ThelargenumberofmenconfinedwithintheStockadesoon,underadefectivesystemofpolice,andwithimperfectarrangements,coveredthesurfaceofthelowgroundswithexcrements。Thesinksoverthelowerportionsofthestreamwereimperfectintheirplanandstructure,andtheexcrementswereinlargemeasuredepositedsonearthebordersofthestreamasnottobewashedaway,orelseaccumulateduponthelowboggyground。Thevolumeofwaterwasnotsufficienttowashawaythefeces,andtheyaccumulatedinsuchquantitiesinthelowerportionofthestreamastoformamassofliquidexcrementheavyrainscausedthewaterofthestreamtorise,andasthearrangementsforthepassageoftheincreasedamountsofwateroutoftheStockadewereinsufficient,theliquidfecesoverflowedthelowgroundsandcoveredthemseveralinches,afterthesubsidenceofthewaters。Theactionofthesunuponthisputrefyingmassofexcrementsandfragmentsofbreadandmeatandbonesexcitedmostrapidfermentationanddevelopedahorriblestench。
Improvementswereprojectedfortheremovalofthefilthandforthepreventionofitsaccumulation,buttheywereonlypartiallyandimperfectlycarriedout。Astheforcesoftheprisonerswerereducedbyconfinement,wantofexercise,improperdiet,andbyscurvy,diarrhea,anddysentery,theywereunabletoevacuatetheirbowelswithinthestreamoralongitsbanks,andtheexcrementsweredepositedattheverydoorsoftheirtents。Thevastmajorityappearedtoloseallrepulsiontofilth,andbothsickandwelldisregardedallthelawsofhygieneandpersonalcleanliness。Theaccommodationsforthesickwereimperfectandinsufficient。Fromtheorganizationoftheprison,February24,1864,toMay22,thesickweretreatedwithintheStockade。InthecrowdedconditionoftheStockade,andwiththetentsandhutsclusteredthicklyaroundthehospital,itwasimpossibletosecureproperventilationortomaintainthenecessarypolice。TheFederalprisonersalsomadefrequentforaysuponthehospitalstoresandcarriedoffthefoodandclothingofthesick。Thehospitalwas,onthe22dofMay,removedtoitspresentsitewithouttheStockade,andfiveacresofgroundcoveredwithoaksandpinesappropriatedtotheuseofthesick。
Thesupplyofmedicalofficershasbeeninsufficientfromthefoundationoftheprison。
ThenursesandattendantsuponthesickhavebeenmostgenerallyFederalprisoners,whointoomanycasesappeartohavebeendevoidofmoralprinciple,andwhonotonlyneglectedtheirduties,butwerealsoengagedinextensiverobbingofthesick。
FromthewantofproperpoliceandhygienicregulationsaloneitisnotwonderfulthatfromFebruary24toSeptember21,1864,ninethousandfourhundredandseventy—ninedeaths,nearlyone—thirdtheentirenumberofprisoners,shouldhavebeenrecorded。IfoundtheStockadeandhospitalinthefollowingconditionduringmypathologicalinvestigations,institutedinthemonthofSeptember,1864: