The Sun.
London, England, 1855-03-20 00:00:00

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that the Government stood in need of the assistance- of .f'
‘
every person in the country to procure e assietants for
oar military hospitals. He fully agiteeel 'Ailiat we shonld
exclude no means which the state kf,..lncciicat science
in • this country allowed, in ord - to enable the
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•
soldier to get well, and rejoin the ranks o Lis' regiment as
speedily as possible. He was not sorry that leeme delay had,
taken place in the hon. gentleman putting tlielie questionss
because, though he was prepared to answer them, so far ash.
had information when he first put them, still, since, the Go-
vernment were in possession of those reports from the com-
missioners sent out by the Duke of Newcastle and an abstract •
of the report from Smyrna which enabled him to speak with
more confidence on the subject. The hon. member began by
asking a question as to the hospital at Balaklava ; but before
he (Mr. Peel) touched upon that subject, he would say a word
as to the regimental hospitals in the camp before Sebastopol.
Even now the number of sick 1 and wounded there was very
great, and though the commissioners who had reported were
M the Crimea in the first three weeks of January—.a period in
which the cases were of a most malignant character, and he
believed much suffering had been endured there. The great
defect had been, not any deficiency in the number of medical -
men—for he believed no such deficiency existed—but the
great difficulty, he believed, had been in providing housing
for the sick soldiers. But now be believed wooden hospitals
had been provided for every regiment under Lord Raglan.
Passing to the general hospital at Balaklava, it had been no
doubt in a state of great confusion. He believed the chief
cause of the disorder which prevailed there, as well as at the
other hospitals, was overcrowding, and that arose, not only
from the number of the sick, but from its having been made
la sort of depot for the intermediate receptiox of those sick
soldiers who were sent from the camp, for whom no imme-
diate preparation had been made in the way of transport.
He had received a letter from Dr. Hall, who stated that a
new hospital was being erected near the Castle of Bala-
klava, in which he found eight huts nearly completed, and in
a. few days ho should be able to send 200 mon up there. The
hospital would comprise from 20 to 24 huts, and each would hol
about 20 patients. The next point to which he should refer was
the transport service, to bring down the sick from Balaklava to
Scutari. It was quite true, as the lion. member had stated
there had been, in many instances, very groat delay between
' the date of the first embarkation of the sick and the date of
the transport leaving the harbour at Balaklava. It was also
true that the orderlies were often very unfit for their duty,
and insufficient in numbers. However, five vessels had been
fitted up as hospital ships, and orderlies would remain on
-board, who would be qualified, and the run would be kept
up between Balaklava and Scutari exclusively. for the sick.
He believed all these delays arose from the want of small
boats for the purpose of plying between the shore and the
vessels. The ground for complaints, however, would be re-
moved, as measures had been taken by the Government. The
hon. member was perhaps aware of the different buildings dee
voted to the sick and wounded. There was the large hospital
at Constantinople—a building called the Sultan's Palace ; the
1 hospital at Scutari ; and two large vessels lying iu the Straits,
and used for convalescents. The gentleman employed by the
'Government had gone over all these and inspected them mi-
nutely, and no doubt a great improvement would take place ;
and the same gentleman had also made alterations with aview
of placing the purveyor's establishment on a better footing,
Means had been found to provide better accommodation for
the sick and wounded, for, as the warm weather came en,
the building must not be overcrowded. The Government
had employed Mr. Brunel to prepare huts to be sent out,
and in a few days some would be ready. • The whole would be
sufficient for 4,000 patients. It was intended to put these
wooden huts in the neighbourhood of Scutari, but whether
on the Scutari or Asiatic side, or on the European side, was
not decided. Mention had been made of the hospital at
Abydos, in which there were only 270 sick at present, and
of whom a favourable report had been made. No report
had been made of the position of the hospital, and there-
fore he could not say whether it would not be enlarged as
suggested. As to the hospital at Smyrna, his impression
was that the Government had selected a place in which no
unhealthiness attached, and no fevers prevailed. He be-
lieved the impression entertained by honourable members
was erroneous and unfounded. The hon. member then read
from several letters to show that the hospital was in a good
position. Mr. Moorhead, staff-surgeon, was sent there to
inspect and report upon the place, and his report was eer-
taiuly not unfavourable. The convalescents from wounds
recovered very rapidly, and (the situation of the hospital was
very healthy. Dr. M‘Leod, so late as the 3d of this month,
had also written favourably ; and it had been stated that the
building was ono of the most suitable for an hospital which
was to be found in the country. The number of sick in the
hospital was about 750, which was more than the building
could accommodate, and it was therefore proposed to obtain
permission from the Turkish Government for the loan of a
lazaretto, in which the sick could bo placed. In the organi-
sation -of this hospital the greatest credit was duo to Colonel
Powell, who had been sent there by Lord Raglan. He en-
tirely agreed with the hon, member that it was of the greatest
importance. that the soldiers who could not be restored at
Scutari, should be removed, and therefore the Government
had arranged for the fitting up of two steam-vessels which
would, when completed, and well provided with surgeons and.
