Copy of a letter from Mr. David Paterson, (1st), a surgeon in His Majesty's Navy, and late Surgeon to Prisoners of War at Forton, to the Commissioners for taking care of sick and wounded seamen, &c.

  • Paterson, David
Date:
[1797?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Copy of a letter from Mr. David Paterson, (1st), a surgeon in His Majesty's Navy, and late Surgeon to Prisoners of War at Forton, to the Commissioners for taking care of sick and wounded seamen, &c. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    on the other, were kept open,always when the weather would perroit, until it was again occupied by patients^ which, if the Hate of the hofpital admitted, was not before eight days had expired. Such regulations a^- the above ought, in my humble opinion, to be con* ftantly and very particularly obferved, by all medical men who have the immediate charge of hofpitals for prifoners of war: many of them, I prcfiime, might, with propriety and utility, be obferved in any hofpital j an !, in concluding this fubject, I beg leave hum- bly to fuggeft to you that no hofpital ought to be full, but, on the contrary, that there ihould always be, in all, according to their different fizes, two, three, four, or more wards left empty, for tlic very falutary pur- pofe- of changing. Cleanlinefs, ventilation, and changing of the wards> whether with the view of obviating or removino- dif- eafes, are, in all liofpitals, as well as in all places where prifoners of war are confined, &c. abfolutely necef- •fary: where they are obferved, medicines will become lefs needful ; and wlicn needful, they will, in their Operation, be more effeclual j but, where they arc neglefled, the phyficians and furgeons will be Ob- jected to the very unpleafant trouble- of giving'thcfr attendance, and of prefcrlbing,-to very little‘purpqfe. Warmth ought aifo to be attended to. Ift
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