Description of the models of hospital cars, exhibited in room no. 2

International Exhibition of 1876.

HOSPITAL

OF

Medical Department, United States Army.

No. 2.

DE8CEIPT10 N

OF THE

Models of J|ospital Qars

EXHIBITED IN ROOM No. 2.

J. J. WO O I) W A B J),

Assistant Sturgeon, U. S. A..
TN OHABCfS OF THE liF.I'UF.KF.XTATION OF TIIF. MEDICAX DEPARTMENT, V B. A.

fh iladelphia, 1876.

(ilHSON HttOTHKHS, Pbintkhs.
WaMngtm, l>. C-

Internationa], Exhibition of 1876.

HOSPITAL

OF

Medical Department, United States Army.

DESCRIPTION OF THE MODELS OF HOSPITAL CARS.

These models are intended to represent especially those methods of
adapting the ordinary rolling-stock of American railroads to the trans-
portation of sick and wounded soldiers, which were found to be most
satisfactory during the war of 1861-5. They are all on the scale of one
inch to the foot, and are made of hard wood and brass, all details being
carefully worked out ; they are made with their roofs removable to
permit the inspection of the interior. They were constructed in accord-
ance with plans furnished from the Surgeon-General's office, by J. G.
Brill & Co., car builders. Thirty first and Chestnut streets, Philadelphia,
Pa.

Various plans were adopted by the several armies, some of them as
early as the summer of 18G1, a description of which may be found in a
recent report by Assistant-Surgeon G. A. Otis, United States Army.*
As might have been anticipated, these methods were brought to the
greatest perfection in the rear of the great Western armies, after they
began to move southward from Chattanooga. While these armies were
operating chiefly on the Mississippi river and its tributaries, hospital
steamboats, one of which is represented by the model of the D. A.
January, afforded a convenient mode of transporting their sick and
wounded to the general hospitals at the base of operations and in the

* (t. A. Otis, AssUtaiU-Snryeon U. S. Army. A report on, a plan for transport-
ing wounded soldiers by railway in time of war, with descriptions of various methods
employed for this purpose on different occasions Washington! Wah Department

KuKaK<>N-(rKNKUAl/H Or KICK, I S7.">.

3

I

Northwestern States j but after they concentrated at Chattanooga this
was no longer feasible, and it became necessary to extend considerably
the arrangements already made by the Army of the Cumberland for
the transportation of its own siek and wounded on the railroad from
Chattanooga to Nashville and Louisville. The first hospital ears on
this route were run between Nashville and Louisville, before the con-
centration alluded to, but the service was subsequently extended to
Chattanooga, and afterwards to Atlanta.

Surgeon George E. Cooper reports that when he became Medical
Director of the Department of the Cumberland, in May, 18G4, he found
a train of hospital cars, which had been fitted up under the direction of
Acting Assistant-Surgeon J. B. Barnvim, already in operation on the
line, one hundred and eighty-five miles in length, between Louisville
and Nashville. This service he rapidly extended, using freight cars to
some extent, but giving the preference to passenger cars fitted up with
litters, so as to carry the patients in the recumbent position, until, as
Dr. Otis states in the report above referred to, before the close of the
year 1864, " there were three hospital railway trains, each consisting of
ten or twelve ears, with several freight or baggage cars attached some-
times, connecting the advance of the army with Nashville and Louisville;
one train at least daily leaving the vicinity of the field hospitals. In
each train, one car was fitted up exclusively as a kitchen and store room,
and another as a dispensary, with accommodation for the medical officer
in charge, and an ample supply of medicines, stores, instruments, and
appliances.

"These cars were fitted up under the immediate supervision of
Medical Director Cooper, and of Surgeon O. O. Herriek, 34th Illinois
volunteers.

" General Thomas accorded the fullest authority to Medical Director
Cooper to select for the hospital trains the best locomotives and cars to
be found among the rolling-stock, and to have new cars fitted up when-
ever necessary, and caused to be detailed for the hospital service the most
experienced conductors, engineers, and other employes of the several
railway lines. Medical Director Cooper informs the reporter that the
smoke-pipes of the locomotives of the hospital trains, were painted of a
brilliant scarlet ; the exterior of the hood, and of the tender-car with
water and fuel, were of the same conspicuous color, with gilt ornament
ation. At night, beneath the head-light of the engine, three red lanterns
were suspended in a row. These distinguishing signals were recog-
nized by the Confederates, and the trains were never fired upon or
molested in any way. Dr. Cooper was informed by wounded Confeder-
ate; oncers in N ishville. who were captured at the battle near that place.

