From Surgeon R. A. Lewis CSR, M331, National Archives
Stuart Hospital
June 22nd 1864
Surg. Wm. A. Carrington
Medical Director.
Sir
Your
letter of June 22nd has been received, in reply I will state 1st that
no letter to Surg. Meredith, relative to sending patients to private quarters is
on file in this office. Secondly have
had but one application to send a patient already in this Hospital (Mr. Powell
on application of his sister Mrs. R. Tucker, which was granted). The cases
referred to were patients already in private quarters, sent from the Robertson
Hospital, and who were ordered by Dr. Garnett to report to this Hospital. I send
you a list of these patients as sent by Dr. Garnett. Only five or six of these
patients have reported to this Hospital, either personally or by Surgeon’s
certificate. One of these will be ready for duty in a few days, and one is a
subject for furlough. These men as they come in are ordered to an unoccupied
ward until their cases can be examined into. These are the cases of which
complaint had been made. As the Surgeon in charge of a hospital is held
responsible for the patients’ in private quarters sent from this hospital, he
should be allowed to exercise his judgment & discretion in regard to this
matter, many patients who apply for such transfers do not require them and
others are not in a condition to be moved. It has been my experience in the
management of a hospital that very few patients permitted to occupy private
quarters ever report either personally or by certificate, and give more trouble
than all other patients, but if they are sent by your approval of the
application then I have no objection as the responsibility will be removed from
me.
Respectfully,
R. A. Lewis
Surg. in charge.
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