3. Before they go into the Wards, to order that they be well cleaned out, and sprinkled with Vinegar, and afterwards fumigated, and aired by opening the Windows, or by Working the Ventilators.
4. If the Infection be very strong, to take a Glass of the spirituous Tincture of the Bark just before they go into the Hospital.
5. To put small Rolls of Lint, dipped in camphorated Spirits, up the Nostrils, and to direct a Vessel, with warm camphorated Vinegar, to be carried round, and held near the Patients they are examining.
6. In examining Patients affected with the Petechial Fever, or any other malignant Distempers, to stand at some little Distance, and ask what Questions they may think proper; and when they come near, to feel the Pulse, and examine the Skin, not to inspire while their Head is near the Patient’s Body; but after being fully satisfied in these Points, to retire a little, and ask what other Questions may be necessary.
It would be right to establish some military Rank for every commissioned Officer of the Hospital on Service, and to settle the same Subordination in the physical as in the military Department. By these Means, the Service would be carried on with greater Order, and more Advantage to the Sick.
And it would be right, in Times of War, to add a Clause in the Mutiny Bill to allow any military Officer on convalescent Duty to call in the commissioned physical Officers to assist in making up a Court-Martial, when there are not a sufficient Number of military Officers in a Place, to try convalescent Soldiers guilty of Crimes. For in Times of Service, very often a sufficient Number of military Officers cannot be spared to be on Duty at the different Military Hospitals; and at all such Places the Convalescents are generally very disorderly, when they know that there is not a sufficient Number of Officers to form a Court-Martial for punishing them. Where-ever there are a sufficient Number of military Officers, no physical Officer ought ever to be called upon as a Member of a Court-Martial.
Men, in Time of Service, are often apt to saunter in and about Hospitals, and there learn all Manner of Debaucheries, and lose all Sense of Discipline; and therefore, to keep up Order and Decorum, there ought to be, at every Fixed and every large Military Hospital, a military Inspector or Commander, an Officer of known Activity and Probity; and a Number of Officers on convalescent Duty sufficient to form a Court-Martial whenever required.
The Duty of the Military Inspector, or Commander, should be, to take Care of all Convalescents on Billet; to see that the Officers under him do their Duty, and maintain the same Regularity and Discipline among the Men belonging to their respective Corps, as if they were with their Regiments; and that the Men attend the Parade and Roll-calling; and that they always appear neat and clean.
He ought, from Time to Time, to visit the Hospitals; to see if they are kept clean; to enquire if the Men behave well, if the Diet is good, and the Officers, Nurses, and Servants, do their Duty; and if he finds any Thing amiss, to report the same to the Physicians and Surgeons of the Hospital, or to the Purveyor or Commissary, or others, under whose Department it may be, that the same may be immediately rectified; and if he finds that the superior Officers of the Hospital overlook such Abuses, notwithstanding his Representations, to report the same immediately to the Head Quarters.
He ought to order one of the Officers on convalescent Duty to visit the Hospitals daily, to make the Enquiries above-mentioned, and to give him a Report of the same in Writing.