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| Jarvis hospital.1 |
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capacity of one hundred and thirty-six thousand eight hundred and ninety-four beds.
Besides these, there were numerous temporary and flying hospitals, the former in camps and on vessels, and the latter on battle-fields.
Of these.
general sanitary establishments, one of the most perfect in all its arrangements
and management, visited by the writer, was the Jarvis Hospital, on the verge of the city of Baltimore, situated upon high ground, overlooking the town and harbor, and blessed with salubrious air. It occupied the mansion, and about four acres of ground attached to it, which belonged to George Stuart, an enemy of the Republic, who was a general officer in the Confederate army.
The Government took possession of the property, and used it until the close of the war. The hospital was arranged upon the general plan of all others, but had some advantages which to others were denied.
It had a capacity for fifteen hundred beds, and was never lacking in force, for the Union women of Baltimore made it their special charge.2
1 in this picture, Stuart's mansion is seen at the right hand corner, in the foreground. In the distance beyond, a portion of the city, and to the left of the Point of the flag is seen Federal Hill, which General Butler took possession of at the beginning of the war; and to the right is fell's Point, projecting toward Chesapeake Bay, on the extremity of which is Fort McHenry. See page 308.
2 The following notes, made by the writer on the occasion of a visit to the Jarvis Hospital, early in December, 1864, will give the reader a general idea of the workings of those vast sanitary establishments during the war.--
The Medical Director is Doctor De Witt C. Peters, and has under his control 8 medical assistants; 1 cadet; I chaplain; a lieutenant of the guard, or military assistant; 5 stewards; 1 chief ward-master, with 3 or 4 assistants, who has the charge of all the masculine nurses, who average in number 1 to every 20 men; a chief matron, who has charge of all the feminine nurses; 1 chief laundress, who has charge of all the laundry women, about 30 in number; and 3 chief feminine cooks, in charge of all the cooks (colored), who number about 40. There are about 180 nurses of both sexes in the establishment, and now there are 1,300 patients. With this number of patients and employees, there is consumed monthly, in the hospital, over 3,000 pounds of butter; 1,400 gallons of milk; 2,500 dozen eggs; 22,000 pounds of beef; 4,200 pounds of bread; 9,000 pounds of potatoes; 2,500 pounds of beets; 2,500 pounds of turnips; and about 120 gallons of sirup. Of pork, beans, rice, coffee, sugar, &c., they have full rations. In the laundry about 20,000 pieces are washed each week. Last month (November, 1864), there were issued at the hospital, 1,150 suits of military clothing for the destitute. There is a safe kept, in which money and other valuables belonging to the patients are held. Their clothing, arms, and accouterments are received and taken care of by the cheek system, the same as on railways or at, hotels. These are kept in a dry and well ventilated room. Since the establishment of this hospital, in June, 1862, until this time, or two years and a half, about 16,000 patients have been treated here, of whom, only two hundred have died. The Ladies' Union Relief Association of Baltimore are assiduous in their attentions to the patients in this hospital. Four or five of their members are here every day to assist, especially in the cooking department.
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