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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    ruary and March, 1844; and again in tlie first quarters of 1845 and 1840. Five cases of vario- loid occurred at Detroit Barracks in January, 1849. In the winter of 1851-'52 variola pre- vailed extensively among the Indians in the vicinity of Fort Brady. DISEASES OF THE ORGANS CONNECTED WITn THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM. Quarters -- FIRST. SECOND. THIRD. FOIUTH. YEAR. o a O O o 5 eg <er 1 ■a . 2 10 ,999 10 ,949 9, 681 9, 755 10 ,346 1 ■ - o ° g '3 %- o o o 2 Diseases. 1 II ■ ] 1 11 - . Cases. Dent li s, 1 ' i' -11 11 - . CaSC9. DeatllS. Casts. Deaths. a, o ha o <«• V o « =- =5 Cholera Asiatica - 0 0 1 i 12 5 0 0 13 6 1 in 2 304 4 594 3 1017 0 571 6 2486 13 1 in 191 240 Dysenteria acuta 30 0 45 1 110 2 84 0 275 3 1 in 92 26 Dysenteria chronica 7 n u A I 5 A U o o u 24 1 1 in 24 2. 3 Enteritis 15 I 7 o 5 o 3 I 30 o it 1 in 15 2. 9 Hepatitis acuta -- 1 0 3 0 7 0 0 0 11 0 0 in 11 1 Hepatitis chronica.- 5 0 5 0 1 0 3 0 14 0 0 in 14 1. 3 Obstipatio 90 0 137 0 150 0 106 0 483 0 0 in 483 46. 6 All other diseases of this 257 1 314 1 309 1 294 4 1174 7 1 in 167 113 Total 709 6 1110 7 1622 8 1069 11 4510 32 1 in 141 436 Exclusive of cholera. . 4497 26 1 in 173 434 The reports of sick contain no noteworthy remarks respecting diseases of this system, until we come to those for the quarter ending Septemher, 1849. Surgeon Tripler, in his report from Detroit Barracks for that quarter, makes the following statement concerning Asiatic cholera: About the first of July a few cases of cholera asphyxia made their appearance in Detroit. The municipal authorities had in season made extraordinary efforts to maintain a strict system of police, and to distribute daily a free supply of lime throughout the city. The sale of vege- tables was prohibited, and with most praiseworthy firmness these ordinances were enforced. I caused to be procured a sufficient quantity of sulphuric acid, oxide of manganese, and salt, to fumigate from day to day, as long as necessary, every inhabited apartment in the barracks; and recommended the usual precaution with regard to the diet, clothing, and hygienic regimen of the men. The result of all these measures was, under Providence, that but one soldier died from the disease, and he an inveterate drunkard; and but about one hundred in the city of De- troit, including those landed from the steamboats. The disease has entirely disappeared. Assistant Surgeon K. F. Simpson reports the prevalence of cholera among the Indians who were encamped in the vicinity of Fort Howard, in the latter part of October, and beginning of November, 1849. About the same time many of the soldiers were sick with diarrhoea, but the cholera was not communicated to the troops or to the citizens residing near the fort. The Indians had just received their annuities, and it is probable the mortality among them was mainly due to their dissipation.
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