Notes on matters affecting the health, efficiency, and hospital administration of the British Army : founded chiefly on the experience of the late war / by Florence Nightingale ; presented by request to the Secretary of State for War.

  • Florence Nightingale
Date:
1858
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Notes on matters affecting the health, efficiency, and hospital administration of the British Army : founded chiefly on the experience of the late war / by Florence Nightingale ; presented by request to the Secretary of State for War. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    70/1076 (page 22)
    DR. SMITH PREPARING March 3. Mr. Koberts encloses a letter to Dr. Smith, about brewing beer in Turkey. March 3. Dr. Hall writes to Dr. Smith, enclosing estimate for mules required for the Army Medical Department, if the Army take the field. March 3. March 3—Dr. Smith requests the removal, by Lord Pan- Scutari Huts. jjj^j.g5g orders, of the buildings within the Barrack-square at Scutari. [This was never done.] March 6. Dr. Smith writes to Dr. Hall, sending a copy of Dr. J. Sweet Davy's letter from the Spectator, about the contrast in the Dietary of dietary of a British Eegiment serving before Sebastopol and Army and Naval Brigade, durino: December and nearly the whole of Naval Brigade ^ '.t, ii-^.jn in Crimea. January, and strongly animadverting on the dmerent mode oi administration in the two services. Dr. Smith states that, if the dates are correct, there are grounds for strictures unfa- vourable as regards the A.rmy, unless it can be shown that there were insurmountable difficulties, as to the dietary and cooking of the troops. Supposing the statements correct I confess, he says, *'for my part, I can scarcely conceive why the troops should not have been at least somewhat better supplied, both as to quantity and quality of provisions, than it would appear they have been. Even admitting the difficulties. Dr. Smith does not see w^hy the men should not have been provided with at least a larger amount of fresh provisions. Is anxiously expecting replies to his queries about the sani- tary state of the troops, and requests copies of all communica- tions and representations made by you to the Commander of the Forces, in regard to duty, dietary, &c., as affecting the health of the troops. Remark. One would think that the fact, well known by this time, of an Army having all but perished, would have been of itself a sufficient reason for the severest animadversion from the Head of the Army Medical Department. But no ! The Sebastopol Committee is to have the doings of that Department before it, and Dr. Smith writes to his Principal Medical Officer, I beg you to supply me, and that immediately, — with what? — with every kind of information which you may deem likely to enable me to establish a character for it (the department)^ which the public appears desirous to prove that it does not