Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1889-02-18

rooms. The rooms were high and
well lighted, and quite comfortable
and pleasant, and was first called
lexington Hospital. In 1862, there
were built, just outside of the enclos-
ure, eight more wooden wards and
nine other buildings for various pur-
poses; General office. Christian COM
mission, clothing room, knapsack
room, clerks quarters, surgeons
quarters, dining rooms, bakery, laun-
dry and general wardmasters office.
This and lexington were consolidat-
ed and called Finley Hospital, after
which there were a number of other
buildings erected.
In the spring of 1864 there were
erected seven tent wards, which would
accommodate about the same number
of patients and attendants as the
wooden wards. These were very light,
comfortable and pleasant in the sum-
mer. By the first of June, every bed
in the hospital was occupied by the
very worst cases of those wounded
and sick, as all those who could be
moved with safety had been transfer
red to hospitals further north. There
were three or four weeks the last of
June and the first of July that the
weather was very hot and dry, and
and the death rate became fearful
not a day but one of the number was
carried to the dead house and some
days four. Soon the weather chang
| ed and became cooler, and there was
decided improvement, most of the
patients then getting we'll or having
their wounds healed.
The surgeon in charge, G.. L. Pan
coast, was a young man, perhaps
thirty or thirty-fve years of age, a
very skilful surgeon "a strict disciplin-
arian, but very kind and considerate
toward his patients, and in every way
qualified to fill the position. At the
breaking out of the war he lived
somewhere in the Shenandoah Valley,
but left home in the night and came
on horseback across the country to
Washington. He was a bachelor,
but had with him his father and two
sisters. In the spring of 1865, the
boys at the hospital made him very
handsome present of a carriage, a
pair or harnesses and a whip, all of
which cost over 5000. From the pa
tients in the hospital there was form
ed a fine brass band, which gave out
door concerts every pleasant day land
was often called to the city to play.
There was an assistant surgeon for
about every two wards during the
summer, whose duty it was to visit
their patients twice n day-at 8 o'clock
a. m. and Z p. m. If anything was
wanted by them between those times,
the officer of the day was called, who /
was always an assistant surgeon and
on duty. The chaplain was kind,
Christian man, who took a great in
terest in the boys, administering to
their physical as well as their spiritu-
al wants. He did many kindly deeds !
and acts besides his Sunday services |
and evening meetings during the
week. There was building erected .
for guard quarters and chapel, which
was quite convenient for all meetings .
and gatherings. There was a divi-
sion of the Sons of Temperance, (which
held their meetings there, and | have
an honorable discharge from it to-day
that | received when | left the hospit-
al in 1865. In the winter of 1864
and '65 the patients got up play,
which had great run, and afforded
a great deal of pleasure and amuse-
ment, which was held in the chapel.
There was a well-regulated debating
club, which met once week in the
winter time, when great questions
were discussed and settled, and in
connection with a weekly paper. were
published, comparing favorably with
many others Of far greater preten-
sions. During the winter there was
a singing school, and in connection
with that a glee club. SO you see,
with the many sad phases of a hos
pital life, there were many things to
be pleasantly remembered.
The dining room, where all the pa
tients that were able had to go for
their meals, was spacious and we'll
regulated. The living was plain, but I
generally quite satisfactory. Those
not able to go to the dining room
were excused by the surgeons and
had special diet brought to the wards
by the attendants. (
The wards and grounds outside
had to be kept scrupulously clean and
neat. There was general inspec-
tion of the wards every Saturday
forenoon, and woe be to the ward
masters and attendants who did not
keep their wards in proper order.
All patients brought to the hospit-
al, first had to take bath their dir
ty clothes were taken to the laundry,
and clean ones supplied in their place.
When discharged OF they left the
hospital, they had to leave all hospit-
al clothing in exchange for their own, ,,
which had been washed, marked and
put one side. Once a week, Sunday $
morning, there had to be change of
all dirty clothing, viz, sheets, pillow
cases, shirts, drawers and socks for
clean ones from the laundry. Every