The Sanitary Commission of the United States Army : a succinct narrative of its works and purposes.
- United States of America. Sanitary Commission.
- Date:
- 1864
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: The Sanitary Commission of the United States Army : a succinct narrative of its works and purposes. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.
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![tary Interests of the United States Forces,' and acting in co-operation with the Burean, in elaborating and applying such facts as might be elicited from the experience and more ex- tended observation of those connected with armies, with refer, ence to the diet and hygiene of troops, and the organization of Military Hospitals, etc. This Commission is not intended to interfere with, but to strengthen the present organization, introducing and elaborating such improvements as the advanced stage of Medical Science might suggest. Thus early in the war, did the acting Chief of the Medical Bureau, Dr. E. C. Wood, officially and generously open the way for the beginning of a great and humane work. Acting in concert with the Medical Bureau, a joint committee of delegates from a number of the earlier voluntary aid asso- ciations visited the National Capital soon after om- forces had begun to gather there, and, a few days previously to the letter above cited from the Sm-geon-General, [May 18th,] that committee addressed the Secretary of War upon the subject of special measures for the sanitary j)rotection of the rapidly gathering volunteer army, and also in reference to the utiliza- tion of voluntary contributions from the people, for the soldiers' welfare. In their preliminary address to the Secretary of War, subsequently published, that committee said: The present is essentiaUy a people's war. The liearts and minds, the bodies and souls, of the whole people^ and of both sexes, throughout the loyal States, are in it. ,i:ffl,,,u^ « Convinced by inquiries made here of the practical difficulty of reconciling the aims of their own and numerous Bmn ar asso. ciations in other cities with the regular workings of the Corn- Sat and the Medical Bm^eau and yet f^Uy per^^^^^^^^^ the importance to the country, and the success ™'f bringing such an arrangement aboiit, the undei^^^^^^^^ fully ask that a mixed Commission of ^ivihans, (hstog^^^^^^ their philanthropic experience and acquaintance if j^'^^f l matters, of medical men, and of ^^^^ary ^^^^^^ bv the Government, who shaU be charged with the duty_ ot m vestigath?g the best means of methodising and reducing to](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b2475867x_0014.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)