5

of the stringent orders given his troopers by General N. B. Forrest for
the aon-interference with, and protection of, the U. S. A. hospital trains,
by giving them timely warning in the event of the railway being ob-
structed or torn up. The partisan troops of Colonel John Morgan's
command had similar instructions. It is related, that on one occasion
Colonel Morgan's scouts stopped the train directed by Dr. Barnum, and
having switched it off upon a siding, after inquiring if there were suffi-
cient stores on the train for the sick and wounded, they tore up the
main track, and then rifled and destroyed five supply trains that suc-
cessively arrived at the point where the line was interrupted.

•• Ventilation, without exposure to drafts, Avas well provided for in
these cars, by windows in the elevated part of the ceiling, and by valvu-
lar openings near the roof.

•• When General Sherman's army was before Atlanta, until the lines
of communication were destroyed, preparatory to the march to the sea,
hospital cars ran regularly from the front to base hospitals, some of
which were four hundred and seventy-two miles distant."

Assistant-Surgeon F. L. Town, U. S. A., in a report on these hos-
pital trains, states that the conception of a complete hospital, with
all its appliances and means of comfort, propelled by steam, was first
carried into practical operation in the medical department of the West,
and its perfect success was most gratifying to all. In visiting these
hospital trains the air is found sweet and pure, the wards neat and
inviting, and it may unhesitatingly be said that men on hospital trains
are often as comfortable, and better fed and attended, than in many
permanent hospitals."

The operations of the Army of the Potomac led it for a large part of
its history to occupy such camp sites that water transportation was
available, and was extensively used for its sick and wounded. While
this army lay along the Kapidan, however, transportation by rail became
necessary, and a number of hospital cars were constructed for the pur-
pose. Specially-constructed hospital cars were also used on several of
the Northern railroads, and various plans for both freight and passen-
ger cars were employed by the Confederate authorities. An account of
these devices will be found in the report of Dr. Otis, already alluded to.

To illustrate this subject, five models have been constructed. No. 1
represents the surgeon's car of a hospital train of the Army of the Cum-
berland. Nro. '2, the kitchen car of a, hospital train of the Army of the
Cumberland. No. 3, the form of car found most satisfactory for the
transportation of sick and wounded in the Army of the Cumberland.
No. 4, a hospital car of the Army of the Potomac. No. 5, a freight car
fitted up with litters for transporting sick and wounded.

6

No. 1. s,injt <>n's Car, Hospital Train of the A mvy of the Cumber-
land.— This model represents an ordinary passenger ear, with the seats
removed, and with partitions and fixtures introduced), so as to lodge the
surgeon in charge of the train and his hospital steward, and give
accommodations for the dispensary of the train, with an office for the
transaction of business.

Fig. i. — Horizontal plan of surgeon's car, Army of the Cumber l<iml

Figure 1 represents the arrangements of this car.

A, dispensary and steward's quarters; a, desk and book-ease; shelves
for medicines. This apartment contains also a revolving chair at the
desk and a bed for the steward.

B, sm'geon's sitting-room ; d, lounge ; e, water-closet ; J\ clothes-
closet.

C, surgeon's bed-room ; c, bed.

D, office ; g, lounge ; h, water-cooler ; i, wood-box and stove.

E, wash-room, with water-basin, tank, and dressing locker.
F F, passage through car.

G, water-closet.

t No. 2. Kitchen Oar, Hospital Train of the Army of the Camber-
land. — This model represents an ordinary passenger car with the seats
removed, and with partitions and fixtures introduced for a kitchen, store-
room, and dining-room.

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Fig. 2. — Horizontal plan of kitchen car, Army of the Cumberland.

Figure 2 represents the arrangements.

A, kitchen; a, cooking range ; b, sink; c, cupboard; d, table and
shelves.

B, store-room ; e, ice-box ; f shelves for provisions.

C, dining-room ; </, table, surrounded by benches. This apartment
contains also a stove and wood-box.

7

No. 3. Gar for Sick and Wounded, Hospital Train of the Army of
the Cumberland. — This model represents an ordinary passenger ear,
litted up in the manner reported by Medical Director Cooper to be "the
simplest and best form."

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FlG. 3. — Horizontal />lan of one of the hospital ears of the Army of the Cumber/and. — (O i ls )

Figure 3 is a horizontal plan of the arrangements. Figure 4 is a

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Fig. 4. — Longitudinal section of one of the hospital cars of the Army of the Cumber-
land.— (Otis.)

longitudinal section of a part of the
car. Figure 5, a transverse section.

The arrangements were as fol-
lows :

The alternate seats of the passen-
ger car were removed, and suitable
slats laid upon them for the recep-
tion of mattresses. On one side of
the car, one of the beds was omitted,
and two windows and the adjoining
panelling being removed, a wide
door was introduced, " affording an
ample space for the ingress and
egress of litters with the most se-
verely wounded patients." Eleven
beds were thus formed, above each
of which an ordinary field stretcher,
with its handles shorten ed, was sus-
pended by means of two iron hooks,

FlO, s.— Ttansversc section of one of the ho\-
fiital cars of the Army of the Cumberland
(Oris.)

