A manual of practical hygiene : prepared especially for use in the medical service of the Army / by Edmund A. Parkes.

Date:
1864
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A manual of practical hygiene : prepared especially for use in the medical service of the Army / by Edmund A. Parkes. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

    614/686 (page 578)
    SERVICE 0^ BOARD SHIP * Seevice on board ship must be divided into three sections, con-esponding to those different kinds of service. 1. Transport ships, for the conveyance of healthy soldiers, their wives and cliildren, from place to place, or conveying small parties of troops in charge of convicts. 2. Transports for conveyance of sick from an army in the field to an hospital in rear, or from a foreign station to a sanitarium, or home. Although the term is a httle odd, it is convenient to call these ships Sick Transports. 3. Hospital sliips, intended for the reception and treatment of the sick. SECTIO^s^ I. TRANSPOETS FOR HEALTHY TROOPS. At present Government employs a few steam vessels of its OAvn whicli convey troops, but the greater part of the transport is carried on by vessels hired at the time. This plan has been much objected to, and as strongly defended. The plan by Government transports is said to be cheaper, and to have the advantage of vessels specially prepared for the service. Considering the great and constant transport wliich is now necessary, it is difficidt to believe that this plan would not be better in all Avays.t At present, however, merchant sliips which happen to be disengaged are hu'ed for the voyage. They are inspected by Government officers, and such alterations as are necessary are made in tliem. Before troops are permitted to embark, they are carefully inspected by the principal medical officer and the medical officer in charge. * In writing this chapter, I have made use of Dr Wilson's work on Transports, and of Dr Kirwan's Despatch of Troops by Sea. I have also had the advantage of reading a lectiu-e given by Dr Fyffe at the Army Medical School, and a MS. essay on Transports, by Dr Davidson of the Army Medical School. I have also been allowed to read some sets of regulations for the management of troops at sea, drawn up by officers in command for their own use, and must especially refer to one excellent set of rules dra'wn up by Major Macpherson, '2-lt.h Regiment. t Coiild not some of the old wooden ships, now useless aiid rotting in the Medway or other ports, be used for this pui-pose. Their crews being men-of-war sailors, would add to the strength of the navy, and in time of war, when transports would be less wanted, might return to the armed men of war. The great advantages which would result from the use of Government transports have been very well and forciblv put liy Dr Kirwan (see Despatch of Troops by Sea, pages 6-12).