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.
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![compatible with either the habits of British soldiers, or the economy of military life in the field. (Signed) John Hall, Inspector General of Hospitals. William Linton, M.D., Deputy Inspector General of Hospitals. W. C. HUMFKEY, Deputy Inspector General of Hospitals. T. Alexander, Camp before Sebastopol, Staff Surgeon, 1st Class. 2Uth January 1853, No. 88. 20tli January 1855. Memorandum in reference to the Invalids of the Cambria, furnished by order of the Secretarij- at- War. 1st. On Tuesday forenoon (I think) Colonel Clarke called on me, and stated that the Cambria had arrived at Liverpool Avith invalids, and that it was necessary to decide what Avas to be done with them ; knowing as I did from reports that many of them were bad cases, I proposed that they should be sent to Chatham by sea, or at least that they should not be disembarked until the Staff Surgeon at Liverpool had boarded the vessel, and reported the condition of the men. On this understanding, as far as I recollect, Colonel Clarke left me. In the course of the afternoon, General Fveth called, and stated that an order had been sent before my recommendation was received, and that all the men Avere to be disembarked, the Major having engaged to provide hospital accommodation for the sick, and lodgings for those not requiring medical treatment. 2dly. On Tuesday I received a letter from the Staff Surgeon reporting that all the men had been disembarked before he knew anything of the matter; he further stated that nine Avould be admitted into the ' Royal Infirmary,' Avhen the remainder 187 noAv enjoying the hospitality of the Major Avill be sent by rail to Chatham for final disposal. 3dly. On the 18th, General Freeth called and informed me of the arrangements Avhich had been made for the transfer of the men not in hospital to Chatham. On receiving this information, I imme- diately Avrote to the Principal Medical Officer at Fort Pitt, informing him that the first division Avould reach Chatham in the course of the afternoon of the 19th, and the last division on the 20th, and that he must be provided Avith all the means of conveyance likely to be necessary. This is all I knoAv of the case. My reasons for holding the opinions I did, and for offering the advice which I tendered to Colonel Clarke, are— 1st. I believed that the greater part of the invalids Avould be men either suffering from wounds or their consequences, or from active or subdued diseases, or from debility, the consequence of one or other of these affections. 2dly. That men so circumstanced Avould not be in a fit state to be carried hundreds of miles in railroad carriages, especially during the present highly in- clement season, Avhen pulmonary and catarrhal affec- tions are even rife amongst the inhabitants of this island. 3dly. I feared that the frequent transfer from vehicle to vehicle would expose those having open Avounds, or old wounds or stumps, to injury. Avhich might cause them lengthened suffering, if not cost some their lives. 4thly. That the cold to Avhich they would be un- avoidably exposed Avould likely originate disease in many Avho might previously to disembarkation be free from it, and aggravate it in others who were still suffering to a certain extent. 5thly. I calculated that the treatment they would receive Avould in all probability be productive of injury to infirm and delicate men, and might occasion diseases of the boAvels, to AAdiich I had reason to expect many of them Avould be prone, considering that in all probability not a fcAV had been suffering from such affections before they embarked for England. 6thly. I felt that should disease of the bowels become developed in a raihvay carriage, the most un- pleasant and even serious consequence Avould result before the conclusion of the journey. 7thly. I felt that the inconvenience, and some dissatisfaction, Avhich Avould be experienced if they were sent round by sea, though considerable, could could not justify the other course, Avhich apjieared to my mind to be threatened with so many dis- advantages. I felt if they were sent by sea, the journey Avould only be of four days' or four and a half days' duration ; that during that time the men Avould be lodged in comparative comfort, in a splendid roomy vessel to which they were accustomed ; that they Avould be sheltered from the inclemency of the Aveather, and Avould never require to be moved until they reached the Dock Yard at Chatham. On the other hand, if by rail, the time they Avould have to travel Avould be a considerable number of hours of tAvo successive days, a period much too long for men in delicate health to sit in an erect posture ; that they Avould have the first day two removals, at least, if not four, into and out of vehicles, and on the second at least eight, each removal greatly holding out danger to many of them, if not to all. I could further not contemplate Avithout dread the likelihood of many suffering from the cold to be expected at this season Avhile they Avere in the carriages, as Avell as while they Avere being removed from carriage to carriage, more especially in their transfer from Euston Station to Chatham, I felt that if men Avere among the number Avho had been Avounded in the lungs, or Avho had suffered from dysentery, the latter Avere almost certain to have an attack of pulmonic inflammation, Avhich would likely carry them off, and the others Avould become the subject of relapses which might prove fatal OAving to the untoAvard circumstances. Whilst I Avas Principal Medical Officer at Fort Pitt, I had ample proofs of the (I may say) deadly consequences Avhich on one or two occasions occurred merely from Aveakly men haA'ing been removed from Gravesend to Chatham in the middle of winter ; hence Avith such knowledge I could not conscientiously act otherAvise than I did on the present occasion, and I feel most confident that any medical man of ex- perience will hold the opinion I did. (Signed) A. Sjqth, Director General. No. 89. Adjutant General Wetherall to the Director General. Horse Guards, Sir, 22d January 1855. A piFFERENCE of opinion having existed among medical men as to the beneficial effect to the Avearers of a general and constant use of flannel, the General Commanding in Chief has desired me to request you to favour him Avith your opinion as to the ex]iediency of issuing to soldiers flannel in lieu of cotton shirts. This question more especially relates to the troops serving in the Crimea, the climate of Avhich country is very changeable to the extremes of Avet, heat, and cold. I have, &c. (Signed) G. Wetherall, To the Director General, Adjutant-General. &c. &c.](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21365210_0789.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
