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.
735/978 page 603
![BARRACKS AND ENCAMPMENTS—roni. repairs exceeding 200/. require the sanction of the Treasury {id.), 3438-42.—The estimates are submitted to the Secretary of State for War for approval {id.), 3497-50.'?.-—Suggestions for improvements are not always carried into effect, even when ap- proved by the Inspector-General of Fortifications (id.), 3429. — Duties of Royal Engineer Department as respects construc- tion and repairs of barracks and hospitals (Laffan), 6725-7. —The tradesmen make tlie repairs under the superintendence of the Engineer Department (id.), 6758-62.—The contracts for repairs are trimnia] (Chapman), 3390; (Laffan), 6735.— Mode of leaking and working contracts i Chapman), 3390-341 3 ; (Laffan), G736-9, 6765-8.—-Suggestions as to improved mode of making contracts (id.), 674J-I.—Present system causes delay (Chapman), 3414-21, 3431-7 ; (Laffan), 6742-4.— Great delay in effecting repairs of barracks and hospitals (Law- rence), 3925-31; (Gibson), 9104-5.—Proposed remedy (id.), 9107.—Repairs to barracks and hospitals would be more easily and cheaply done by hired labour than by Royal Engineers (Airey), 3140-6. — Mode of effecting repairs in prisons (Jehb), 5'210.— Buildings constructed by R.E. cheaper than by contract (Chapman), 3546-52 Work done by R.E. very expensive (Tuylor), 2098-100; (^fVey), 3142-3 ; (Raw- linsnn), 3337 ; and often delayed (Tai/lor), 2120-1; (Alex- ander), 2561. — Remedy (id.), 2563-8 Explanation of this (Laffan), 6764.—Explanation of a case alluded to by Sir Richard Airey (Chapman), 3564-6 Material comforts are better provided for in prisons than in barracks (Jebli), 5215-21. —Soldiers' quarters should be made comfortable for the moral as well as physical effect (Jebb), 5249-51. — Ventilation of barracks important (/d.), 5128.—Is very defective (Sotheron), 5003-10 ; (Jebb),5\64, 5248 ; ( l.iitdsaij), 5912-17 ; (Balfour), 9542.—Improved of late by reduction of number of men in rooms (Lindsay), 5631-2.-—^ Barrack-rooms generally over- crowded (Sotheron),5011 ; (Lindsay), 5921-2: (Balfour). 9541; Urine tubs very offensive (Airey), 31 59-66 ; (Fenton), 4906-10; (Sotheron), 5012-16; (Jebb), 5186-90; (Lindsay), 5847-8; (Balfour),9543. — Urinals in barracks in India(/<rno/«), 8539-44. — Guards'barracks not so good as the recent ones of the line (Lindsny), 5833.— Barracks should be better lighted (Airey), 3154—7.—Allowance of coal and candle insufficient,and quality bad (Mansel), 4264-5; (SoMeron), 5024.—CO. should have power to increase it when necessary (Manuel),4^66.—The privies are abominable (/JiVe;/), 3166; (Rawlinson),33l5-\l; (Mansel), 4233 ; (Lindsay), 5845-6.—Lavatories are now erected in all bar- racks ( Chi/pman),355S-7 ; (Jebb), 5184-5.—The lavatories are bad (^irey), 3158.—Those at Woolwich are convenient (Fewion), 4888.—Insufficient means of bathing (id.), 4889-94.— Drying- rooms in barracks are desirable (/lirey), 3147-8.—Day-rooms very desirable (Sotheron), 5021; (Lindsay), 59:15-6. — Ex- perience of them in Wellington Barracks (id.), 5876-7.—Shed for guard mounting required (Mansel), 4229.—Workshops should be attached to barracks (Jebb), 5263-8.—There is no sufficient accommodation for married soldiers (Lawrence), 4013.—Objec- tionable to have married persons in a barrack-room (Sotheron), 5016-30.—Accommodation is being provided at Aldershot • (Lawrence), 4094-8.—Guards'model lodging-house (Li/idsa!/), 5930-3.— Advisable to build model lodging-houses in rear of barracks (Lawrence), 4099-103. — Not advisable to build them (MunsL'l), 5930-3.—Limit to soldiers allowed to marry (Lawrence), 4004-5, 4015-17; is not strictly enforced (id.), 4006-7.—This is a great evil (id.), 4008-14.