Statistical report on the sickness and mortality in the Army of the United States : embracing a period of sixteen years, from January 1839 to January 1855 / compiled from the records of the Surgeon General's Office ; prepared under the direction of Thomas Lawson by Richard H. Coolidge.

  • Coolidge, Richard H. (Richard Henry), 1816-1866.
Date:
1856
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Statistical report on the sickness and mortality in the Army of the United States : embracing a period of sixteen years, from January 1839 to January 1855 / compiled from the records of the Surgeon General's Office ; prepared under the direction of Thomas Lawson by Richard H. Coolidge. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    distant one mile and a half; and one mile north is Governor's Island, overlooking and com- manding Fort Independence. The island has a hard and gravelly soil: 111e tide ebbs and flows from ten to fourteen feet, and there are no stagnant waters in the vicinity. FORT ADAMS. This extensive fortification is situated on the island of Rhode Island, at the entrance of Narra- gansett hay, on a point of land called Brenton's Point, projecting toward the island of Connan- icutj and forming one side of Newport harbor. The country around is of primary formation, with rocky elevations, and valleys susceptible of cultivation. The whole island is destitute of wood, except fruit-trees, and small groves, principally of oak, hickory, and maple. The climate is most salubrious; few diseases can be said to prevail here. It is believed, says Surgeon E. S. Satterlee, that had the troops proper barracks for their accommodation, and a comfort- able hospital in which to receive and treat them when sick, the immunity from fatal disease would be without a parallel. We are, however, now subject to rheumatism, catarrh, pleurisy, diarrhoea, and also intermittent fever, all caused by the abominable bomb-proof quarters in which the troops stationed here are obliged to live. FORT TRUMBULL Is on the right hank of the river Thames, one mile below New London, and two and a half miles from the shore of Long Island Sound. The position is rocky, and the drainage good. The river opposite the fort is about half a mile wide, and within the same distance from the fort are two small salt marshes. The soil of the surrounding country is rather sterile, presenting an undulating aspect, rising in prominent ridges of eighty or one hundred feet, with rock fre- quently breaking forth abruptly upon its surface. DISEASES. The only epidemic which has prevailed among the troops stationed in this region, during the period embraced in this report, is one of influenza (catarrhus epidemicus), which appearing on the 17th of June, 1843, at Fort Trumbull, extended to Fort Adams and Fort Preble in July following, though it does not appear to have affected the garrisons of Forts Constitution and Sullivan. Fort Independence was not then occupied. The following remarks concerning this epidemic, as it occurred at Fort Trumbull, are copied from the report of Surgeon J. B. Porter: It will be seen that the month of April was exceed- ingly healthy; May was also healthy, notwithstanding several cases of catarrh of a mild charac- ter. The first part of June was also healthy, but the last part quite the reverse. Epidemic catarrh (influenza) has been extremely prevalent during the last half of the month; all the cases of that disease reported, save one, having occurred since the 17th. During the preva- lence of this epidemic the weather was remarkably pleasant. The disease usually made its attack without much warning, becoming fully developed in eight or twelve hours. Symp- toms.—General pain or soreness; almost invariably pains of the frontal region and loins, and frequently of the chest and epigastrium; very generally soreness of the globe of the eye; pulse varying in frequency, but almost always wanting in volume; sometimes cough quite trouble- some, and often little or none; skin never hot and dry, but generally inclined to be cold and moist, amounting in some instances to a cold perspiration; in many cases thirst, in others none at all; in some cases irritable stomach; and in all constipation. The disease was attended with considerable depression of the nervous power, and great derangement of the liver. Treatment.—Sometimes an emetic commenced the treatment, with obvious benefit. Generally