We then went to the General Hospital, on the top of the hill, which contained three hundred patients. Having had the honour of being introduced to the Sisters of Mercy, I took notes of all that was wanted there, and we lastly proceeded to the Riding School Hospital, appropriated to the convalescents. There I had the pleasure of being introduced to Miss Stanley, who had the superintendence of the Sisters. This establishment had neither kitchen nor cooking utensils. However, by the aid of the engineer who accompanied us, everything was soon settled.
Yet, after all, I ordered nothing that was not indispensable; and I must remark that, with all the power with which I was invested by the War Department, coupled with the willing assistance of Captain Gordon, I found it a difficult matter to get a plank, or even a nail, fixed in any of the hospitals. At the same time, I may add, with pride and gratitude, that throughout the Crimean campaign I was most highly favoured by every department; for if anything I required was procurable, I had it.
Lady Stratford and visitors having expressed their satisfaction at the success of our visit, I was on the point of retiring with Signor Roco Vido, when Lady Stratford asked what day the kitchen at Scutari would be opened. “On Monday next,” was my reply. “I presume we shall be honoured with your ladyship’s presence, and that of your suite.”—“I shall not fail to attend, Monsieur Soyer,” were her ladyship’s words.
The Sisters having thanked me, we retired. We returned in a beautiful Oriental moonlight by the same road—the panorama of the morning being now tinted by the reflection of the soft rays of the moon.
Just as I had set everybody to work in the various hospitals, and my Scutari kitchen was nearly finished, an entirely new plan suggested itself to my mind. It was as follows:—Instead of commencing with a hundred patients at a time, as I had at first intended, I changed my mind, and preferred making a grand opening, resolving to invite all the heads of the medical department in the various hospitals, as well as some of the most eminent among the French and Turkish medical staff. This, I was aware, was a bold experiment; for had I failed—and many unforeseen events might have caused such a result—my reputation would have suffered. I was, therefore, well aware that I was risking the labour of twenty years against an uncertainty; as all those I was about to invite would come to watch my proceedings with the eyes of Argus, and would judge of my plans accordingly. At all events, my sample trials had already given great satisfaction to two eminent doctors. In pursuance of this plan, I went to Lord William Paulet, explained it, and begged him to send, or cause to be sent, invitations to all the principal officers to honour me with their presence upon the occasion, which his lordship kindly promised to do. I also apprised the doctor-in-chief, who promised to attend himself, and invite the principal medical gentlemen to do the same.
The opening day was fixed for the following Monday—it was then Tuesday—leaving me till Thursday to finish my preparations. On the Friday morning, after having inspected several kitchens, and gone through a number of wards, I was suddenly taken ill. I seemed to have forgotten everything, and experienced at the same time a sensation of brain fever. There were, however, none of its symptoms. Although I was quite conscious of what I had to do, I was entirely incapable of doing it, or of ordering anything or directing any one. In fact, I began to fear that all my former endeavours would prove useless, and the opening of my kitchen be a marked failure. The day appointed by Lord Paulet could not easily be changed, and such a course would have caused the success of my project to be doubted. Though I had a couple of assistants, neither of them could carry it out for me, as they did not know my plans. This sudden indisposition I only mentioned to my people and to Doctor Macgregor, who told me to keep quiet, and gave me some soothing medicine. It was Sunday afternoon before my head was clear, and, after a good night’s rest, I felt myself again, and quite able to open my kitchen on the day appointed.
The doctor attributed this mental disorder to the effect produced by the immense number of sick and wounded I was in the habit of seeing daily, and the numerous dead bodies passing before the windows to be buried. I had also witnessed several cases of autopsy and some operations. “This,” he said, “with the constant worry of business, has unnerved you to that extent, that had you unfortunately taken the fever, you would perhaps never have recovered your senses.” However, thanks to a kind Providence, I was able to open my kitchen at the appointed time. It met with perfect success, and the entire approbation of all the medical gentlemen and visitors present. They all expressed themselves highly gratified, and declared that the various samples of diets I then submitted for their opinion were much preferable to those produced under the old system, besides having the merit of being concocted with the same ration allowance.
The plan I adopted was this:—my samples of diets and extra diets being prepared, I arranged the basins containing the different diets on the table, and in juxta-position I placed those prepared by the soldiers, affixing a number to each, to enable the people present to make a comparison. All was ready by eleven o’clock, and one being the time appointed for the arrival of the visitors, I fetched Doctor Cumming, and requested him to taste the several samples, and give me his candid opinion; observing that everything was made from the usual allowance, and cost about the same, or even less, when made in large quantities.
No. 1, was beef-tea. Tasting my sample first, Doctor Cumming pronounced it good; the other, without taste or flavour. No. 1 was adopted.
Then followed chicken-broth, mutton-broth, beef-soup, rice-water, barley-water, arrowroot-water, ditto with wine, sago with port, calves’-foot jelly, &c. Everything was found superior, and so highly commended by the doctor-in-chief, I no longer had any doubt of success, nor of the general approval of all the faculty. I promised to lay the recipes for my new diets before the doctor the next day, and he retired.[10]