, 1863-03-09
THE HOSPITALS OF MEM
Pills.


Of Memph16-tts filth and crime, its haunts of
vice and sinks Of iniquity-have doubted If it
really deserved its name Memphis, the
"abode Of the good" But, am sure, Just
now, to our sick and suffering soldiers-those
whose frames are enfeebled by the malarious
exhalaaions from Southern swamps, and whose
constitutions are destroyed by the fatigues
and exposures Incident to soldiers Hfe-it
appears the very gate Of Heaven. Nor arc an
gels wanted here-angcls Of mercy-who sur
round the bedside Of the suffering one with
some Of the comforts of home, and by their
kindness and attention render smooth the
rugged pathway to the tomb, md induce many
deepairiug one to hopefully look for health
and happiness.
The sick Of the army Of the Southwest,
now at Helena, Lake Providence and Young's
Point, are being landed here instead of Cairo
and st. Louis, us heretofore. Three days
confinement on board Of close hospital steam
ere, and 400 miles Of navigation, is enough,
in Ill conscience, for the feeble ones, and 1
look for a large decrease in the per ccntase of
deaths, now that this needed reform is inau-
gurated.
1propose, in this letter, to give you brief
statement Of the condition Of thescvera1 hos
pital establishments in Memphis, with such
suggestions as to theiz better working as ap-
pears to me to be necessary. It is subject
In which all are interested. 1 beg to say that
am animated by the best Of motives in what
dulge. There are six general hospitals In
Memphis, giving medical care, nursing and
food to more than 5000 sick and wounded
soldiers.
TEE OvERToN.
The ssOyerton" Hospital is located on Main
street, in the Oyerton Hotel Company's bull
ding. It is Q magnificent structure, and capa-
Bile of accommodating, where its capacities
arc fairly tested, over twelve hundred pa
tients. This WAS the one first established.
The rebellion found here hinge hotel, neatly
furnished and finished, and strangled It ut the
moment Of its birth. It did not, however,
entered Memphis, they naturally took possess
sion, and now the money Of desperate trai-
| tor furnishes shelter and medical care for nine
hundred Union soldiers.
The "Oye1ton'' is ut present under the
| charge Of Dr.. Jackson, Assistant Surgeon of
the f7th Wisconsin regiment. Dr. jackson is
| personally gentleman Of some suayity Of
! manner, and possesses great. at.cnergy, but some
how be lacks the Judgment to turn these good
qualities to account. He has zeal, without
| the practical or scientific knowledge to make
| is overtasking his ability, and the good Of the
service certainly requires that he be trans
ferred to less responsible position.
| The rooms arc neat1y fitted up and supplied
with proper hospital appliances, but the sew
eroge and drainage Of the building is lament
ably deficient.
The effect now, at this early season, of the
wait Of proper and clcan1y water closets Is
plainly discernable in the contamination Of
the atmosphere Of the entire building. Il
| $1,$c 1&r< ~ 1fnA In Hrnr
ton" on the approach Of the hot summer,
will become the breeding place Of death.
There are other matters connected with it's
sanitary and internal arrangements which
should be placed under the charge Of an in
telljgent, conscientious physician, to the end
| tended the deccase of q promising officer Of
one Of our Chicago regiments shall again
| occur.
call the attention Of the Medical Director
Of Ibis Departments to this subject. Men and
! soldiers are not go numerous that We can af-
ford to uselessly lose them, if certain doctor
did most unnecessarily and inhumanly say,
s'Lc+ them die! 1t costs the Government less
to bury, than to cure them!"
The "sisters OF the Holy Cross" have charge
ministers Of mercy, in their kindness and un.
selfish beneyolencc, they eycr are.
