From William A. Carrington CSR (M331): Inspection report, dated 12/8/62, of South Carolina Hospital, with drawing.

213 Main Street, Richmond Dec 8th, 1862

Surgeon E. S. Gaillard
Medical Director,
                Sir:
                        I have the honour to report that I on November 29th inspected the State Hospital called the South Carolina Hospital situated in Manchester on Main Street near Mayo's Bridge. It was first occupied Sept 20th, 1861 and rented for 15 months at $75 per month. The owner is the present Steward, S. F. Pilkinton. The lease expires consequently on Dec. 20th 1862. The building consists of a large factory fronting Main Street, 4 stories high, back of this some 30 feet a 2nd 2 stories high, each connected by a flat platform on the level with the 2nd floor. There is also a small shed on the right side of the house. The first floor of this house consisting of two rooms is for kitchen and laundry, the 2nd for dining room and room for quarters of two assist Surgeons who reside in the house. There is a small bake house with oven attached in the yard, which cost last summer $125, the price now of six barrels of flour. It is estimated that the bakers make 33 1/3 per cent in their general barter of lb for lb and at this rate the oven soon pays for itself, and it saves the Government what it wants in fact rendering it not necessary to provide 1/3 as much flour for the inmates of the Hospital as before. The oven serves also for the baking of meats, and the ordinary allowance of cooks suffices, one acting as Baker. This economical device should be more common than it is. All should not have them and I will recommend them in such hospitals as I think advisable, hereafter.

Of the Main Hospital building a large portion is open and unoccupied, except for a reception room and passage way. There is partitioned off an office, storeroom and ward room, and not on the same level but a few steps elevated and in the extreme corner is the privy and urinal which is that used in the factory previous to occupance, and though small in excellent condition.

The 2nd floor has the first ward and Apothecary shop. The 3rd floor has the 2nd ward and a bath room, and the 4th floor has the 3rd ward, a linen and matrons room. The windows are large and sufficient and the pitch of the wards high.

The Medical Staff consists of:
Middleton Michael Surgeon in charge
Parker Assist Surgeon
Bissell, A., Assist Surgeon
Jenkins, Assist Surgeon
There is also a Dr. Earle acting partly a[s] Assist Surgeon, but he has no contract.

The morning report has uniformly reported 1 Steward, 20 nurses, 3 cooks and 1 Laundress, which allowing 1 Wardmaster as nurse, one Clerk and one Apothecary each as same would be the allowance for 170 patients, the capacity of this Hospital being 167. The same number of Attendants have been reported since I was Inspector of Hospitals, certainly were on Oct 30th and 31st. On inspecting the muster and pay roll which was settled for Capt. Hardy Q.M. and a copy of which has been forwarded to the Adjutant Genls Office. I find that it was made out for from Sept. 1st to Oct. 31st inclusive and certified to on honour and signed by the Surgeon in charge as exhibiting the true state of the Hospitals department for the period therein specified 59 nurses (one as wardmaster), 3 cooks, and 1 Steward were mustered and paid for the full 2 months to each and every one. The Hospital Steward is appointed by the Sec of War and receives on the Muster and pay roll $21 per month and $54 additional from the Hospital fund.

The wards are not numbered or marked, the beds each are designated by a full card, which in addition to the card adopted by the Medical Director, his birthplace, residence, and age - omits death (time of) of the patient.

The Surgeon in charge visits and supervises the wards and other parts of the Hospital daily, divides off the duties among the Assist Surgeons, requires one to be constantly on duty, requires due discharge of the duties of the Steward and other attendants and has the Hospital records preserved in good order.

The effects of deceased persons are generally handed over to their friends, but some are on hand which should be turned over to the receiver. It is evident that the wards are kept cleanly and orderly, a long list of rules are posted and separate rules for the wardmaster, patients, Apothecary and Surgeons. There is an evidence of comfort in all the Stewards department, but a lack of that exactness and military neatness necessary in a military Hospital. The Dispensary is in good order.

I have to report a direct disobedience of Par 57 Medl Regns, Surgeon Michel told me that he never had sent to the Surgeon General any monthly statement of the Hospital fund account and in this regard I consider the paying $54 extra to the Steward without the knowledge or consent of the Surgeon Genl as an error against the same law. Officers have been admitted and charged $5 per week for the benefit of the Hosl fund; they have at the same time been included in the aggregate of the patients and attendants drawing rations at the commissary, this is an abuse which will be stopped by the order that Officers shall no longer be admitted, and that those inmates be transferred to the pay Hosls. Large donations have been made to the Hospital fund, which I was informed was near $3000 and a accumulation of 9 bushels of salt and 200 lbs of coffee exists.

There is a corporal and 4 guard supplied by Capt. Peters. There are 4 female nurses and one white female superintending the laundry, They will be matrons no doubt under the operation of genl Order No. 95. Chaplain Hix has been appointed by the Sec of War and regularly assigned to this Hospital for duty. He should be directed to embrace Howard's Grove in his ministration as the other So. Ca. Hosl.

There is a dead house as the other Hospitals in Richmond. The last monthly report for November shows an aggregate treated of 244, Returned to duty 19, Furloughed 69, Discharged 11, Transferred to other Hospitals 0, Died 3, Remaining 143.

The certified pay roll for Sept and Oct shows 3 enlisted men, only from the fact that 3 are entered for $50 bounty unpaid, 25 nurses receive $15/mo, 2 Cooks $18/mo, 1 Cook $15, 1 Steward $21, 16 nurses receive $15 per month.

There is an ambulance and horses attached to this Hospital, they are, I am informed, the private property of the Hosl Steward. In private quarters during the month of November, 24 are reported and of these one change occurs; on the 2nd and every succeeding day 23 are reported.

                                                        Very Respectfully,
                                                            Your Obedient Servant,
                                                                Wm. A. Carrington
                                                                    Surgeon & Inspector of Hospls    

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