The Press.
London, England, 1855-03-24 00:00:00

278

between all the departments connected with the ad-
ministration of the medical department of the army
produced on the part of every person of the depart-
ment timidity and hesitation, that led to bad results.
There were two vessels laden with medical stores sent
from Yarns to Bidaklava, and he was surprised to hear
there should be any want of medicines and medical com-
forts either in the camp, or the hospital at Baliiklava ; lat-
terly, within the last three months, regular supplies of
medicines and medical stores and comforts were supplied
by regular vessels. He recommended the furnishing of
commodious steamers for the conveyance of the sick and
wounded as hospital ships properly fitted up, but it was
not done until some time after he suggested it. He did
not think that on the war breaking out there was a suffi•
&tent staff of medical officers in the medical department of
the army. The ages of some of the medical staff varied
from fifty to sixty-two, and there was one purveyor of se-
venty. He could not express how onerous his duties had
been since the war had broken out. Previously where he
worked eight hours he now worked fourteen. The perpe•
trial reference of representations and matters from one au-
thority to another interfered most seriously with the
efficient performance of the duties of his department.. He
would rather be placed under the control of one single
responsible power, the Minister at War, exclusively, which
would enable him to execute his duties at one half the
labour, and with tar greater satisfaction to the public.
Matters would receive immediate attention, and decisions
would be given without delay, and without reference to
multitudinous departments. The public would know on
whose shoulders the blame lay, and this would be a piece
of good luck for the doctors. (Laughter.) He never ad-
hered to official routine when he had to do a duty, but as
soon as he heard of the great want of things he urged an
immediate supply. The cost of medical comforts up to
the pr. sent time was 30,0001. The want of medicines and
supplies far the hospital was attributable in a great degree
to the inefficiency of the transport service and purveyor.
Some of the officers in the hospital at Scutari were, he be-
lieved, censured. He said most decidedly, and was prepared
to prove, that no medical officer or any of the staff was to
blame, and he was bound, from the communications he re-
ceived, to consider that there was a sufficiency all the time
of medical comforts and appliances. Remonstrances were
made to the transport. department, over and over again, on
the deficiencies in their serviee. Be had made represen-
tations to the Duke of Newcastle and Mr. Sidney Herbert
in conversation, and to the heads of the department at the
Ordnance, and the manager of the store department at the
Tower, but he did not, know what representations were
made to the Admiralty, and if he wanted to address the Ad-
miralty, he must do it through the commander-in-chief.
When the representations appeared in the papers, he, with
the concurrence of the Duke of Newcastle, sent out a
medical commission consisting of Dr. Cumming and two
other gentlemen, one a barrister, to inquire into these
matters. The commission left at the end of October, and
they had reported to the War Department. Their report
was being printed. The commission had no power of re-
moving or censuring, but only power to report to the corn-
minder-in-chief. He considered himself in no way re-
sponsible for the failure or success of the hospital at
Scutari, and asked Mr. Sidney Herbert's permission to
throw off all responsibility with reference to the hospital,
although he was the head of the medical department, and
responsible to the public for its efficiency and management.
The answer he received from Mr. Sidney Herbert dis-
charged him at his judgment from all responsibility con-
cerning the hospital at, Scutari. It had been stated that
the ambulances were very inconvenient, but he had it from
a general officer, Colonel Torrens, who was one of the first
conveyed in them from Inkermann or Balaklava, that he
was astonished how comfortable they were—so far as com-
fort could accrue to a person in his position. Most of them
were narrow, but to put a wounded man in a wide space
where he could roll about would be to kill him. (Laughter.)
The only objection to them was their weight, about fourteen
cwt., the weight of an ordinary omnit us. He understood
from Dr. Hal, that the ambulances did their work admira-
bly, and were excellent, with the exception of their weight.
About forty litters were now going out, and sixty carts,
together with a hundred pairs of litters and a hundred pairs
of chairs, which latter were sent out two months ago. There
were plenty of disinfecting agents sent out of every descrip-
tion, such as chloride of lime, zinc, and soda. They were
sent in immense quantities.

Mr. LAYARD : What became of them ?
Dr. SMITS supposed they were used in the hospitals.
Charcoal, as a deodorising agent, was also sent out in
large quantities. He wrote to the military secretary on
the 28th April, 1854, suggesting that winter clothing
should be provided for the troops in the Crimea ; and the
result was, that a month or so afterwards fur caps, fur
coats, pea jackets of all descriptions lined with flannel,
trousers of all kinds, long boots coming up above the
knees, comforters, and masks for the face, were made ;
in fact, everything that human beings could devise in the
shape of winter clothing. He presumed that those things
were sent out to the Crimea, but he did not know it of his
own knowledge. Besides the winter clothing which was
lost with the Prince, a large supply of similar articles went
away from this country for the Crimea in August last. He
was acquainted with the amalgamation of departments
which had recently taken place at the War-office. That
made only one less superior over his (witness's) depart-
ment than there was before that change. He still ad-
dressed what letters he had to write to the War-office on
civil, financial, or purely medical subjects connected with
his department, to different officers, but those officers were
all presided over by Lord Panmure.
By Colonel LINDSAY.—Prior to the war the cost to the
Government of the whole army of 120,000 men for medi•
vines, instruments, and surgical appliances, was 9,0001.
a year: and for the last twelve months, since the war
oommenaed, it has cost the Government 40,0u01. for those
things: