculationofthegangrenousmatter,thatthediseasemightrapidlybepropagatedfromasinglegangrenouswound。Whilethefactalreadyconsidered,thataformofmoistgangrene,resemblinghospitalgangrene,wasquitecommoninthisfoulatmosphereincasesofdysentery,bothwithandwithouttheexistenceofhospitalgangreneuponthesurface,demonstratesthedependenceofthediseaseuponthestateoftheconstitution,andprovesinaclearmannerthatneitherthecontactofthepoisonousmatterofgangrene,northedirectactionofthepoisonedatmosphereupontheulceratedsurface,isnecessarytothedevelopmentofthedisease;ontheotherhand,itisequallywell—establishedthatthediseasemaybecommunicatedbythevariouswaysjustmentioned。Itisimpossibletodeterminethelengthoftimewhichragsandclothingsaturatedwithgangrenousmatterwillretainthepowerofreproducingthediseasewhenappliedtohealthywounds。ProfessorBrugmans,asquotedbyGuthrieinhiscommentariesonthesurgeryofthewarinPortugal,Spain,France,andtheNetherlands,saysthatin1797,inHolland,'charpie,'
　　composedoflinenthreadscutofdifferentlengths,which,oninquiry,itwasfoundhadbeenalreadyusedinthegreathospitalsinFrance,andhadbeensubsequentlywashedandbleached,causedeveryulcertowhichitwasappliedtobeaffectedbyhospitalgangrene。Guthrieaffirmsinthesamework,thatthefactthatthisdiseasewasreadilycommunicatedbytheapplicationofinstruments,lint,orbandageswhichhadbeenincontactwithinfectedparts,wastoofirmlyestablishedbytheexperienceofeveryoneinPortugalandSpaintobeamatterofdoubt。Therearefactstoshowthatfliesmaybethemeansofcommunicatingmalignantpustules。
　　Dr。Wagner,whohasrelatedseveralcasesofmalignantpustuleproducedinmanandbeasts,bothbycontactandbyeatingthefleshofdiseasedanimals,whichhappenedinthevillageofStriessainSaxony,in1834,givestwoveryremarkablecaseswhichoccurredeightdaysafteranybeasthadbeenaffectedwiththedisease。Bothwerewomen,oneoftwenty—sixandtheotheroffiftyyears,andinthemthepustuleswerewellmarked,andthegeneralsymptomssimilartotheothercases。Thelatterpatientsaidshehadbeenbittenbyaflyuponthebackdtheneck,atwhichpartthecarbuncleappeared;andtheformer,thatshehadalsobeenbittenupontherightupperarmbyagnat。Uponinquiry,Wagnerfoundthattheskinofoneoftheinfectedbeastshadbeenhungonaneighboringwall,andthoughtitverypossiblethattheinsectsmighthavebeenattractedtothembythesmell,andhadthenceconveyedthepoison。
　　[EndofDr。Stevenson'sStatement]……
　　Theoldadagesaysthat"Hungeristhebestsauceforpoorfood,"buthungerfailedtorenderthisdetestablestuffpalatable,anditbecamesoloathsomethatverymanyactuallystarvedtodeathbecauseunabletoforcetheirorgansofdeglutitiontoreceivethenauseousdoseandpassittothestomach。Iwasalwaysmuchhealthierthantheaverageoftheboys,andmyappetiteconsequentlymuchbetter,yetforthelastmonththatIwasinAndersonville,itrequiredallmydeterminationtocrowdthebreaddownmythroat,and,asIhavestatedbefore,Icouldonlydothisbybreakingoffsmallbitsatatime,andforcingeachdownasI
　　wouldapill。
　　Alargepartofthisrepulsivenesswasduetothecoarsenessandfoulnessofthemeal,thewretchedcooking,andthelackofsalt,buttherewasastillmorepotentreasonthanallthese。Naturedoesnotintendthatmanshalllivebybreadalone,norbyanyonekindoffood。Sheindicatesthisbythevaryingtastesandlongingsthatshegiveshim。Ifhisbodyneedsonekindofconstituents,histastesleadhimtodesirethefoodthatisrichestinthoseconstituents。Whenhehastakenasmuchashissystemrequires,thesenseofsatietysupervenes,andhe"becomestired"
　　ofthatparticularfood。Iftastesarenotperverted,butallowedafreebuttemperateexercise,theyarethesurestindicatorsofthewaytopreservehealthandstrengthbyajudiciousselectionofalimentation。
　　InthiscaseNaturewasprotestingbyarebellionofthetastesagainstanyfurtheruseofthatspeciesoffood。Shewassaying,asplainlyassheeverspoke,thatdeathcouldonlybeavertedbyachangeofdiet,whichwouldsupplyourbodieswiththeconstituentstheysosadlyneeded,andwhichcouldnotbesuppliedbycornmeal。
　　Howneedlesswasthisconfinementofourrationstocornmeal,andespeciallytosuchwretchedlypreparedmeal,isconclusivelyshownbytheRebeltestimonyheretoforegiven。ItwouldhavebeenverylittleextratroubletotheRebelstohavehadourmealsifted;wewouldgladlyhavedoneitourselvesifallowedtheutensilsandopportunity。Itwouldhavebeenaslittletroubletohavevariedourrationswithgreencornandsweetpotatos,ofwhichthecountrywasthenfull。