68 Ten Years of ray Life. 



wounded soldiers, and although it was difficult to find as many 

 competent surgeons as were' wanted for the array, amountiiig 

 to nearly a million of men, scattered over a space as extensive 

 as Europe ; though experience was wanting in the comraenc':'- 

 ment, the practical sense of the Americans, and the utter dis- 

 regard of expenses in this respect, conquered all difficulties in 

 such a manner, that their sanitary arrangements became noted 

 throughout the world, and foreign nations sent competent men 

 to study them. 



During the late French war I was exclusively occupied with 

 this branch, of which I shall have to speak more amply in its 

 place. I am, therefore, well enabled to make comparisons, 

 and to judge what is practical or not. 



In comparing the sanitary arrangements in Germany and in 

 America, one must not forget that Germany is not larger than 

 many an American State ; that the whole United States have 

 not more inhabitants than Germany, and that scarcely half of 

 them were on the side of the Union. It must further betaken 

 into consideration, that in German}^ and in France tovvns and 

 , villages are close together, whilst they are very few and far 

 between in those States which were the principal seat of the 

 American war. Great and admirable as were the noble efforts 

 of the German nation in behalf of their soldiers, the Ameri- 

 cans had the great advantage over them of being far wealthier, 

 and that they without difficulty could raise sums which could 

 ■ never be brought together in Germany. The Germans made 

 up this disadvantage as well as they were able to do by their 

 personal exertions, of which there was far less in America, not 

 for want of enthusiasm or self sacrificing desires, but tor rea- 

 sons caused by local circumstances already mentioned before, 

 and besides by some American peculiarities. 



In the French war an immense number of ladies were em- 

 ployed in the charitable work of nursing the sick and wounded 

 in the field, and their self-sacrificing endeavours cannot be ap- 

 preciated and praised sufficiently. Their assistance would have 

 been all the more desirable in America, as all able-bodied men 

 were required for active service. Ladies were, however, not 

 permitted to attend the wounded on the field, cj.ad I think that 

 this measure was wise and considerate, as they would have 

 been exposed to hardships beyond their strength. 



The convenience of ladies' assistance in hospitals has been 



