The erection of the houses was commenced on May 21, 1855. On July 12, I reported the hospital ready for 300 sick; on August 11, it was ready for 500, and on December 4, for 1,000 sick. By January 1856, viz. seven months after its commencement, it was ready for 1,500 sick; and when the works were discontinued, at the end of March 1856, we could, with a little pressure, have admitted 2,200 patients. In about three months more this immense establishment for 3,000 sick could have been finished and in full activity.
On the working of the system, Dr. Parkes says in his report:—
Although the hospital was ready for 300 patients on July 12, 1855, we were not called on to receive sick till October 2. From that time till February 11, eleven ships arrived from Balaclava and Smyrna.... After February 11, 1856, we received no more sick. The total number of military patients who were received from these ships was 1,244, and, in addition, 87 soldiers were admitted, either from the guard at Renkioi or Abydos, from transport ships which touched at Renkioi, or from the English soldiers attached to the Osmanli Horse stationed at the town of Dardanelles during the summer and autumn.
The total number of admissions was 1,331—
| Cured | 961 |
| Invalided | 320 |
| Deaths | 50 |
Besides the military patients, we admitted 77 civilians.... The total number of patients actually treated was 1,408, the largest number at any one time 642....
The anticipations we had formed of the health of the spot and of its adaptability for a hospital were quite confirmed by the experience of more than a year. The winter was mild, and the climate seemed especially adapted for pulmonary complaints, of which we had a large number. The changes of temperature, it is true, were very sudden and great; but as the men had warm wards, these changes were not felt, and there were few days in which the most delicate consumptive patient could not get out into the sheltered corridor for a short time during the day. The construction of the hospital was admirably adapted for men recovering from illness. As all the wards were on the ground, as soon as a man could crawl he could get into the air either in the cool and sheltered corridor or in the spaces round the hospital.
In April and May 1856 the greater number of the patients had been either discharged or invalided home, and ... the medical and nursing staff was reduced more than one-half, and ... in the middle of July the remaining staff was sent home.
All the stores which were likely to be used or to sell well in England were sent home, and everything else was sold on the ground. Major Chads, with twenty soldiers, and Mr. Brunton remained behind, to superintend the sale of the buildings, which took place on September 20.