The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1864-08-19
How the Day Goes In Hospital.

The business of the day begins at
five o'clock. At that hour the nurses
busy themselves in cleaning the spit
toons, washing the faces and arms of
the patients, sweeping out the wards,
and making everything tidy. Mean
while the dressers are at work, cleans
ing and bandaging the wounds, caus-
ing intense pain by the necessary prob
ings, pressures, plasterings, etc, and a
great deal of comfort by their general
ly cheerful reports, to the patients, of
the improvements perceptible. If they
do not always tell the truth, they are
pardonable, for it would be very cruel
to reveal every bad symptom, SO long
as there is hope of ultimate recovery.
BY 7 O'Clock everything is ready for
breakfast, which is of three classes:
Regular, which is for the mass of the
patients, we'll enough to eat heartily;
special, which is for those whose
wounds or health require more deli
cate food; and extra, for those (gen
orally ofiicers) who pay their dollar
day for subsistence. Each class of food
is substantial and excellent well
cooked and neatly served. The stom-
ach would be very delicate which would
revolt at any of it. After breakfast,
there is more sweeping, hopping, bed
changing, etc, and two or three times
week general scrubbing. At regu-
lar intervals through the day, there is
distribution of milk-punch, beef-tea,
stimulants of various kinds, medicines,
etc, according to the directions for the
day. placed at the head of the bed of
each patient Dinner at twelve; sup
per at six, and the retirement of the
day nurses and the extinction of lights
mt nine. Then come the night-watch-
ers and silence. For hours together,
sometimes, there is the stiffness of
death-when you can hear the tread
of mouse; and yet, amid this still
ness there is vast deal of pain, quiet
ly and uncomplainingly borne by the
noble fellows who have suffered in bat
tie. God bless them for their heroism
in the field, and for their equal hero
ism on their weary touches A CRATE
full country will remember and reward
them. Throughout the night, at fixed
hours, there is the distribution of med
icines and stimulants, the wetting of
the bandages, and such other atten-
tons as are required for the comfort
of the patients And so wear away
the long, weary hours of the night
Although there is so much suffering,
and so little TO make one merry, in
these depots of manned men, there
is nevertheless sometimes something
amusing happening. 1t is an era for
instance when some Of the one-legged
fellows can take to crutches. When
this occurs, spontaneous congratula-
tons from the recumbent crowd follow
him whenever he makes his appearance,
with an occasional Ego it, We cripple !"
double quick !" "don't kick me !" &c,
&c, causing universal hilarity, and
bringing a smile to the lips OF the
worst cases. The happy convalescent
takes all this in good part, and some
times replies, 1T will be your turn
next, my boy" "be patient, Cap, when
you get your cork leg on it will be all
right '1this is Jolly, but slow" '-two
legs are better than three and half
on retreat" &c., &c, forgetting his
loss in the JOY of the moment And
then, when some one is well enough to
ask for furlough to go homet II is
theme Of conversation throughout
the ward. and the happy fellow hob
bles from one cot to another TO com