—Marriage should be discouraged in the army (Mansel), 4260. Explanation of improvements proposed in the plan of a new barrack submitted to the Commission (Jebb), 5143-7, 5172-83, 5224- 6.— Barracks might be made as healthy as model lodging- houses (Sutherland), 9491. — Approved plans and models of barracks might be useful (Chapman), 3505-8; (.Jebb), 5184-5. —The underground plan should be put on paper as clearly as any other part (Mansel), 4281.—Practice followed as to erection of barracks in India (Arnott), 8645-51.— Accommodation of soldiers in India has been much improved (id.), 8502-9.— Cubical space allowed in barracks there (id.), 8510.—Mode of hutting the Sepoys (»(/.), 8522-9.— In hot climates the soldier is allowed to put down his bed and lie down after dinner (Law- rence), 4191.—At home, the soldier, coming off guard, is not allowed to go to bed till tattoo (id.), 4190-4.—Tents for troops in India (id.), 8545. French Barracks. Course followed in France when a new barrack is to be erected (Maple/on), 4426.—M.O. are not consulted (Alexander), 4587.—Engineer officers execute all repairs (Map/eton), 4427. —Less delay than in this country (id), 4429.—Cubical space allowed in French barracks (Sutherland), 4334.—Barracks in Paris visited by the Commissioners (id.), 5282-4.—Caserne Napoleon, construction of, (id.), 4363-6, 4373-4.—Descrip- tion of (Jl/e-randfr), 4587.—Means of ablution in it (Suther- land), 4367, 4371-2.—Description of cavalry barrack (Alex- ander), 4587.—Men eat their meals in the barrack-room (Mapleton), 4430. — French military kitchens (Sutherland), 43()8 ; ( Mapleton), 'i417~\9.—French barrack bedding superior to English (id.), 4431.—No urinals or chamber pots in bar- racks (M.ipleton), 4437-9. Belgian Barracks. Description of barrack at Brussels (Alexander), 4587. RATIONS AND MESSING. Soldiers' rations and mode of supplying them (Taylor), 2422-33; (Airey), 3076-80; (Adams), 3674-82. —Meat inspected by a subaltern ; should be done by a captain (Mansel), 4228-9.—System of messing in the Guards (Brown), 2916-35. (Russell), 4642-51 ; (Lindsay), 5965.—In the Royal Artillery (Fenton), 5825-34.— In .the cavalry (Rhys), 5036-41.-^ Breakfast, dinner, and supper in the Guards (Russell), 4661-8, 4672-9.—In the artillery (Fenton), 4844-51; 4895-6.—In the line (Sotheron), 4948-.W.—In the cavalry (/?A!/s), 5042-58. —In the artillery the men have a fourth meal (Fenton't, 4920. Stoppages for messing, ^^c, in the Guards (Russell), 4627-8.— In the artillery (Fere^ow), 4813-24.— In the line (.Sotheron), 4940-2.—In the cavalry (Rhys), 5033-5.—Some CO. mess up to the full rate (S^d. per day), some do not (Lawrence), 3949-50. — Present system answers well at home (Mansel), 4241-51. — Broke down in Bulgaria (^(>ey), 3091-5 ; {Adams), 3684-6; (Lawrence), 3941-5; (Lindsay), 5966-7.—And in the Crimea (Fenton), 4852 ; (TuUoch), 6176 The variety of stoppages produced confusion in the Crimea (Adams), 3711-13 : (Fenton), 4853-5; (Kirby), 7234-40; (McNeill), 9858.—No difficulty as to the accouiits in the Guards in the Crimea (Russell), 4695-7.—Variety of stoppages objectionable; there should be only one rate, and a full ration for three meals (Alexander), 275\-5; (Airey), 3096-3120; (Adams), 3692-5; (/ awre?ice), 3933-8, 4172-81 ; (Mapleton), 4482-3; (liusseU), 4684; (Fenton), 4864; (>otheron), 49:'.6, 4967 ; (R ys), 5068-70; (Lindsay), 5970, 5978; (Tulhch , 6185-6; (Mc Ne.ill), 9853.—Experience of a similar system in Halifax, N.S. (Lawrencf), 3939-40.—Practical difficulty of carrying this plan into effect (TuUoch), 6187-9, 6249, 6254-9.—No change of system would be necessary in war (Adams), 3692 ; (Lawrence), 5941-5946.