The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-11-27
FORT MYERS GREET WARD.
Winter Transformation of the Army Riding
Hall for Hospital Purposes.

WASHINGTON. Nov. 26.-When the army
riding hall al Fort Myer. the largest hospital
ward In America. is ready 10 admit patients,
and that will be in a few DAYS. it will have un-
dergone n great change. This large room.
which attracted 80 many visitors last sum-
mer. Is POO feet long by 100 feet wide, and
from the apex Of the roof to the floor is so feet.
A glance from one end OF the hall to the other
shows a pitch pine floor made OF three-ip cb
sheetings. as level and smooth as the eye and
machinery could make 1t. On this stand o5U
spring and iron framed beds. all covered with
white spreads and arranged In eight rows
longitudinally. During the summer. when
the twenty-six roof windows were open. moth
ing was more common than to hear the songs
OF birds perched on the iron rafters overhead.
The birds few from one end OF the room to the
other. and even picked bread crumbs of the
noor at the patients bedsides. When the cold
weather began this ward was closed on ac-
count of the lack of heating apparatus. Since
then ceiling has been built sixteen feet
above the floor; POO feet long by 100 feet wide.
hhrTangements nave heen made for heating the
When the size OF this room or hospital ward
is it to pc systematl ,sliy conducted When fully n9E
occupied? A special surgeon of the regular
army Will be IN charge and will look after the
divided INTO ten sections OF twenty five heds
each, Doing duty twelve hours on and twelve
OH, there, will be one female trained nurse in
each section apd two Hospital Corps men 40
the number OF help required 1 in this ward alone
Will be about sixty pc Jple.
Every morning the floor OF each section will
be Inspected TO see II 1t has been propsrlv
m0pped, while the bed frames must be care,
tully wiped with u rag and a 2 per cenT. soiu-
ton OF carbolic acid, During the night tSe
physician in charge will see that ali nIrses
are on duty. la order not to expose patients
screens, are furnished for every section. 10 he
used when needed, and gasoline stoves. one
lof every Two sections. are provided to heat
water, milk. and other food.
ABOUT 800 new patients lsoldiarsl from Jack
sonSllie' ria. are, expected here soon. Fifty
OF them arrived at Fort Myer this week, Thase
soldiers are brought in the regular hospitsj
trains. which are made up Of the Ordinary
sleeping cars. TIT less sick patients or cnn,
salescents occupy the upper bertbs. In nh
Lourteen patients occupy each car. with tUo
hospltal CORPS nurses attending them. A rag.
ulaf dining car is also provided In which dali.
cdeles are prepared and milk Is Kept for the sict
and nurses. Patients who are danRerousiv iii
are mol, admitted into a hospital train III This
kind. AT, the end of the Journey, AT Faiis
Chnrch. eight miles from Fort Myer. the very
SICK patients are carried on stretchers To the
electric cars, laid on mattresses on tbe floor III
,,ne car ana wrapped up In hospital blankets
Mneh the electric cars arrive at Fort Myer the
ARMY amDulances meet them.
DuIihR the past four months 1000 soldier
hatlents nave been treated at this army hospi.
va. winch has accommodation for 800 IA
tients' III VIII be open all winter.