Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1862-01-08
Military Hospitals

letter from Major Hall, of the 2Ith Reg
O. V, to a lady of this place. His de
scription of the state of things i'll the hos
pitals, should awaken the public to a sens
of the need Of reform in that department
When the health and the lives of 50 many
of our own citizens, friends and relatives
to say nothing of the needless discomfor
and suffering undergone, arc at stake, it i
time that the matter was looked to. In
stead of taking the LATEST. most inefficicn
men in the regiment, and employing then
in the hospital, competent, faithful female
nurses should be employed. and fair salas
ry paid to them. What kind of remuner.
alton is twenty-five cents per day, to Offer
to woman for performing through long
days and sleepless nights, labor the most
repulsive, incessant, and severe? If the
Government, which wastes millions to fill
the OverfCwing pockets of army contract
OTIS, sWindling politicians, and the higher
officers of the army. cannot afford to the
sick and wounded soldiers. care and at
tendance half as good as Is giv-u to The
poorest pauper in the county poor house
surely it is tine tbat the people here, at
home. who have sent husbands. brothers
and soDs to the field, should send after
them nurses who can and will, if they have
the opportunity, care for them tenderly,
soothe their pain and save many u life.
The letter of Major Hall is dated at
Camp WicklifFe. near New Haven, Kys
Dec 22d. He says:
regret that you cannot make 1t posi-
bic to give your services to the Soldiers
Hospilal. God knows that Department
is everywhere most sorely in need Of such
hands and such kindnesses There is great
blindness somewherc-men arc detailed as
Hospital nurses who know nothing Of its
duties. and feel nothing of its fearful Tc-
sponsibilitics Every Hospital should have
a full corps of female nurses, educated to
its duties and with souls devoted to its high
trust. Were it SO, dear friend, many q
hearthstone would be gladdened by re-
covery, instead of shrouded in sorrow over
the untimely death of loved one. Pub
lish it not in Askelon, and tell it not in
Gath" but such is the truth eternal. /
know from your letters that you fully feel
the force of this fact and it is therefore in
to your keeping confde the sorroSing Sc
cret. keep my men from the Hospital.
Cts gloom alone is enough to kill and
doctor and cheer them, by my own effort,
There is not Post Hospital in all this
Department with suitable female assistance.
and there is not one but ! would shun as
the gates Of death. How all this might
be changed! Millions are spent on "Regi-
mental Bands" but no suitable comrensa-
ton to female nurse, to save life. What
a benefit would Congress bestow if it would
abolish this ,..costly wind and pay cOmpe-
tent females to overhaul these"dead houses"
and make them Hospitals"
The people at home should press this
matter at once upon Congress, and pray
that Honorable Body to let the negro alone
until sick and dying patriots arc better
cared for. You are already fully aroused
to this matter, and | know that in address
ing you my deepest feelings meet warm
response in your heart, but there are those
who have no adequate idea of the vital im-
portanee of the subject The people at
nome must move in the matter, the soldier
is in the field and must take what the peO-
pie through Congress order. though it be
sickness, sorrow, pain and death. In a
single week the whole gloom of the Hos
pital could be abolished. he Pay Of a
competent female nurse, p cents per toy,
nv God. what barbarism is that i? The pay
should be the full pay, at least, of an As
sistant Surgeon. Trumbull county has
now not less than 500 men In this Depart
ment, with medical headquarters at Louis
VILE and tie County should Immediately
sec that some one is fully compensated to
superintcnd the Post Hospital nursing of
her OVID SICK. 1t would now be worth all
her other gifts to the soldiers, muniftient
as they may have been.