“The results of my investigations are not altogether satisfactory, and in some instances contradictory. The special cause of disease in individual regiments is hard to arrive at, because what seems to predispose to disease in one case is harmless in another, and results are so dependent upon the mental and moral influences exerted over the men, their special predisposition and resistance to disease, and their idiosyncracies, and previous habits. I have, however, arrived at certain general conclusions of importance.
“First. There is but little, if any, malarious poison generated at present. I did not see a characteristic case of intermittent fever, and but one case of remittent. In many cases where malarial fever was reported, it was either initiative fever, or one of the species of the continued form, or the regiments had been previously exposed to malaria, and the damp weather, or other untoward circumstances had developed or reproduced it. In confirmation of this may be instanced the Twenty-Sixth Massachusetts, now suffering from intermittent. This regiment had fever and ague severely at Forts Philip and Jackson last June and July, but after being ordered to the Custom House, beyond malarious influences, recovered. Since the rainy season set in, their quarters have been dark and damp, and this fever has been reproduced.
“Second. The camping ground outside the city is very similar in character; there is but little choice of grounds, most of the camps are susceptible of pretty good drainage, and the difference of altitude does not vary more than twelve to seventeen inches. Some camps are more accessible to certain conveniences, such as drinking water, sinks and places for the disposal of slops, and those on the immediate banks of the river are more exempt from whatever malaria exists at the present time, yet these differences do not account for the disparities in the sick reports.
“Third. Neatness in cooking and person, and cleanliness of camps, are powerful agents in preserving health, and in proportion to the observance of Heaven’s first law, did I see exemption from disease. It is not sufficient, however, that soldiers should be passive agents in the accomplishment of this, but their pride and ambition should be aroused, they should be made to feel that it was not only necessary for the preservation of health, but laudable.
“Wherever I found officers who had inspired spirit in their men, and had taken a personal interest in keeping their soldiers and camps clean, and where soldiers had been made to feel that excellence in these points was meritorious, and that a deviation would not only not be permitted but surely punished; and where I found men were convinced that to complain was unmanly and nursing not the privilege of the soldier, there I found a healthy regiment.
“The One Hundred and Tenth New York had the largest sick list, two hundred and ninety-two; this regiment was on shipboard fifty-three days; after landing had some ship fever and about one hundred cases of measles; lost fifteen men. The voyage, measles and deaths depressed the men somewhat, besides men from agricultural districts do not seem to be so hardy and stand campaigning as well as city soldiers. The camp was neat, tents floored and cooking good; men looked pretty vigorous; think the surgeon too lenient, but he said if he did not excuse the men the colonel would. Should say the sick report might be reduced one-third with impunity.
“The Sixteenth New Hampshire was encamped near the One Hundred and Tenth New York, had one hundred and seventy-three sick; only fifteen days on shipboard; lost ten men; principal disease, diarrhœa; camp was not so well drained as the One Hundred and Tenth New York. Tents and streets were very dirty and the men unwashed, some had not washed for four weeks and the most not for two weeks.
“The One Hundred and Sixty-Second New York, camping on the same ground, had very few sick. This regiment was enlisted in New York City; were forty-one days on shipboard, and, I believe, had not lost a man in camp. The surgeon attended personally to the cooking, drainage and cleanliness of camp, and the commanding officer had his suggestions rigorously enforced.
“The Thirty-Eighth Massachusetts had one hundred and fifty-five sick; tents provided with floors; streets pretty neat, and the facilities for drainage good; cook tents too much crowded, and cooking not attended to as it ought to be; principal disease, diarrhœa; think the surgeon a little too lenient; says there were forty chronic cases, which never ought to have been enlisted; attributes diarrhœa to sour bread.
“The Fifty-Third Massachusetts had one hundred and thirty-six sick; sick list swelled by a number of cases of scarlet and lung fever; lung fever caused by sleeping on the damp ground for the first fortnight after their arrival. The hospital was not neat; sick were not provided with comforts, and the surgeon complains that he could not make his hospital fund available. Both assistant-surgeons sick. Cooking done in the open air, without shelter from the heavy rains.