SD: Wounds and Diseases

WOUNDS AND DISEASES

The war is over, but the hospitals are fuller than ever, from former and current cases. A large majority of the wounds are in the arms and legs. But there is every kind of wound, in every part of the body. I should say of the sick, from my observation, that the prevailing maladies are typhoid fever and the camp fevers generally, diarrhoea, catarrhal affections and bronchitis, rheumatism and pneumonia. These forms of sickness lead; all the rest follow. There are twice as many sick as there are wounded. The deaths range from seven to ten per cent. of those under treatment.

Whitman points out in this entry that the casualties of war, those who are dying because of the war are not dying from wounds as much as they are dying from diseases that are often result from war. It is ironic that the armies are killing themselves faster than they can kill each other.

Death is occasionally mentioned in "Song of Myself".

Has any one supposed it lucky to be born?

I hasten to inform him or her it is just as lucky to die, and I know it.

I pass death with the dying...

With the agony and suffering of hanging on to the thin strings of life, it is not surprise that Whitman believes death to be just as lucky as being born. Life, although beautiful and wonderful, is also full of suffering and pain. There are, of course, many more instances of death from battle or from sickness that crops up in "Song of Myself", too many to mention here. However, Whitman is sympathetic towards those who are wounded: "Agonies are one of my changes of garments;/ I do not ask the wounded person how he feels.... I myself become the wounded person" (27). Whitman wants to avoid all this meaningless death and suffering.

Another important stanza on how Whitman views death:

Were mankind murderous or jealous upon you my brother or my sister?

I am sorry for you....they are not murderous or jealous upon me;

All has been gentle with me......I keep no account with lamentation;

What have I to do with lamentation?

Here Whitman is preaching against lamentation. He denies that mankind has treated him unkindly. If they had, he has probably already forgiven them since he "keep[s] no account with lamentation". To not dwell on the wrongs others have committed you is the best way to keep yourself from committing wrongs upon others.