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D. Deyser
To C. F. Wharry, M.D., Superintendent
I have the honour to be, Sir,
Your obedient Servant, Levant.
sgth C. F. Wharry, M.D., Superintendent
Colonial Surgeon
Forwarded to the Colonial Secretary accompanying an expression of explanations (The Hospital) not having been freed yet.
In forwarding these letters of the Superintendent, I have to give some explanation of their origin. After the Superintendent received His Excellency the Governor's decision that he should take charge of the new Hospital, which was sent to him on the 21st instant.
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I received notice from Dr. Loelhead about 8 o'clock that a case of varioloid had occurred on board ship and would require to come to Hospital next morning. I considered it wise to inform the Superintendent and requested him to order the Ambulance to be at the wharf at 9 o'clock to convey the patient to the Hospital. After 10 o'clock I received a note from the Superintendent which I enclose. Nothing more could be done that day.
Acting-Colonial-Secretary sent down and how the Hospital and wrote to Dr. Wharry and requested him to put his objections in writing. This letter was not ready when I was at the Government Civil Hospital at 11 o'clock and I did not get it till I returned home from my rounds.
In the meantime on my first visit I found orders had been given concerning the seaman I had written about. I therefore myself gave orders for the Ambulance to meet him and for him to go to the building which has been to this time used as a Small Pox Hospital.
Now to reply to Dr. Wharry's letters, the patients that Dr. Wharry mentions and the staff are mixed up. The patients he was asked to take charge of, the girl and one seaman, were for whom there was ample accommodation.
The patients already in the old Hospital he had nothing to do with.
In the designs of the new Small Pox Hospital, I had to consider that it was required as soon as possible, at the least expense and to judge of its requirements from the time of the last outbreak six years ago.
The building was to be considered only as temporary. The larger ward will hold six people, eight at a pinch. The two smaller wards were intended for female patients and one private patient and the head nurse.
Closets are emptied on the dry earth system and the night-soil for that must be removed to a pit outside like the one used.
The patients can have the bath at the side of their beds, a screen temporarily as is often done in the Hospital.
No storage is required, supplies are sent in as bedding except more in actual use being allowed. Linen if not too much soiled is disinfected and sent out of Hospital at once and bedding burnt when done with.
All this might have been easily arranged had it suited Dr. Wharry's purpose.
A linen or wicker case was wanted.