Inspection report, dated 12/29/62, of General Hospital #4, with
sketch.
Richmond Dec. 29,
1862
Surgeon Thomas H. Williams
Medical Director
Sir:
I have the honour to report that I have this day inspected Genl Hospital No. 4
formerly known as the Baptist Female Institute and situated on the block
fronting on 10th Street and lying between Clay and Marshall Streets. The yard is
large well set with grass and surrounded with a substantial brick wall. The
position most salubrious being surrounded by the residences of our most refined
and wealthy citizens.
The building and grounds were rented by the association
owning them for Hospital purposes to the CS Government at $4000 per annum from
June 1st 1862, and was first occupied June 5th by the wounded from the battle of
"Seven Pines."
The building is well adapted for a hospital in all seasons
being well lighted and ventilated, supplied with water and gas fixtures, wide
corridors, and numerous staircases connecting the floors. Its shape is crucial.
The wings constituting the principal part, consists of a basement, 4 stories and
an attic, and the body of three floors and an attic.
The 1st floor (of which the above is a diagram) has a long
corridor extending from each extremity nearly 200 feet long intersecting a
shorter one in the centre of the building. On each side are small rooms, used
some for wards and others as clerk's office, Surgeon's Office, Apothecary Shop,
guard room, mess room, Room for hospital clothing & linen room and quarters
for Acting Assist. Surgeons assigned them by the Surgeon in charge. The ____
____ the _____ formerly used as a lecture room, being by measurement 40 x 60
feet has 48 beds in use by patients. The basement is of the same construction as
the 1st floor excepting that 20 feet is cut off from the large ward leaving it
40 by 40 feet and accommodating 32 patients, a few rooms are occupied by
patients and the others as ward room, two storerooms, matron's kitchen, Laundry,
Bake room, Dining room, pantry, coal and wood rooms, dead room & quarters
for attendants. There is a 2 storied brick building in the yard, which is used
as kitchen and quarters for the cooks. The 2nd and 3rd
floor has the same arrangement as the 1st with the exception that the
space occupied by the large ward is here occupied by a central passage and
lateral rooms. They as well as the 3rd floor are occupied principally
by patients, on every floor there being one or two rooms occupied by matrons and
other attendants. The attic has only a few rooms of low pitch now occupied by
coloured employees.
The pitch of the rooms is sufficient – they are well
fitted with grates generally, and the large wards have stoves. Furnaces heat the
passages and moderate the temperature throughout the house.
Exclusive of the attic, the out house, and the two large
wards there are 59 rooms in the Hospital. 22 are used for purposes above
indicated, and for quarters, and 57 for patients, averaging 5 beds, some contain
10 to 15 while the majority hold 3 or 4. Their united capacity is 185, making
its capacity 265. 183 patients were in the hospital and 29 vacant beds reported,
a much smaller number than should be. On the 2nd and 3rd
floors there are bath rooms, and on each floor a single privy, which are
situated in small closets in the wall and are insufficient for the present
number, except by a more general use of close (?) stools than issued in
Hospitals.
The Bake room in the basement contains an oven and lately
built at an expense of $650, this effects a saving of 55 percent in the article
of flour.
The Medical Staff consists of Jas. B. Read Surgeon in
Charge, Acting Assistant Surgeons B. G. Tenant, E. G. Latimer and S. D.
Brantley.
3 Stewards, 23 Nurses, 7 Cooks and 10 Laundresses are
reported being within the allowance par. 43 Medical Regulations. The Stewards
are apothecary, Clerk, and Mess Steward. They are regularly appointed by the Sec
of War and receive extra wages from the Hospital fund.
The Surgeon in charge has fulfilled all his duties
faithfully - inspects each part of the Hospital rigidly once daily, and visits
frequently such cases as require his consultation, has divided the wards among
his Asst Surgeons, making them responsible for the order, diet and medical
treatment of the patients under their care. He requires an Officer of the day to
remain at all times on duty and has rules and regulations suitable for a
Military Hospital in accordance with Par. 28 Medical Regulation posted &
observed. The register, order and letter book, copies of requisitions, reports
of sick and wounded and Hospital fund account are neatly and accurately kept.
The grounds are well policed, the privies kept clean, the
dispensary in good order. The wardmaster's duties (Par. 28 Medl Regns) are
performed. The floors, walls & windows of wards, _______, the beds, bedding,
persons & clothing of patients were all cleanly. The spittoons, slop pails
&c, kitchen and kitchen utensils, mess, bath, bake & storerooms, linen
room, & Laundry were all neat & in good order. Discipline is maintained
& comfort secured. One corporal & six men are the guard. They are none
of them in the army or liable to military duty.
Under the old price of rations the Surgeon inn charge made
a rule to spend his Hospital fund & I believe that the diet was the best
that could be afforded & is now somewhat extravagant.
There have not been any patients in private quarters in
this hospl for many months, until recently the only Hospital in the city of
which this could have been said.
Mrs. Webb of this city is Matron in chief, with the
greatest skill and assiduity giving her devoted labours gratuitously. The other
subordinate matrons as well as a linen matron are on duty.
Many officers have sought this Hospital for treatment on
account of its comfort, good management & position, until the late order
forbidding their admission.
Very Respectfully
Your Obedient Servant
Wm. A. Carrington
Surgeon & Inspector of Hosls.
The consolidation of the morning reports to date from Dec
1st shows: Remaining at last Report 207, admitted 145, Returned to Duty 26,
Transferred 111, Furloughed 9, Discharged 6, Deserted 3, Died 32. Remaining 181.
In justice I add the consolidation of morning reports for
November which make a more favorable exhibit. Remaining at last report 126,
admitted 233, Returned to Duty 47, Transferred 12, Furloughed 64, Discharged 6,
Deserted 6, Died 11, Remaining 207.
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last updated on
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