The times., 1898-06-27
HOSPITAL SHIP TO SAIL.
The Relief VIII Leave Immediately
for Santiago

New York. June 26.-The army hos
pital ship Relief is being fitted out
at the foot OF East Ninth Street.
in this city, and is expected 10 leave for
Santiago de Cuba next Wednesday. 1t Is
the first army hospital ship ever con-
structed and il is a marvel in the way Of
complete hospital appointment. "a hos
pital on land that will accommodate 500
patients is a large institution" said one
of the surgeons. when you consider
that the Relief will be a floating hospital
and ye- care for that number you get
some idea OF the work required TO get it
in shape. We must carry with Us sup
plies. medicine, an ice plant. carbonatfns
machinery and numberIess things that q
hospital on land can get from the out
side"
The Relief is a big passenger steam
ship. which used to ply along the New
England coast under the name Of John
Englis. AS she looms up at the dock in
her coat of pure white paint, she looks
even larger than she really is.
Absolute cleanliness is the first re-
quirement of hospital ship. and one
gets the notion that the requirement
will be fulfilled because the vessel IS so
white and spacious and cool and airy.
Inside and out is pure white. All the
gorgeous plush cushions and heavy tap
estry hangings have been torn out.
Despite a strict rule excluding visitors.
a reDOr.4r was allowed 10 see the ar
rangementS that are being made 70 care
/ for the wounded. The most striking
| feature about the vessel is the big ward
| that is being arranged on the lower deck
| Nearly all the stateroOmS have been
| torn out. and practically the whole deck
| space is given over 70 the long rows OF
| '.double-decked' white iron beds. secure
! ~ screwed 10 the deck. With neither
partitions nor curtains 10 exclude the air.
the ventilation will be very good. even IN
der a tropical sun. Electric fans Will
keep q current of air continually moving
| The iron beds are exactly ike those in
an ordinary hospital. Springs Of woven
| wire. stretched on iron frames. are put
into these cots, and very comfortable
| mattresses over them The beds are
| equipped with snowy covers.
At one end Of the deck allotted 70 this
/ ward are stateroOms for nurses. so that
| even when not on duty they will always
| be within easy call Os the patients
| Women nurses will live aboard the ship.
| About two months ago Surgeon Genera.
| Stsrnbsrg was quoted as saying that no
| women nurses would be allowed aboard
| hospital ships. The Daughters of the
/ Revolution seem to have prevailed upon
/ him 10 let women share the dangers OF
| the floating hospital. for he appointed
| eight women last Tuesday. Two of them
| are New York wOmen-NIiss Elsie H
Lampe and Miss Louise Jones Block.
! Miss Lampe received her training in
| Bellevue Hospital. Miss Block is grad
| uate of the Mount Sinai School in this
1 city. She is a native of New Orleans and
| a yellow fever immune.
| The other nurses are: Miss Amy
| Blanche FarguahSin and Miss Lucy Ash
| by Sharpe of Baltimore; Miss Amanda J.
Armstead Mrs. Ellen NJ GiIlen and Mrs.
Mary A. Birchfsld of Washington. and
| Miss Esther Voorhees, Mason OF New
London. Conn. Mrs. Annette NewcOmb
| McCee of Washington received the appH-
| cation through the Daughters OF the
| Revolution and passed upon their quail
| ficationS.
| The women nurses have a COZy little
| corner all TO themselves on the big hos
pitaI ship Their staterOoms are tiny but
| comfortable and they have a dining
room and sitting-room for themselves.
Speaking of the probable danger TO the
| inmates of a hospital ship during a bat
| tie. one of the officers said
Il do not think We will be in any dan
| ger. i he NSSSti - OL NpOu. anu LLldl II
an Indication that il will be carefully
guarded from any danger by shot or shell
or capture. l understand that we will be
anchored in some safe harbor of Santi-
| ago. and will be protected by one or more
gunboats. We will deal with the results
of the battle and the wounded will be
transferred to us after the battle is over
The operating room on the promenade
| deck is an interesting place The room
is about four times as large as any Oper-
ating room in the city hospitals. II has
all the usual appliances. so far as instru-
ments and tables go. and many specialtieS
| which may be useful on account of the
peculiar Chaacter of wounds likely 10 be
inflicted by the explosives used in modern
warfare.
Every precaution has been taken that
the operating room itself and all the ap-
pIiances will be thoroughly antiseptic. The
room is light, airy and severe in its sim
plicity. All the furniture is white. is of
iron and easily handled
The chief surgeon has an Office just out
side his stateroom. This office has tele-
phone which connects with every depart
ment of the hospital ship A cunningly
devised system OF electric bells also in
sures prompt communication with his as
sistants and nurses. The ten assistant
surgeons have their stateroOm and dining
room grouped around the chief surgeon
office. Some of the surgeons come from
Bellevue and are already on the vessel,
| looking after the final arrangements
The hurricane deck viii be covered with
| big awnings so that it will furnish COM
Portable IOunging places for the eOnva-
| Iescents On this deck two big steam
launches are being hung. They will carry
| the wounded from the battleships TO the
Relief.
More than four tons of provisions have
| been stored in the hold in addition to the
big stock of medicines. An ice plant and
| corbonating machinery are also placed
| in the hold