orderlies, be sent out to bring home 4,000 sick and wounded
mon from Scutari. With regard to the army of Omer Pacha
at Eupatoria, the Government had sent out 20_ medical men,
under the charge of Mr. Buller. He trusted he had answered
the different questions which had been put to him. The
Government were very desirous to give the fullest information
upon every subject connected with the hospitals, and thire
would be no unwillingness on the part of the Government to
answer the questions of any hon. member. He considered
there were no persons who were more entitled to receive their
sympathy-, or the consideration of the Government, thati
those soldiers whose bodies had been mutilated and whose
constitutions had been impaired in the services which they
had rendered to their country.
Lord PALMERSTON—Sir, in addition to the points
mentioned by my hon. friend, I wish to make a statement
regarding some other points. Of course, it is incumbent on
the Government to take effectual measures for the recovery
and care and treatment of those brave and gallant mess-
-(hear)—who have either suffered in conflict with the ene-
my, or whose constitutions have been impaired by the ex-
posures incident to their service ; and I can assure you that
my noble friend at the head of the War Department feels it
one of the most incumbent duties which he has to perform.
Besides those measures to which my hon. friend has•veferred,
as has been already stated, I may say again, that not long
ago three distinguished civilians, men who had made it their
study to investigate all the circumstances connected with
sanitary arrangements, have been sent out to the Levant—l
mean Dr. Sutherland, Dr. Gavin, who was employed on a
similar service in the West Indies, and Mr. Rawlinson, civil
engineer, all gentlemen of the highest attainments with re-
gard to the matter to which their attention has been directed.
Their specific object is one of those matters to which I have
adverted, namely, the arrangements with regard to hospitals,
barracks, and transports, on which depends the question of
sickness or health. The purpose for which they went out
was to examine the hospitals in Scutari, Constantinople, and
Balaklava, and to suggest all measures which might be essen-
tial for placing these buildings in such a condition as to be as
healthy as consistent with the purposes to which they were
devoted. I wrote myself to Lord de Redcliffe, Lord Win.
Paulet, and Lord Raglan, recommending these gentlemen to
their particular attention, and suggesting that, whatever
improvements these gentlemen might point out as necessary
for the sick soldiers, should be carried into effect immediately,
without reference to professional jealousy—(hear)—or other
obstacles ; that whatever they recommended !should be forth.
with done- -whether it depended on communication with
the Turkish Government, or upon medical officers in the
service, that no impediments should be placed in the
way of such arrangements as these men should point
out as necessary. I cannot but hope that when these
very distinguished men have arrived at their station, and
have pointed out the improvements which they think neces-
sary, that great 'and rapid ameliorations will take place.
Colonel KNOX said that great injustice was done to ()leers
by the home medical beard, who judged of the seriousness of
the wound by the slowness of the 1 °cowry, so that men, to
his knowledge, who had been seriously wounded, but hap-
pened to have good constitutions, were rated very low,
whereas others wounded but slightly, and recovering slowly
in consequence of weak constitutions, received high sums.
He-hoped that would be remedied by the decision of the
board on the scene of action being taken as final. He hoped
also that compensation would be extended to the non-com-
missioned officers and men as well.
Capt. DUNCOMBE advised the construction of berths iu
the floating hospital fore and aft, and not as they were at
present, to his astonishment, athwart ships. He also said
that Smyrna, from his own experience, and that of others,
was much more healthy than it was reported in the English
prem. _ _

- Mr. PERCY, who spoke very low, was understood to com-
plain of the huts being erected within the hospital walls.
Mr. PEEL said the evil had been remedied at Scutari as
soon as it was known to Government,• and that at Smyrna
they were erected on a parade ground.
Mr. KINNAIRD asked whether it was the intention of
Government to increase the number of chaplains in the army,
Mr. PEEL said their number had bun increased, and the
subject was still under the consideration of the Government.