Arkansas true Democrat., 1862-04-24
Cur Hospitals.

r (Some six or efght of the largest buidingsin the city are fitted up as temporary hospitals for the sick and wounded. A number have been sent to Pine Bluff, and we are satisfied that the good peo pie of that city will give them everycare and kind ness. Ddr. George Broais, of this county, takes l3 down to his house, and his neighbors, with like liberaty, have opened their houses. 'The conva- lescents and wounded men, who do not need the regular attendance of physician, will go there, where, with fresh air and generous country diet, they will soon be restored to health.
 Last week noticing an article from an Ala bama paper, we added some strictures which appear to have given offence Indeed, the. surgeon i'll chief thinks that we were unjust and that our ar ticle was calculated to make the friends of the sick uneasy. Our object was to call attention to what was patent to everybody and the theme of- conver- sation among all classes. That men'very sick and who died in a day or two after, were brought to the hospitals, and laid down anywhere, until ar ranpements were made to accommodate them, IS undeniably true. Some allowance must be made iot the fact that no previous notice had been given of the patients to be sent and that IS soon as room could be made they were attended to- Without any intention to blame any particular person or officer, we thought then, and still think, an ener- getic man, with administrative ability could have organized d system in the course of twenty.lour hours that would rcmedied the evils of which so many complained The weather has been unusu- ally wet and cold and many of the poor fellaws had to drag their feeble limbs from the steamboat and- inc to the state house or to other hospitals, and there wait for hours, until beds prepared. It appeared to us that room, with fire in 1t, might have been fitted up, where some soup or warm food could have been kept on hand and the sick men kept until places in the hospital wards were secur- ed. It is no small matter, We aware, to fit up hospitals for over thousand sick men, where everything has to be procured in the shape of bes bedding, cooking utensils, etc. The sick men are impatient, and the surgeons have much to contend with All this must be borne in mind, but man of energy and system like Geo. ". Clarke, if he took the matter in hand, could soon reduce things to order and see that every subordinate did his full duty.
 The ladies of the city, very generally, promptly visited the hospitals carrying food, pillows, lnatrassee, etc. Some of this kindness, however well meant, was mistaken, as it is not always pro per for patient to eat, and diet is an important part of the medical regimen. The ladies have provided for a certain number to visit each hos pta, each day, and to prepare suitable food under the directions of the physicians and stewards.- The accommodations for the patients are ebeing i'm proved and system is taking the place of disorder We have some excellent physicians ngthe geons sent here, and if those in charge of the diff ferent hospitals, and the director in chief espe- cially will visit the wards often, insist upon clean Illness and good nursing, with especial attention to the cooking the sick men will do well.
 Each hospital needs some negroes to work there every day. Those having servants who spare one, a day in each week, would be doing kind ness to send them. Scrubbng and securing may be of doubtful utility in sick room, damp floors are to be avoided, but there are other points of cleanliness to be attended to. Who among our citizens will attend to this and sec that every ward has a negro each day to wait on the sick?- Dr. Mcdowell, who had charge of the Missouri sick at the Theatre building besides being a.skil ful man was one Of order and system. He has been transferred, we understand, to the Arsenal. The sick soldiers under his charge doing finely. would be glad to hear from them, and if list is furnished to us, we will take pleasure in publish ing it.