An Account of the Diseases which were most frequent in the British military hospitals in Germany

by Donald Monro

If there be separate Hospitals for the Surgery Patients, the eldest Surgeon ought to direct every Thing in the Hospital he attends; and when any Thing is wanted for his Hospital, to report the same to the Physician General.

The directing and purveying Branches ought never to be entrusted to the same Person, as the Temptation of accumulating Wealth has at all Times, and in all Services, given Rise to the grossest Abuses, which have been a great Detriment to the Service, as well as to the poor wounded and sick Soldiers, and has occasioned the Loss of many Lives. And therefore neither the Physician General, nor any of the Physicians or Surgeons of the Army, or any other Person concerned in the Direction of the Military Hospitals, ought ever to act as Purveyor or Commissary; nor ought they ever to have any Thing to do with the Accounts, Contracts, or any other Money Affairs relating to the Hospital; and if ever they be found to intermeddle in these Affairs, they ought to be immediately dismissed the Service.

The purveying or commissariate Branch ought to be entirely distinct from the physical. The Purveyors or Commissaries ought punctually to obey whatever Orders they receive from the Physicians or Surgeons; to provide every Thing for the Hospital; to keep regular Accounts of all the Men who come into, or go out of the Hospitals; and from Time to Time to make Returns to Head Quarters of all the Men in Hospitals; and their Accounts ought to be controuled by such Persons as the Government may think proper.

Every Physician and Surgeon of a Military Hospital ought to visit the Sick at regular stated Hours, and the Mates to attend and go round with them, and receive and execute their Orders.

Every Mate ought to have a certain Number of Patients allotted him, for whom he is to make up all Medicines, dress all Sores, and execute whatever Orders he receives from the Physician, Surgeon, or Apothecary. That the Mates may know and execute their Duty, proper Orders in Writing should be hung up in the Apothecaries Shop for that Purpose. The following are those which I gave out at all the Hospitals I attended in Germany.

Orders for the Mates.

1. That all the Gentlemen do attend at the Apothecaries Shop every Morning at eight o’Clock, to assist in making up the common Medicines of the Day, and afterwards to go round the Hospitals with the Physicians and Surgeons.

2. That every Mate have a Book for writing the Prescriptions of the Physicians in, which is to be kept in the following Order.—First, to mark the Patient’s Name and Regiment; then the Day of his Entry into the Hospital and his Disorder; then the Prescriptions of the Physician; and after all the Day of his Discharge, or of his Death. Ex. gr.

John Clarke, 20th Regiment. Jan. 1. Fever.

Jan. 1. V. S. unc. x.—H. salin. cum pulv. contrayerv. 4^r. die.—2. Emplast. vesicat. dorso, &c.