Part 52 (1/2)

The condition of portability requiring that the walls and roofs should be of the thinnest and slightest possible construction, protection against heat has been provided for in the manner before referred to, and good ventilation secured by mechanical means. But, in addition to this, there is a very simple provision made for pa.s.sing the air over a considerable extent of water surface; which would not only cool it, but diminish the effect of excessive dryness, which is said to be occasionally in this climate more oppressive than even the temperature.

As the s.p.a.ce in the wards is very liable to be encroached upon, and the beds crowded, portable baths have been designed, into which the more helpless patients can be lifted, and lowered, on a frame or sack, without requiring s.p.a.ce for a.s.sistants to stand around, or with the bath placed only at the foot of the bed.

The kitchen and laundry have each required many special contrivances.

The instructions given to Mr. Brunton, the engineer, who has been sent out for the purpose of erecting these buildings, are, to commence by determining on his plan of arrangement to suit the peculiarities of the ground, and then to construct the complete system of drainage and to lay on the water supply before the buildings are rendered capable of receiving patients; and all the arrangements of the details are designed with the view of obtaining, as the first conditions, a perfect system of drainage, a good supply of water, free ventilation, and the most perfect cleanliness, quite independent of labour and of the continued attention of a.s.sistants; these conditions being a.s.sumed as essentials, preceding even the mere covering in of s.p.a.ce and providing shelter for patients.

The cost of these buildings, delivered ready for s.h.i.+pment, will be from 18_l._ to 22_l._ per bed, allowing 1,000 cubic feet of s.p.a.ce in each ward-room to each bed. If pressing emergency should lead to the beds being placed closer, and fifty per cent. more patients should be introduced, it is believed that the perfect system of ventilation which is secured would render these hospitals very superior to any now in use for the army.

Of the cost above named, about 12_l._ per bed is that due to the ward-rooms themselves, with all their conveniences attached, and the rest arises from the cost of the store-rooms, kitchen, machinery, residences, and appurtenances.

The cargo s.p.a.ce required for their conveyance is about a ton and a half to a ton and three-quarters measurement per bed.

As the buildings were completed the work of transport was commenced; and twenty-three steamers and sailing-vessels were despatched, containing altogether about 11,500 tons measurement of materials and stores. The first vessel arrived out on May 7, 1855, and the last on December 5, in the same year.

Meanwhile the important question of the site for the hospital buildings was being determined by Dr. Parkes, the Medical Superintendent, with the a.s.sistance of Mr. Brunton, who was in constant communication with Mr.

Brunel on the subject.

After visiting various places, Dr. Parkes finally selected a spot near the village of Renkioi, on the Dardanelles. In a report which he addressed to the Secretary of State for War upon the formation and general management of the hospital, he thus describes 'the nature of the site, and the means which were used in the formation of the hospital:'--

The piece of land on which the hospital was placed was a shelving bank of a light, porous, sandy soil, resting on marl; it contained about 270 acres, stretched tongue-like into the waters of the Dardanelles, and was bounded inland by a low range of sandstone hills, which were themselves backed by rather lofty ranges of oolitic limestone, intersected by deep ravines. The tongue of land formed two bays, north and south, in both of which was good anchorage for s.h.i.+ps, and as the wind blew almost always up or down the Dardanelles, i.e. from the north-east or south-west, one or other of these bays was comparatively calm in all winds except those which came infrequently from the west.

The position of the spot was on the Asiatic coast, nine miles from the mouth of the Dardanelles, in lat. 40 2', long. 26 21'. It was the site of the port of an old Greek city, the ancient Ophrynium.

The extreme point of this tongue of land was about 10 feet above the sea, but from this point it rose regularly and gradually to about 100 feet above the sea. An admirable fall was thus given for drainage, and so gradual was the rise that the wooden houses were placed on the ground without terracing or excavation, whereby very great expense was saved. The extreme length from the point to a spot too steep for the erection of houses was about half a mile, and we were enabled thus to place down the centre of the tongue of land no less than thirty-four houses, capable of holding 1,500 sick, in one long line on either side of the central corridor, an arrangement which facilitated very greatly the laying of both water-pipes and drain-tubes. In fact, we were able to carry out the plan which Mr. Brunel had suggested as the best.

There was enough s.p.a.ce on the tongue of land, on either side of this long central line, for two shorter parallel lines of seventeen houses each. These two lines were placed one to the north, and the other to the south of the large central hospital. Each was capable of containing 750 men, and one of them to the north was nearly completed when the declaration of peace put a stop to the works.

On the sides of the hills in rear were numerous small springs of excellent water, which were collected together and conveyed in earthenware pipes to a large reservoir, placed by Mr. Brunton 70 feet above the highest house, which was itself about 60 feet above the sea. From this reservoir the water was carried in iron pipes down the centre of the long corridor, and at every ward (which was placed at intervals at either side of the corridor) a leaden service-pipe came off, and led an abundant and never-ceasing supply into the ward cisterns, which supplied the baths, lavatories, and closets. By this arrangement all necessity for pumping water was avoided, and the sewers were able to be flushed very perfectly.

The lavatories and closets were placed at the ends of the wards most remote from the corridor, and immediately outside them ran the two main sewers, which at their sea terminations were carried some distance into the Dardanelles.

The plan of the hospital may be at once understood by imagining a covered way, open at the sides, and 22 feet wide, running nearly east and west, and reaching for a length of more than a third of a mile, on either side of which stood, at intervals of 27 feet on the south side, and in most cases 94 feet on the north, the thirty-four houses, each of which, as already said, was 100 feet long, 40 feet wide, 12 feet high at the eaves, and 25 in the centre, and was capable of containing fifty patients, with an allowance of nearly 1,300 cubic feet of air for each man. Some portion of this s.p.a.ce was occupied by the closets and some small rooms used as orderlies'

and bath-rooms. Thirty of these houses were used as wards; four were used as dispensaries and purveyor's stores. A drawing by Mr.

Brunton, showing the arrangements of one of the wards, is attached.[189]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 22. RENKIOI HOSPITAL.

WARD BUILDING.

A. Corridor B. Ward room C. Orderlies' bed-room D. Bath-room E. Medical officer F. Lavatory, &c.

_g._ Ventilating fan _h._ Ventilating air-trunk _i._ Main drain _j._ Tables in wards

_Transverse Section._

_Longitudinal Section._