Evening star., 1921-02-27
u. S. NAVY HAS FIRST HOSPITAL SHIP BUILT
SOLELY FOR USE WITH BATTLE FLEETS

space of the ship. where there may be
d forward and after group. with eie-
vator service for each group. The
second deck is the coBnectiug passa ge,
so that there is access by stpetcRer
between the hospital departments
without going out into the open: thus
such special rooms as the N-ray room.
operating room. hydro-therareutie.
dressing rooms. etc. are available
from ali parts of the ship. The typ
ical ward consists of standees OF
berths which may he banked in two
tiers or as single berths. Al! berths
are detachable. SO that "a patient may
be handled if necessary without TAX
ing him from the berth. and are ac
cessible if necessary from both sides.
These berths are much w,der than the
usual ship berths. The ready adjust
ability % I'll h 'Hr v" pr mot the
ease of handling the sick. The heads
of all patients are in the direction Of
shear (shear is the slant of d"ri:
in the fore ard aft direotion) ard tn
very necessary requirement OF bay
ing all heads forward is taken al
vantage Of in tho arrangement of tn"
lighting.
Because the overhead decks of ::
ship, or ceilings. @re low. and he
cause the SEX lie on their hr"ks Hook
ing upward. sn"ci2l c"rH has 10 Ia.
taken to keep the light from shining
in the pat;erts' r.es AS all heads arr
directed forward it * only ne"esaar.
to place the lights n such Dos;tio"
that they will be over the fore and
aft aiSleS and q little forward of the
athWart shin aisleS and then put 9
screen on the forward side Of each
light. This results in a light free
from all those disturbances of shin
ing directly into ones ewes. At each
berth there is a portable comfort o.
utility light. which may be used b.
the patient for reading. This light
may also be used for portable pur-
poses. as TO examine "A throat or ar
range a dressing. The standing night
lights are placed near the ward exists
vel below. the bed level. where the'
may ligh, the floor only and not be
disturbing factor.
The wards are eNcellentiS ven
t;iated. both for natural and artitirla
ventilation. The air supplied n
wards is first heated by thermo tank
and then forced into ward snaces. -\r-
G. ssory to each of the wards are such
rooms as toilets. baths and wa 'f
rooms linen rooms. pantrics and quiet
rooms. The decks of the ship ar"
wide and spacious and are proFlded
with fittings to care for 100 or moro
sw INNING cots.
On the main deck near IN" gang
way is the out patient department.
This is a group Of rooms which. Whlie
located convenient and accessible 10
all wards by elevator are likewise
located so that patients
sent from other ships for special ex-
a nina ton. or cooperative diagnosis
or treatment. and who will not remain
on board as patients, may be cared
for without invading the hospital pre-
cincts. Each of the larger ships. like
has lis own medical de-
!, Pulinnlnnt.
but the medical officer often des res
the assistance of consulting special
lists and in this outDatient group are
the X-ray and X-ray study rooms. the
eye. ear, throat and nose rooms. the
la boratory and dental department All
rooms are available for cooperative
diagnosis not only to the wards Of
the hospita lship. but also TO the wards
or sick bays of the ships of the fleet.
The after part of the ship is de-
signed to care for conta & gus disease.
AS the ship rides to wind or breeze
this division would be to the leaward.
There are four small wards for these
cases. each with its own toilet and
provided with adequate means for
and prevention Of spread
Of contagion.
There are many special rooms on
the boat. a splendidly planned oper-
ating room two decks in height, with
excellent natural and artificial light
ing and ventilation and with such ac-
cessory rooms as etherizing room.
scrub-up room, sterlizing room and
dressing room and lobby. These
rooms are On the upper deck adjacent
to the sick officers quarters. Most of
the acute service wards are located on
the second deck, consisting of such
special departments as the endoscopic
room. two small operating rooms and
acute trea atment room. and the hydro
therapeutic and thermotherapeutic de-
partment. On the main deck well aft
are located such rooms as the en-