The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1916-12-21
HOSPITAL SHIP OF
U. S. TO SET PACE
Will Be First of Its Kind Ever
Built in the World.
WILL HAVE BEST FACILITIES
Uncle Sam Will Spend $2,5o000o In
Building Vessel That Will Eclipse
Those in Use by Other
Nations.

Uncle Sans navy soon is to possess
the first hospital ship built exclusively
for that purpose. The warning nations
of Europe possess hospital ships but In
every case these are makeshifts, COM
mercial ships converted to the uses
of the navy and not built especially for
the purpose for which they are being
used. Uncle Sam will spend $2,5O0,OOO
in making his new floating hospital, the
first of it's kind ever built, complete in
every detail from the keel up.
1t had been realized for years that
the United States navy needed more
hospital facilities, not only as a pre-
paratory measure against war but also
take care of its large personnel In time
of peace. Finally, after many years
of constant endeavor on the part OF the
navy department, congress appropri-
ated $2,500,000 for the construction or
a really modern and complete hospital
ship, to be built in government navy
yard. For six months DR.. X. c. Hol-
comb of the bureau of medicine and
surgery of the navy department CO.
operated with the bureau of construc-
ton and repair to lay the plans for
vessel that would eclipse in ship con-
struction and hospital facilities any
thing that the world has ever produced
before.
To Prevent Rolling.
In the first place, the vessel is to be
iyIA xt-ith CT a
that she will roll as little as possible
and thus permit of the performance of
delicate operations even in a compare
lively heavy sea- The floating hospital
is to be AGO feet long, by 60 feet wide,
with capacity of 800 patients during
ordinary times and 500 in an emer-
gency.
In addition to the wards, there will
be several special consulting rooms
where outside patients, or day patients,
may come and receive treatment. One
of these will be in connection with the
| ear, eye and throat equipment, which
| Is to be as complete as any to be found
in city hospital. A soundproof room
for testing the hearing is also provided
| for In the plans, as well as n dark room
for testing the eyeSight, and an N-ray
room where patients may be examined
for internal injuries, with a separate
room for the development of the photo
graphic plates.
The wards are to be divided up into
| separate classes for the treatment of
| special diseases, two of the largest
wards being isolated for contagious
cases. These wards will communicate
| with the rest of the ship by only one
| door, which may be heavily guarded,
| and by chutes through which the laun-
| dry and bed linen may be shot down
to the sterilizing apparatus below.
A diet Kitchen with all the latest
culinary equipment, is likewise pro-
vided for, and DR.. Holcomb has invent
| ed n new and clever arrangement by
| which each patient may receive his
| food while hot. This is a steam table
on wheels. The apparatus is filled with
hot food in the kitchen, on the lower,
| deck, rolled down the hall and into an
elevator, where it is taken up to the
ward deck 1t Is then wheeled into
the wards and down the aisles of beds,
the plate of each patient being sup
piled from its steaming watts.
Many Special Rooms.
Connected with each of the wards
on the new hospital ship will be sew
eral special small rooms for different
kinds Of cases. There will be quiet
room where very serious cases will be
| taken; special room for kidney and
bladder diseases special hydrothera-
peutic room and thermo- therapeutic
room, in addition to special and ind-
vdual operating rooms.
The ship will also contain BIO
logical laboratory, dental laboratory
and an animal yard, where monkeys
and guinea pigs will be kept for the
purpose of testing theories of germ in
lection. In an obscure corner of the
ship there is to be Il morgue, connected
with the refrigerating plant, where the
bodies of dead officers and sailors may
be preserved and brought back to the
families ut home, instead of being
buried over the side of the ship, as
was formerly the custom.
AS compared with this new hospital
| ship, with its electrical devices, its
scientific equipment, It's yacuum-clean-
| ing apparatus, It's elevators and its
modern toilet facilities, the hospital
shDs of even "A few wears ago apnpnr