Duties of Inspector of Hospitals |
|
[page 54] [List of duties of Inspector of Hospitals, dated 10/8/1862]
Medical Directors Office Richmond Oct 8, 1862 The duties of an Inspector of Hospitals are set forth in general terms in Medical Regulation No 5 & 6 – Below in shape of a Syllabus is a more particular analysis of the subjects of his enquiries and of the information that will be expected in his reports. Date of visit; name of hospital; period of occupancy; name of owner; rent per month; by whom contract made; situation of the hospital; health of the vicinity; immediate surroundings; miasmatic and meteorological influences; nuisances existing; obstructions to ventilation; special advantages or disadvantages of the situation; construction of the building and adaptability to the purposes of a hospital; windows sufficient for light and ventilation; construction with reference to winter season; provided or not with fireplaces, waterworks, gas, bath rooms, office, apothecary shop, laundry, kitchen or are there buildings contiguous for these purposes. Grounds – Yards or Gardens for exercise or recreation of the patients; capacity of hospital and each ward, estimating fifty square feet floor surface for each patient, in ordinary Hospital practice, but where typhoidal fevers, erysepilas, hospital gangrene pyemia exist, a larger allowance should be made, calculating 100 square feet to the patient. Medical staff; name, rank and date of appointment or employment of surgeon in charge and his assistants; if contract physicians, state amount of monthly pay, and by whom contract made; have the commissioned officers been before the examining board of surgeons, name, date of appointment, whom by; pay of hospital stewards; are the other attendants conformable in number with Medical Regulations, paragraph 45; what is the condition of the whole Stewards department; condition of beds, of bedding, clothes and persons of patients, floors of wards, privies and close stools, kitchen, laundry, dining room, hospital furniture, kitchen and other utensils, supply and quality of water, food properly cooked and served or not; are the Stewards issues made daily according to form 8 Med Regs; are the ward masters duties as laid down in Reg No 30 observed; Is gas used; are any disinfectants required or have they been used; are the Hospital records, Register, Order & Letter book, cash book, copies of Requisitions, Prescription book & Diet tables and Reports of sick and wounded kept as Hospital property. Have the monthly & quarterly Reports of Hospital Fund accounts been sent in; are the Records preserved to be used in making out “Returns of Hospital Property;” have there been any gratuitous contributions to the Hospital Fund; does the situation produce any economy in the commissariat; are the Provisions, Returns kept and compared with the commissary’s abstract; what is the amount of Hospital Fund; explain the intent & source of the Fund if necessary to the Surgn in Chge; have any rations ever been sold; enforce upon the Surgn in Chge the imperativeness of commuting all surplus rations; what is the amount of transportation, ambulances & c attached to the Hospital; examine the bills of Q.M. of Pposts for amount of expenses in fitting up the H and services not on Pay Roll of attendants; have the effects of deceased soldiers been duly handed over to an authorized receiver; has there been noticeable anything remarkable in regard to the nature of diseases, prevailing mortality, treatment or prophylaxis, when observable; mention the evidence of extraordinary administrative talent or anything especially commendable in the ingenuity, skill, patience, or assiduity of the attendants, medical staff; in obedience to Reg No 28 are “Rules & Regulations” proper for a military organization composed, displayed & enforced. Does economy, temperance, quiet, order and discipline exist or is lavishness, wanton laxity, noise, immorality, profanity and disorder tolerated; in case of death what disposition is made of the body, is it identified and duly buried and reported. It is not expected that an Inspector will in all cases follow the above; there are many cases where the suggestions do not all apply; and there may be enquiries not printed at which may suggest themselves as important to the Inspector. He should, in all cases take note on the spot and in no important detail trust to his memory longer than absolutely necessary. Very Respectfully [in a different hand] In place of this a Guide for Inspection of Hosls & Inspectors reports was published & one sent to each Hosl before inspection with a printed notice that the Inspector of Hosls would visit officially the Hosl under your charge - & as the inspection will commence with the Inspection of the attendants & in a __ all officials & employees connected with Genl Hosl no ___ are expected to be present at that hour. E. S. Gaillard
Page last updated on 06/14/2008 |
Copyright © 2008 Civil War Richmond Inc. |
|
|