8

one at each end, fixed in the side of the ear, and two iron rods termin-
ating in hooks, which were fastened above to the roof of the our.
Eleven additional beds were thus provided, so that the car would earry
twenty-two patients, one to each bed ; but the lower beds were so wide,
(about 44 inches,) that two patients could be carried in each when
deemed expedient, (especially mild cases,) in which case the car carried
thirty-three patients. Each car was provided with a water-closet, stove,
wood box, and water-cooler.

No. 4. Hospital Car of the Army of the Potomac. — This model
represents the form of a hospital car devised by Mr. J. McCrickett,
Assistant Superintendent of Military Railroads, and recommended Re-
construction by Surgeon R. O. Abbott, U. S. A. The cars were not
passenger cars refitted, but were specially devised for the purpose, the
frame-work being plain, and constructed with a special view to strength.
All the details of the frame-work are faithfully worked out in the model.
Figure (5 is a horizontal plan. Figure 7, a longitudinal section of apart
of one of the cars. Figure 8, a transverse section.

Fig. (..—Horizontal plan of one of the hospital cars of the Army of the Potomac. — (Oris.)

Vu. 7— Longitudinal section of a part of one of the hospital cars of the Army of the

I'otoinac. — (Oris.)

The ears were 45 feet long and 8^ broad, inside measure. Six and a
half feet were partitioned off at one end of the car for the medical officer
in charge of the car. This apartment was iitted up with a deBk, shelves
for books and medicines, revolving chair and lounge. In the rest of
the car, ten beds were constructed, by placing seats like those used in
passenger cars, but without backs, at suitable, intervals. On these, slats
were laid for the reception of mattresses. Ten beds were thus formed.

which, however, were narrower than
those of the hospital car of the Army
of the Cumberland, (viz., thirty
inches wide,) being intended for the
reception of a single patient each.
A passage-way three and a half feet
wide was thus left. Above each of
these beds two ordinary field stretch-
ers, with their handles shortened,
were suspended in the following
manner: Opposite the middle of
each of the seats supporting the

lower beds, an upright wooden post FlG 8 _Transversc section o/ „,,e of the /,
was erected, extending from the floor "f thc Army °f th° c

to the roof, and firmly fastened at
each extremity. Each stretcher was supported in its place by means
of two iron hooks, (one at each end,) fastened to the side of the car,
and two leather loops, (one at each end,) fastened to the upright posts.
Beds were thus provided for thirty patients in all. Two stoves, a water-
cooler, and a water-closet completed the outfit, and in order to give
ready access to the severely wounded, carried on stretchers, the door at
the end of the car, intended for patients, was made three and a-half
feet wide.

No. 5. Freight (Jar fitted up for the Transportation of the Sick and
Wounded. — This model is intended to represent the plan devised by
Grand, a German master machinist, and adjudged the most suitable for
freight cars by the Prussian Commission of 1868.

It consists " in supporting three ordinary field stretchers in the front,
and three in the rear part of the freight car, twenty feet long, by means
of transverse wooden bars, resting on semi elliptical plate springs. The
springs are spiked at one end to the flooring, to keep the bars station-
ary, while at the other end are rollers, to permit the yielding of the
springs. The latter are surmounted by U pieces, or clips to receive the

J

I'n.. —Enlarged view of the spring used in GruntSs system, and' adopted in the

Bavarian trains , for the sufifiort of litters. — (Otis.) *

10

cross-bars. Four cross beams ami eight springs constitute tlie outlit
requisite for the reception of six litters." Figure '.) represents one of
these springs, which are three feet in length. Figure 1U is a longitudi-
nal section of a part of
the freight car arranged
in this manner, showing
a stretcher in position.
The freight car repre-
sented in the model is
the ordinary box car of
the Pennsylvania rail-
road, which is twenty
seven feet long by seven
and a half broad, inside
measure. By a different
arrangement of the
springs, eight stretchers
might be accommodated,
as is shown in a partial
model, representing the floor of a car of the same size.

Assistant-Surgeon Otis has recommended that, in any future war, the
Quartermaster's Department of our army should be authorized to keep
on hand a supply of these semi-elliptical springs. Trains going to the
front with pi-ovisions, forage, or ammunition, should then each carry,
suspended nnder the roof, a sufficient number of these springs, with the
spikes required, to enable the car on its return, instead of going back
empty, to carry comfortably, on beds improvised by means of the ordi-
nary field stretchers, a number of sick or wounded, corresponding to
its size. Assistant- Surgeon Otis has also suggested that these springs
might be utilized in connection with field stretchers for the comfortable
conveyance of the wounded in ordinary army wagons.

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Fig. io. — Longitudinal section of a part of a freight car
arranged on Gruntf's system. — ^Otis.)