From William A. Carrington CSR (M331): Inspection report, dated 11/8/1862, for General Hospital #12.

213 Main St. Nov 8^th 1862

Surgeon E. S. Gaillard, Medl Director,
                Sir,
                        I have the honour to report that I have this day inspected Genl Hosl No. 12 situated at the corner of 19^th Sts & Franklin in this city - It has been occupied as a hospital since Jan 1^st 1862 & is rented from Wm. H. Grant at $300 per mo. The building is a large brick 4 storied tobacco factory, altered only by a few partitions to cut off private quarters for nurses & clerks &c. It is well ventilated & lighted by large windows & is supplied with water & gas on every floor.

In the main building are rooms for 2 offices, dining room, mess room - apothecary shop, ward room, guard room, bath house, matron & nurses rooms & a room for the officer of the day - In the yard and contiguous are small buildings containing kitchen, storeroom, dead house & privies & Laundry.

The 1st floor with the exception of an office is occupied by the _______ - The 3 other floors constitute each a ward. The capacity is 167 & being very near the "Receiving & Distributing Hospital" is generally kept nearly full, there now being but 22 vacant. The morning reports shows 1 Surgeon in charge, 3 Asst Surgeons, 1 Steward, 21 Nurses, 6 Cooks, 4 Laundresses.

The Steward reported is the druggist. Surgeon Thom claims that the clause in Par 76 Medl Regn "skilled in pharmacy" is an indispensable recommendation for the applicant for the Hospital Steward & entitles him to the title & pay in preference to the clerk & mess steward who are mustered as nurses in the Hosl & receive nurses pay 18 ½ per month from the Q.M. The Steward in addition receives from the Hospital fund from $25 to 40 & the clerk, $40 per month. Of the attendants - 5 are detailed men, 5 white employees & 25 black. The names of the Medl staff are surgeon Thom in charge, Assist Surgeons Ross, Scarborough, & Kellner - all having passed the Examining board. One nurse as matron & one female nurse are employed. Surgeon Thom does not approve of females as nurses from his experience. In following the guide for Inspectors I could give a most satisfactory answer to all the interrogatories. - To all his duties Srg Thom is remarkably faithfully - omitting none he sees that all those under his supervision perform their portion of labor & care.

The condition of his ward, stewards department, apothecary department, Laundry & bathrooms was unacceptionable. All the Hospl Records were in a most modest(?) condition. The Hospital fund amounted to $1320.47 Oct 1^st & has been reduced by several hundreds of dollars since that time.

Flour is exchanged for bread thus flour is taken at the market price & bread sold at 12 ½ cts per lb loaf.

The order for transferring patients convalescents to Camp Winder is strictly obeyed. This will account for a comparatively small no. of "Returned to duty" in this & some other well regulated Hospitals.

Surgical cases are all reported in obedience to a order from Surgeon Genl Moore calling attention of Surgeons to this duty - I have not thought necessary to advise Surgeons to report other than the most interesting & remarkable.

1 Corporal & 4 men are the guard attached to this Hospital.

The mortality was, during the month of October, 15 being .03% & the no. of patients reported as in private quarters (4) show that the regulations in this respect have been observed.

Surgeon Thom asks for an ambulance to transfer furloughed & discharged patients to the depots - if we could increase our means of transportation, we might establish a system of calling at every hospital for patients going to the different trains not able to walk.

I am informed that the Q.M. will pay only one Steward for each Hosl. I recommend that every hospital having over 100 patients in or around Richmond - Have one Hosl Steward or Mess Steward to receive $21 - one ration  & quarters & clothing money - & in very large Hosls from $9 to 29 from the Hosl fund & that the Surgeon in charge be allowed a clerk with some pay & rank & privilege as a Q. M. Sergeant - Since the making out of payrolls & other numbers(?) additions have been made to the clerical labor this has become necessary – Let the office be created in addition to Hosl attendants allowed – Surgeons now do Q.M. duties & have the labors of a bureau almost to perform – I think that there will do no difficulty in supplying each large Hosl with a druggist from the Army or by employment & giving nurses wages, rations, quarters, & clothing money – Many druggists, Medical students & even physicians in the army will seek such places.

In this Hospl is an excess of Hosl beds – I have referred to ______ no.      but I again see the necessity for the Medl purveyor providing a suitable place for repairing & storing ____ Hosl Furniture of which a very large amount is now rotting in the back yard if a Hosl exposed to the heats of the midday & the damps of the night alternately.

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

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