The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1862-03-13

We have been handed the following interest
ing letter from young man in the Hospital at
Alexandria, to his friends at this place. The
letter gives an insight into the management of
the Hospital at Alexandria,
GENERAL HOSPITAL. Alexandria, Va,
February %, 1862. !
Dear Uncts:-
Your kind letter Of Jan, 26th came to me in
due time Il K Ihave been sick
nearly FIVE months but am bound to stick to it
while longer | was sent to the hospital with
the Typhoid Fever, and came near never get
ting over that. Then had a severe attack Of
Diphtheria which kept me down good WHILE
then Jaundice took hold Of me, and as that went
off my eyes became sore and are not well yet.
am nov engaged in the Office here in the gen.
eral hospital and think l shall stay some time.
You may have seen in
the papers something about the abuses suffer
ed by the patients in these Hospitals An in
vestigation of the affairs of the hospitals is be.
ing held. 1t has been in session about two
weeks and seems likely to DO as much longer in
performing their duties.
think the Surgeon, s. B. PORTER, of the
U. s. Army, will DO exhonerated from all blame.
There is some prospect for the Steward to have
good time OF it though, as he is under arrest
now and will probably be tried by Court Mar
tial.
] am aware that two or three articles have
appeared in the papers censuing the custom of
employment offemale nurses in these hospitals
l am convinced that these articles have been
written to injurs these women for some ones else
benefit These ladies who have left home and
friends to come here aud nurse tn sick soldiers
are not hard hearted enough and not enough
imbued with the importance of making money
out of sick soldiers to suit some men. They
are too much inclined to do all they can for the
comfort of.the men in their charge regardless Of
money making. The fact is, many a man in
the American Volunteer Army owes his life
more to the kind care and careful nursing be-
slowed upon him by these women than to the
drugs administered by the surgeon Many a
man is indebted to these nurses for little deli
cacies which are as necessary as medicine and
which they would not receive from the hands
of the regular cooks. l know somethiny about
it for Ishave been sick here and have seen
more than one mealtime when I would set aside
the dry bread and black coffee sent me from
the cook room with disgust and would have
gone hungry but for the kindness Of nay nurse
Yet it was under Surgeon Porter's rule that
upra Al, ~,
could obtain anything for the sick Before
these arrangements were made any nurse who
would venture into the kitchen for so little
thing as a cup of tea for some sick man who
ioathed coffee, would meet only denial and an
suit from the gallant soldier cooks
Under Surgeon Porter's rule the arrapos-
ments have been different. kitchen has be en-
prepared exclusively for the ladies and they are
allowed to draw their rations separately, and
from their rations many sick man gets such
food as sick men desire, and such SO a thought
full and skillful woman knows how to prepare
Yet these same nurses aie accused of loading
their tables with delicaoies sent here for the
sick. Never having been in the ladies' dining
room | cannot say the statement is false but |
can say that | think it originated in the brain
Of some base man who was angry that the hos
Dital did not furnish him any chance to make
something out of the patients because there
are too many true hearted women to see how
matters were managed I am glad to see the |
investigation because I believe abuses have |
been suffered, but have not the slightest idea |
that any blame rests upon Surgeon Porter or |
IN the nurses employed.
Washington's birthday was duly celebrated
With the presentation OF flags, speech making,
giving dinners, &c. sc.
hope to see you ali again soon, as think
he war viii close in few months Hoping to
lear from you soon I remain
Yours Sincerely. AT I