Moon Blind: James T. Slattery, 108th New York
From "History of the 108th NY Volunteers" by George Washburn:
JAMES T. SLATTERY, Company D.
UTICA, N. Y., April 21, 1890
I was born in Ireland in 1846, and when I was about one year old my parents came to this country and went direct to Utica, N. Y. I went to the public schools till the age of seventeen, and in July, 1862, while in Rochester, N. Y., I enlisted as a private in Company D, 108th Regiment New York Volunteers (Captain J. George Cramer's company); left with the regiment and was in the battles of Antietam, Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville; at the last battle was taken moon blind
* (and it has been difficult for me to see ever since); I was sent to Washington, D. C., and there placed in a hospital; after remaining a short time there I was examined and transferred to the 22d Regiment Veteran Reserve Corps; in 1864 I was given a ten day furlough to come home, and after my furlough had expired and on my way back to join the Veteran Corps, I was taken sick with typhoid pneumonia at Baltimore, and they placed me in the hospital; I was there about three months when they sent me home to Utica, N. Y., again; in the meantime I never received my discharge from the Veteran Reserve Corps; when I arrived home I went to St. Elizabeth Hospital at Utica, N. Y.; was there about one year; my eyes got a little better; then I went home; shortly after they grew worse; I then went to Boston, Mass., and while there procured an article that helped them; came back to Utica, N. Y., and have from time to time doctored with Drs. Hutchinson and West, two reputable physicians in this city, but my eyes do not seem to improve. I am trying for a pension. My occupation is that of a laborer, and when I am able and there is any work to be had I follow that occupation. I enclose a photograph at your request.Your friend and comrade,
JAMES T. SLATTERY
Late Company D, 108th New York Volunteers
* - Note: In response to an inquiry regarding Moon Blindness, Terry Reimer of the National Museum of Civil War Medicine responded:
There could be a couple of different explanations for the soldier’s use of the term "moon blind." There is indeed a disease colloquially known as moon blindness, but it only occurs in horses. The official names of the disease are periodic opthalmia and equine recurrent uveitis. It is characterized by a recurrent inflammation of a horses eyes which causes periods of blindness, and it often progresses to permanent blindness. There is no indication that humans get this disease.
The second, and possibly more likely, explanation is that he used the term "moon blind" to refer to night blindness. Night blindness, or nyctalopia, was common during the Civil War. The main cause for night blindness was scurvy, but it was also caused by notable exposure to direct or reflected sunlight and extreme sun glare. Soldiers could see perfectly in the light but were rendered nearly blind when darkness fell. If caused by scurvy, the night blindness disappeared once the disease was treated. Scorbutus is another word for scurvy. Scurvy was a common condition afflicting Civil War soldiers. It is caused by a deficiency in Vitamin C, and was characterized by weakness, debility, anemia, spongy gums, night blindness and edema.
Both armies knew that fresh vegetables was the best preventative for scurvy, with potatoes and onions topping the list of preferred vegetables. Potatoes and onions both contain adequate vitamin C, when fresh, to combat the disease. Surgeons of the time understood that bad diet was the main cause of scurvy, even though vitamins were not known. Dried vegetables were often substituted for fresh vegetables depending on the circumstances, but the soldiers did not like the dried variety and the drying rendered the vegetables useless against scurvy. A ration of vinegar was also given to each soldier to help prevent the disease. We now know that vinegar is relatively low in Vitamin C and therefore did little to protect the men. Lemon juice or limes were used as a treatment rather than a preventative– they were often ordered after scurvy had appeared in a group of soldiers, and were often used in the hospitals.
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Steve Slattery of Saratoga Springs, NY is the great-great-grandson of James Slattery. |