—Commissariat could i--sue a full ration at a fixed rate of stoppage (Adams), 3689, 3696-708, 3715-19.—Would require very little increase of commissariat staff (id.), 3697, 3709.—Would diminish the accounting (id.), 3710; (TuUoch), 6199-203 ; (Kirby), 7216-22, 7228 ; (McNeUl), 9859.—Supply of messing by the commissariat would Dot answer well (Hall), 551 9-21..—Soldiers prefer to purchase t! eir vegetables (Z,mdsay), 5963.— Commissariat generally supplies the men better than they can themselves (Zau;re«ce), 3978-80; (Mansel), 4252-3; (Russell), 4624-5; (Rhys), 5061-7.—Commissariat not kept up in time of peace on the same fooling as in war (Adams), 3802.—Should be (id.), 3803. — Proposed system would secure belter quality (Lawrence), 3981.—Would benefit the soldier (id.), 3983 ; ( Russell), 4626, 4855-7 ; ( Sotheron), 4936, 4945-6.—Might at first be unpopular (Lawrence), 3982; (Sotheron), 4937-8 ; (Rhys), 570.— Would not create dis- satisfaction (Russell), 4652 : (Fenton), 4865.—Defects of soldiers' dietary (Balfour), 9528.— Old and new dietaries at R. M. asylum (id.), 9529.— Results of new upon the health of the boys (id.), 9532.—Desirable to have the ration of the soldier complete (Hall), 5522-6.—Proposed complete ration (Adams), 3690; (TuUoch), 6213-19. — Details of proposed scheme of diets (id.), 6220-59.—The articles of diet should vary in different climates (Meyer), 1537-9; (Adams), 3742-3, 3761-4 ; (Hall), 5527-32 ; (TuUoch), 6213-19 And according to the work to be done (Alexander), 2718, 27.S1-7,: (Lawrence), 4182-4; (McNeill\ 6854-7. —Cost of a full ration (Adams), 3690, 3743, and App. No. xxix ; (TuUoch), 6228, and App. No. xxxi.—No alteration should be made in the hos- pital stoppage (Lawrence), 3951.—Except to married soldiers (id.), 3952-66.—Hospital stoppages do not cover hospital ex- penditure (Mansel), 4i;54-9. Ration at home sufficient (Taylor), 2434-7.—Not suffi- cient to keep soldier in health (Alexander), 2718-21, 2724- 7 ; (Brown), 2928-9; (Airey), 3063 ; (Adams), 3687 ; (Lawrence), 3888 ; (Mapleton), 4481.—Three-quarters of a pound of meat insufficient (Mansel), 4203-7; (Russell), 4669-71 ; 4803-5; (Rhys), 5059, 5095, 5116 ; (Hall), 5515- 18.—Sufficient at home (Adams). 3720-3, 3728-P2 ,(Lawre7ice), 3888,4186; (Fenton), 4840-1, 4897-903; (Sotheron), 4956; (Lindsay), .5975.—One pound of meat necessary abroad (Adams), 3725-7 ; (Fenton), 4832-3 ; (TuUoch), 6181. Crimean ration (TuUoch), 6177.—Sufficient (Alexander), 2729; (TuUoch), 6182-3. The men complain of the monotony of the diet (Lawrence), 3894-6 ; (Mansel), 4217; (Lindsay), 5839.—Want of variety in soldiers' food (Alexander), 2722-3 ; (Brown), 2960-1 ; {Airey), 3060; (Sotheron), 4 962-4; (Lindsay), 5980-1.— .additional articles wanted to improve the diet (Airey), 3070; (Lindsay), 5975-6 Would not cost more (Airey), 3081-3. Cooking in the army satisfactory (Taylor), 2438.—Very unsatisfactory (Alexander), 2730, 2755-63 ; ( firoiun), 2930-5 ; (Airey), 3059; (Lawrence), 3891-3.—Successful experiment in cooking (Brown), 2963-8 Mode of cooking in the Guards (Russell), 4690-4.—Means of cooking in barracks should be improved (Airey). 3064, .3073, 3137; (Lawrence), 3914; (Mansel), 4210-14; (Mapleton), 4425,4484; (Jebb), 5260-2; (Lindsay), 5838, 5972-3.—Soldiers like the present system of separate coppers (Chapman), 3534-8.—Steam-cooking appa- ratus condemned it Wellington Barracks 14 years ago (id.), 3538-44. That erected at R.M. Asylum is good (jrf. j, 3527- 33.-—Mode of cooking there (Bal/om), 9530. New cooking ranges at Aldershot good (Laurence), 3915-22.—Can p kettle in the Crimea very bad; French shape preferable (id.), 3906-10. 4 G4](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21365210_0735.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
