Our own Dr. John Cameron, a history professor, and writer highlighted the horrors of disease in part two of his Civil War talk based on research for his nonfiction book "Tarheels in Gray: Life in the 30th North Carolina Infantry in the Civil War" published in 2021. Debuting soon is his novel "The Roads of War" about a North Carolina regiment and family. 

John shared that disease took a bigger toll on Civil War soldiers than combat. The North Carolina regiment had 1,506 soldiers serve between 1861 and 1865. Records list 689 casualties with disease killing 349 soldiers, combat killing 215, and 125 soldiers discharged for bad health. John believes the disease to death ratio held true for both Union and Confederate forces. While combat deaths dropped by 1863, disease deaths and discharges for ill-health raged on throughout the war.

Most North Carolina soldiers hailed from isolated rural areas so they joined their regiment with no herd immunity against disease. Group living spread typhoid, pneumonia, dysentery, and smallpox. Doctors had no clue as to what caused diseases that are easily treated today. They had little regard for sanitary conditions, including washing hands before treating patients.

Crowded and unsanitary hospitals bred disease, and treatments like mustard plasters were useless. Whiskey was the main way to dull soldiers' pain along with chloroform for leg and arm amputations. 

The book "Inklings" will be donated to St. Helena Elementary School in John's honor.

The Meeting

• We learned that Vice President Laurie Harrison's mother passed away and send condolences. We were pleased to hear that Colin McKinnon's daughter, Kris who was hit by a drunk driver while walking about a year ago, is using a trackpad and following dexterity exercises.
• Guests were Past District Governor Bill Pollard from the Churchland Rotary Club, Jim Tucker (Jeff Wells' guest), and Jeff Ryder, Virginia Stage Company managing director. 
• Chris Bugg, Suds & Buds chair, talked about our May 19 party and how Rotarians can help. Please donate a bottle of wine worth at least $20 for the wine pull, buy tickets, invite guests, and plan to volunteer. Lisa Chandler and Lorna Cochrane are handling volunteer registration.
• President Michael Desplaines reminded Rotarians that everyone should serve on at least one club committee and that committees need more active participants -- especially the House committee that sets up for meetings.
• Michael read the surprise letter he got from the Rotary Club of Bentleigh Moorabbin Central in Australia. In a sign of global friendship, the club singled out the Rotary Club of Norfolk and saluted it with a toast. The Australian club sent its club banner and best wishes for our club's continued success. 
• Our club also received two banners from Rotary International for meeting Every Rotarian Every Year (EREY) goals for donating to the Rotary Foundation and for the average size of our gifts.
• Rotarian of the Day was Michelle Nettles, president of MJN & Associates Interiors. The Virginia Tech graduate started as a science teacher before earning her degree in interior design from the University of Georgia. She has won multiple awards for her interior designs for Homearama houses and St. Jude's Dream Home. 

Fines and Happy Bucks

• New member Laura Beth DeHority was happy to receive her Paul Harris pin even though it was mailed to her former club in San Jose. 
• Barbara Lipskis appreciated the kindness shown by so many after the death of her sister. Good news: life has gone full circle with the birth of her 10th grandchild -- a boy who lives in Norfolk. 
• Chris Bugg was happy to be at the meeting and glad Bill Pollard, who introduced him to Rotary, is at the meeting. 
• Jeff Wells was happy to have a speaker from the Virginia Port Authority just confirmed for next week.
• Marty Raiss celebrated a great trip to New York City with her daughter and three grandchildren. 
• Bill Pollard was happy to be at our club meeting after a 2 1/2 year absence.