Red Cross Department [pp. 178-191]

OVERLAND MONTHLY
They have had many men sick with malarial fever
and colds, and one man severely wounded by a revolver
carelessly handled. Several men have been taken
from here to the Division Hospital with measles.
During the last two weeks, through the untiring devotion of our visitor to the First Montana Regiment
hospital, Mrs. La Motte, we have succeeded in rendering them very material aid, providing a tent for their
sick, together with cots, cooking utensils, milk, and
many necessaries and comforts. A failure to understand our willingness to help them has delayed what
might have been done some time before. There have
been a number of men sick in this regiment, the cold
wind of our climate seeming to have a serious effect
upon them, as indeed it has upon all these young
strangers.
The women of the Society wish earnestly to call the
attention of those in command to the good old adage
regarding an "ounce of prevention." If more attention was given to the supplying of blankets and warm
clothing to the incoming regiments, and particularly
the unequipped recruits, we should have less illness
and probably fewer deaths. One night without blankets in our cruel wind and fog has been sufficient in
several instances to induce most serious consequences,
sowing perhaps the seeds of lasting disease. This
neglect, which may seem trifling now to those who
are responsible for it, may assume alarming proportions whenr. realized by the nation in the form of an
alarmingly increased pension roll.
The visitor in charge of North and South Dakota
and Iowa hospital tents, Mrs. S. B. McLenegan, began
visiting these regiments June 8th and has made daily
visits to each. North Dakota has received considerable attention from our Society, and many necessaries
and supplies of all kinds, the list including medicines,
food for the sick, eggs, milk, pillows and pillow cases,
and kitchen utensils for hospital use.
The Sixth Regiment of Volunteers is composed of
California boys, and the young men of the Hospital
corps appreciate the advantages to be derived from
visits to the supply depot of the Society at 16 Post
street. The ladies are happy to welcome any of the
soldiers there, but the boys of the Sixth, being our
own California boys, are especially welcome. Notwithstanding the great distance of this Hospital tent
from the other camps, Miss Wallis has faithfully
attended to their wants; she has recently been given
the care of the Artillery under Major Rice and the
Fourth United States Cavalry, which are all within
the Presidio enclosure.
The Dakota men, both North and South, have had
considerable sickness and have been somewhat troubled
by our California pest, the poison oak, several of the
men having suffered severely from this cause. The
men of South Dakota have been fortunate lately in
having secured for their use a vacant room in the
grounds of the Children's hospital. This room has been
fitted up by the Red Cross Society and the sick are
furnished daily supplies of milk and eggs, with everything else asked for. Several cases of measles have
been sent from this regiment to the measles tent at
the Division hospital.
The Fifty-first Iowa Volunteers arrived June 10th
and immediately put their hospital tent in order,
though for some days no one was ill except their
quarter-master, who was very sick from overwork and
cold contracted in settling camp. He was kindly
cared for by the Matron of the Children's hospital and
soon recovered.
Vaccination has caused some illness, and colds and
earache have been prevalent. Our Society has furnished some necessaries, but any money expended for
this regiment will be refunded by their State, according to instructions from the Governor of Iowa.
In addition it is but just to state that the comfort
of these regiments has been greatly increased through
the kindly offices of the Matron of the Children's hospital. The nearness of the hospital to their camps
makes it possible for her to take broth and other delicacies to the men. To her kindness and good will all
the officers and men benefited testify most heartily.
Our visitor to Fontana hospital, where have been
located two batteries of Washington Artillery, began
her work on June 6th, and found plenty of occasion
to make the usual demands upon the Society, as they
had none of the comforts and very few of the necessaries, which even a regimental hospital is entitled to
have. Medicines in small quantities were furnished
until the supplies arrived from the government. At
present we are furnishing daily supplies of food suitable for the sick, milk, eggs, and bread, clam broth,
farina, etc., together with anything else it may take
the fancy of the surgeon to signify. Our visitor, Miss
Wallis, has made daily visits to this hospital and has
seen that all of the articles sent have been received
and properly disposed of.
One of the greatest needs of all the men, whether
sick or well, is an occasional supply of fresh vegetables, and the Society is endeavoring to give each regiment at least one treat of vegetables. If our generous-minded citizens could see the pleasure occasioned
the boys by a gift of a sufficient quantity of cabbages
or onions to furnish all a portion it might induce them
to enjoy a little of that branch of Red Cross work on
their own account. For the benefit of any so inclined,
I will state that it takes fifteen cabbages, or a sack of
onions, turnips, or carrots, for each company of one
hundred men, and cabbages can be had for forty cents
per dozen; carrots, sixty-five cents, and onions, ninety
cents per sack.
At the Division hospital, under charge of Surgeon
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