From William A. Carrington CSR (M331): Inspection report, dated 11/25/1862, of General Hospital #2.

Richmond, November 25th 1862

Surgeon E. S. Gaillard, Medl Director
        Sir,
                   I have the honour to report that I have this day inspected "General Hospital No. 2" situated on the corner of 7th & Cary Street & being in the 4 storied factory building of Wm. J. Bailey. It is rented at $200 per mo. & occupied as a hospital since June 9th/62.

There is a small yard attached in which there is a 2 story building for kitchen & servant's quarters & a basement for coal & wood - also in the yard is a privy & a shed for a laundry, & opening in the yard but the opening into the main building is a small bath & a dead house both recently constructed - a continuation of the laundry the surgeon in charge designs for a small reading room & library but it as a small itch or cutaneous ward will be more useful. The building is well lighted & ventilated, of a high pitch & gas & water is supplied to all floors on the house.

The 1st floor has an office - apothecary's shop - Dining House (?) & mess room & rooms for the offices of the Surgeon & St. guard. The 2nd floor has ward A. The 3rd (B) & the 4th (C) - "Wards A, B & C:" occupying the whole extent (?) of the floor. They are well provided for winter having the long stove pipes extending over 2/3 of the wards, greatly increasing the radiating surface.

The morning report shows 138 in Hosl. - Capacity 110 [could be 150-ed.]

These 11 Surgeons - 2 Asst Surgeons - 1 Steward - 22 nurses - 4 cooks - 1 laundress. J. M. Holloway is Surgeon in Charge - assisted by J. W. Clopton A. S. & D. Bresen and of the attendants 7 are enlisted men & only 2 detailed - The 5 others were allowed to remain by the Surgeon in Chief as nurses without a detail through not without the consent of their commanding officers.

The apothecary is mustered as Steward & is a regularly appointed Hosl Steward - The Mess Steward J. S. Whitaker is not appointed but mustered as nurse - a wardmaster & clerk are also mustered as nurses. Allowing these as extra nurses & considering that the allowance of cooks would be two more than reported & that always in large hospitals there are an intermediate class of servants, laborers - carriers of wood, coal, & water securers & waiters who are attached to the Steward's department as nurses but are also as much assistants in the culinary department - I may report that there is no excess in the attendants.

The Hosl Steward receives from the Hosl fund an addition to his wages bringing them to $50 per mo.

The surgeon in charge has attended to all his duties - viz: numbering the beds of each patient (a card that has been used on the headboard of a patient discharged is enclosed.), dividing the wards among the Asst Surgeons, daily personal inspections, requiring the constant prescence of some one of the Asst Surgeons, requiring the proper discharge of the duties of the Hosl Steward & wardmaster as described in Par 29 & 30 Medl Regulations, in framing proper rules & regulations as required in Par 28 - in enforcing proper hygienic rules to secure the ends set forth in Par 21st - In a punctual rendering of all reports requiring & in keeping accurate & neat Hosl Records. The condition of the dispensary & the Stewards department was neat & orderly.

The floor, walls, & windows of wards & the beds & bedding indicated comfort and cleanliness. The Surgeon in charge never has a guard & says that he wants none. There is but one entrance to the hospital that is locked at night.

The Hospital fund is small it having been expended for the rations(?) of the patients. No articles of subsistence are now sold. Flour is bartered with Sampson & Bagnal Bakers on Main St. lb for lb. they giving oz 16 to lb of Bread & returning the barrels. This is the most liberal barter on the side of the Baker I have yet to hear of as the government loses nearly 53 per cent & I recommend that a simple oven be constructed in the yard of this hospital or General Hosl No. 3 for the purpose of baking bread for the two Hospls - one can be constructed for $125 to $150 the price now of 10 to 12 barrels of flour. Several white females have been employed & have performed the duties of a matrons very acceptably - there is one on each ward. The Surgeon wishes no more.

Several colporteurs visit this Hospl & the Surgeon in Charge mentions a Roman Catholic priest (Hagan) as specially attentive to the sick & aging. I feel it my duty to call your attention to the energy, perseverance, & faithful observance of all regulations exhibited by the Surgeon in ch. & his assistants - in this as in many Hospls of the City the admiration of all must be commended by the devotedness with which every energy of mind & body is made subservient to duty & among them not so experienced the thankful docility with which they amend any errors of administration when pointed out.

The regulations for diet of the sick are better than at most hospitals. In the enclosed "Diet List" such articles are marked for each patient as prescribed for the patient & the list is sent up with the hay(?) to Litham SC whither he gets what is ordered.

Very Respectfully Y. O. S.

W.A.C.               S & I of Hospls.

• Prev
• Next