The National tribune., 1903-04-16

E.. near the tollgate; Car Ohio Hospital,
near .Tennallytown, % Williams Bar
racks, sa me us Sedgwi4k Barracks: United
States Barracks. Eight heet S. f.. near
Navy Yard. and Eng Brigade Hos
pital. street s. E., hear Navy Yard.
PERFECTING THE ARRANGEMENTS.
AS may be readily supposed. during the
early part of the war the hospital arrange
ments were anything but perfect, but in
a comparatively little while. under strict
military discipline. places that hitherto had
hardly been deemed possibilities as abodes
for the sick and wounded were made most
acceptable and comfortable for those in
need of medical and surgical advice. In Il
number of instances the Surgeons encour-
aged for convalescent patients such amuse-
ments as would be of beneficial effect to
their minds. Acting by amateurs Of
ability. singing and dancing, and diversi-
fed forms of amusement were introduced
to help pass away the weary hours of he's
pital detention. 1t is recalled that at the
Campbell Hospital theatrical party.
under an actor named White, gave weekly
entertainments which were attended by
Senators. Representatives. and prominent
Government dignitaries. Senator Poland.
Lester Wallack. James e. Murdoch and
Mrs. Mayo attended and We're very com
plimentary in their comments upon the
performance and the actors. There were
hours set aside for the reception of visi-
tors. The hearts OF the wounded We're
made glad by fruit, flowers. or reading
matter. and a number of marriages grew
out of these sympathetic visitation
The church buildings in use as hospitals.
with the exception of Il very few instances,
may be easily recogniZcdsbut the barracks
have almost altogether disappeared. The
hospitals of the, latter period Of the war
We're vast improvements over those occu-
pied during the early days of the struggle
At the inceDton of the evil war. when
the sick in the regimental hospitals ex-
ceeded their capacity, residences in the
neghhorhood were usually turned into
hospitals, and churches. factories and
other large buildings were made into brig
ade or general hospitals.
The Medical and Surgical History of the
War" prepared under the direction of the
Surgeon General of tho United States
Army, is Il fine exposition "f this import
ant branch of the military operations of
the civil war.
THE FIRST MILITARY HOSPITALS
opened were in Washington. The + street
Infrmary and the Union Hotel both re-
ceived patients as early as May. 1861.
Owing to the large movement of troops
the demand for increased accommodations
reached such proportions that it was nee
essary to enlarge the quarters of build
ings occupied as hospitals by pitching
tents in the immediate vicinity so as to
form a series of elongated payilions. At
Il later period the tents were replaced by
long wooden raviloEs. The best arrange
ment of these buildings on the ground and
their des' gn We're made the subject of
much study and experiment Early during
the war it was found that ridge-ventiated
wooden sheds for hospital purposes resulted
in maintaining a good ventilation without
exposing the pat 'cnts to, draughts. 1t was
found impOssibie to. construct entirely
new buildings in every Instance. as the
necessities of the times demanded that
buildings abandoned as barracks should
be used for hospital ptlfikes.
THE PAVILION PLAN.
The defects in the q 3s c. Of these
one to another constitil23d another objec-
tionable feature. DusinA the Winter of
1SGi-'62, through the efforts of the SAM
tary Commission. the Government was in
duced to begin the, buildhg OF hospitals
on the pavilion plan. The judiciary
Square and Mt. Pleasant Hospitals were
erected in accordance with that plan. and
finished for occupation iIi April. 1862
elongated central structure; en- either side
of which and at right angles to it were
pavilion wards. In the central STRUCTURE
or corridor Were the bathrooms. water
closets. water sinks etc. so arranged that
each ward WIS connected with its own
conveIiienceS. There were two sets OF
windows in each ward, The buildings
were not ceiied nor plastered. 1t was
soon recognized that this style of building
was, a failure for several REASONS. Grad
ually the inclosed corridor gave place to
a covered walk, open at the sides. Finally.
the plan adopted as the most desirable
was the erection of detached pa>iiions,
which were to be arranged en- echelon in
two converging lines. forming Y. as was
done with the .Harewoodiand Lincoln Hos
pitals in this city, or as Il half circ'e, or
on lines parallel to eaciiSOther. or i'll such
other arrangement as the particular site
required.
What I have submitted will prove to
many uuacquainted with the conditions
during the civil war ;p dry presentation of
facts. To the old soldier, however. to
those who, by reason of wounds or general
disability. We're compelled to undergo hos
pital treatment. the summary here given
will. l believe, be interesting reading re-
calling wildly memorable incidents in
their lives and many memories associated
with the trying scenes of our civil strife.
ITO be cOntinued)