Report of the Commissioners appointed to inquire into the regulations affecting the sanitary condition of the army, the organization of military hospitals, and the treatment of the sick and wounded ; with evidence and appendix. Presented to both Houses of Parliament by Command of Her Majesty.
- Great Britain. Royal Commission Appointed to Inquire into the Sanitary Condition of the Army.
- Date:
- 1858
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Report of the Commissioners appointed to inquire into the regulations affecting the sanitary condition of the army, the organization of military hospitals, and the treatment of the sick and wounded ; with evidence and appendix. Presented to both Houses of Parliament by Command of Her Majesty. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service. The original may be consulted at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service.
677/978 page 551
![After insuring the good quality and preservation of the provisions, it is necessary to insure also their good preparation, therefore, the officier de depense will use every means to make the chief cook feel its importance, and exert himself to perform his duties in the most perfect manner. Nothing should come out of the kitchen without ; the officier de di'pcnse having tasted it first, and approved. Should he find anything badly prepared or cooked, he shall prevent its distribution, informing ■ the director of the circumstance, that he maj^ apply a remedy. The officier de depense shall daily inspect all the vessels used for cooking or distributing the provisions, that they are all in a perfect state of cleanliness and preservation, whatever may be the material of which they are formed. The same care must be had for the vessels containing lamx^ oil. Chapter 4th. Distributions. Having ascertained the good quality and good pre- paration of the provisions, the officier de depense will make himself sure that they are properly distributed. After having received from the ivjirmier major the list of all the infirmiers that are to receive their food, he will give their number to the cook, and after he has received from the admission office the weight of the meat for the evening distribution, he shall see it weighed, and follow it to see it put into the pot and locked in, giving the key to the sergeant on guard. Hollands over to the cook also the rice, plums, potatoes, salt, &c., &c., and all that must serve for the morning distribution. He keeps a book in duplicate with the cook, Avhere all that is delivered is put down. He will deliver to the cook the quantities in abund- ance, taking as his basis the distribution of the preceding day, and after the distribution when he receives the returns of the new admissions, he com- pares the numbers of the distributions and the total of the patients, and sees that all the portions in excess are returned to the pantry to be preserved for the ensuing distribution. The same should be done with regard to the low diet, such as rice, plums, vermicelli, vegetables, wine, bread, &c., &c. The distributions will be performed, as described in the instructions for the infirmiers majors, under the direction and survey of the officier de depense, who after the return of the surplus portions into the pantry will put it in good order with the help of his assistant. He will then proceed to make and deliver a report for the director of the distribution executed, and then he will proceed to begin the preparations for the next distribution, that he may do all with leisure and without confusion. Besides his regulating and surveying the use of the provisions he will also control the use of the fuel and of all the articles used by the cook, with whose instructions he must be familiar, to be able to control him in the fulfilment of his duties. Chapter 5. Various Details. The officier de depense has to direct the regularity and supply of the lighting. He has to attend per- sonally the delivery of the oil, which he must see poured into the very lamps or vessels that should be brought to him in trays expressly made. These vessels must be emptied into a special filter every morning, wiped and cleaned before they are filled up again with fresh oil. The officier de depense shall deliver for each lamp a quantity of oil proportionate to the size of the lamp, the wick, and the length of time it has to burn. The oil, when impure, is purified by mixing with it a hundredth part of sulphuric acid,stirring it well, and adding to it afterwards an equal quantity of water, stirring it well again. When the oil floats, it is de- ■ canted and filtered. He must have therefore a scale of measures pro- portioned to the length of the nights for each size of lamp used. He will cause the wicks to be prepared as described in the instructions for the infirmiers majors, always keeping a sufficient stock ready made. He shall give a special care to the safe, and the preservation of the provisions contained in it. He shall take care that the previsions preserved there are always distributed the first at the ensuing distributions. Every day he must hand over to the director a report of the distributions and receipts Avith the relative vouchers. He shall furnish the cook with a duplicate book having a column for each article, for which he may have to make a requisition in which every requisition shall be noted. He must allow nothing to remain in arrear in his books. He must use his foresight in keeping always a suf- ficient stock continually in hand, renewing it before it is exhausted so as to be able to refuse any article that is not of perfect quality. Safe, preserva- tion of pro- visions. Report to the di- rector, with vouchers. Duplicate books, in columns. No arrear in hooks He must keep stock always in hand. Instructions for an Officiek d'Administration superintending a Discharge or Transfer. Chapter 1st. General Duties. Preparations for the Departure. The officier d'administration superintending a dis- charge or transfer is responsible for all the ambuhaices under his direction, from the moment of their de- parture till tlieir arriv al at the hospital to which they are directed. He must, therefore, make all the necessary arrangements, that the invalids may suffer as little as possible during their journey, and that everything may be prepared for their relief in case of need. ^ He must, tlieretbre, have a suflficient number of Infirmiers under his orders, proportionate to the number of the invalids and the gravity of the cases, and in ordinary circumstances at least two for each carriage. He must firstly inspect all the carriages, to make himself sure as to their solidity ; that tlfe horses are well shod, well put to, and all in good state to fulfil the journey. He shall receive a duplicate transfer report from which both he and the medical ofiicer in charge will see what provisions they must make, to have the necessary number of carriages, quantity of straw mattresses, blankets, dressing apparatus and mate- rials, food and drink, and one or more stretchers ; all these objects he will obtain on requisitions in duplicate from the director, one of which may serve as invoice for the director of the hospital Avhere they are transferred, if the objects are to remain there ; if they are returned back the invoice Avill serve for the infirmier in whose charge they may be returned. The officier d'administration must use his intelli- gence in making the preparations for the comfort of the invalids on the carriages with regard to the season, and provide shelter against the rain and cold air in winter, and against rain, dust, and sun in summer, making the best of the means at hand. When all is ready to start ho shall cause the worst invalids to be placed comfortably on the carriages, and will then proceed to call out all the names from the nominal roll, causing each to take in succession the place respectively assigned to him, without con- fusion, as he is called out. Every one must keep his place throughout the journey, and no change of place may be allowed without the officier d'administration's special authorization, Avho Avill of course grant it on reasonable grounds, and will not oppose friends to be together Avithout a special reason. The number of the patients must be equally divided among all the carriages, and so also the lugaage. Departure on trans- fers. Inspection of car- riages. Duplicatff report. Measures to be taken for the comfort of the inva- lids. taking care that all the arms are unloaded, and that none of the effects of the invalids are left behind. 4 A 2 Patients equal]} di- vided in the carriages.](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21365210_0677.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