TIE ADAMS HOSPITAL,
The Adams Block is the largest hospital in
Memphis. It now contains Loo patients
Just us this immense block Of stores, Elk sto
ries high, was finished. the rebellion was In
augurated. This sent the the tenants Dixie
ready constructed, and only wanting the cut
ting Of doors between the apartments to rem
der it complete. The wards arc high, tht
rooms are airy and well rintilated, and thers
is well organized corps Of female nurses II
sson Snsant o otfaanfs p 18Th P a0,5 As5an
has charge of this hospital, and be l,a'
succeeded in making it one Of tue yer,
| best. in the city. He has integrity, cnerg,
aud ability. It occurred to me he lacked tact
that xnariter n xaodo which In the discharg
Of the Duties Of his responsible position, Is q
necessary to success as that more common
.fnteler in re. If there could be a better OF
ganized kitchen department, 1t would tell Il
; the more Tapid couSalescence of the patients
II JEFFERSON HOSPITAL
The jefferson Block is also an imtncns
, block Of stores on Second street. It nov
q thousand more. This hospital has bee
from the first deeI, and damnfng disgrace t
= the Government. When Gen. Sherman IS arm
:: left Memphis for Vicksburg, the sick wer
almost literally thrown in, without cots, foo
? foor two days, without even drink of waite,
l for the lack OF cup to bring It in. Men die
; on the spot where they were first laid. Wha
I mattcrcd it to those who were seeking glor
4 at the cannon's mouth In front Of Vicksburg
high carnival there. I am not sure that man
Eoor soldier did not gladly welcome deaf
e and the prospect of release from this seethinf
: fostering house Of corruption. Here Was, an
{ is, a magnificent building, with large, air
t and well ventilated rooms, and capable Of b'
d ing equal in all respects to the Adams.
: The Government pours down the Missf
G sippi immense quantities Of everything ing
nuitv can suggest for the comfort and suppol
:; Of the sick Of her armies; it crowds the Wha
It boat and warehouses here to repletion, Wit
IS articles imperatiyely needed, and yet the flt1
&c tho confusion, the sickness and death col
: time, and increase fearfullgy. There Is
!. dreadful responsibility resting upon the me
! lca! an!-nnorities for permitting this state
g things to continue. One Dr.. Bartolpt, Of Il
! - regiment, has "cha1ge" Of this "hosI
Vt THE FOUNDRY.
= An old foundry building near the navy ia
4 furnishes an opportunii; for another misn
=. -, mer We cali it. "hospitai." 1t vas fir
:, appropriated fora conralcscent hospital, b
Il the impossibility Of adequately heating 1t, NJ
+ its low, damp location, have satisflctori
" demonstrated that it was merely q restit
place, and ordinarily a very brief one, on Il
road from the hospital to the grave!
IS 1t has now but 800 patients, and will ve
soon be entirely abandoned for more cong
le n1al uses. ! did not learn the name Of L
,e medical officer in charge. Whoever be IL, ]
-" is not responsible for its improper location.
THE YAzoRo uosp1TAL.
- This hospital, located on Maine street, o
positc the Yazoro Hotel, has just been fit,
r up for the reception Of the sick from the e
a- pcditions downthc river. twill comfortab
accommodate 200 patients, and has been q
ranged under the exclusive superintendent
r Of Mrs. Bickerdikc, Of the Sanitary Conlmj
i'd sion. 1t Is, in all respects model iastft
~ tion, the warming apparatus, the cooking a
~ pliances, beds and bedding, md indeed ever
H. thing connected with It, are perfect. Il
Of possible to have every large hospital in the
b. large Western towns as comfortable and COZ
h plete as this one, and they would be so If th
- moet admirable and efficient woman con
e. multiply herself indefinitely.
# oFF1CER'R HOSPITAL.
IL This is designed for the treatment Of office
10 tentimes sadly at varicnec with truth, an Of
u and the Government does not therefore pr
Is vide them with the neccssaries and luxuries
gives the private soldier. In this army, pa
~ and many officers conc TO Memphis from the
j. commands, broken down In health, d1spirit.
N and out of money. They 60 to the officer
IN hospital for treatment Government furnish
~ them medicines but nothing more The Pre-;
d. dent Of the Sanitary Commission called at d
!" hospital day OF two ago, and found the sic
~ destitute Of cots, and many of them witho1
- blankets. These obvious wants were sof
AA | srrY1ie1 nd 4tat+o