The wounded and sick had also
been moved, and at least placed under shelter. Surgeons, however, were
unable to obtain either suitable diet or needed medicines.
Requisitions failed to be promptly filled, and hence the state of
things I have tried to describe.
Dr. McAllister was absent most of the time in the interests of the
unfortunates under his charge. Meantime, I struggled to perform my
duties among the sick, and to exert authority, of which, as I soon
discovered, I possessed but the semblance. Nothing was left undone by
the women before referred to to thwart and annoy me. They had
evidently determined I should not remain there. I had ample evidence
that they were neglectful and unscrupulous in their dealings with the
patients.
In one of the rooms, separated from the other patients, I found a man
who had been brought in several days before, suffering from excessive
drinking. Not being able to obtain whiskey, he had managed to get hold
of a bottle of turpentine emulsion from a table in the hall, and had
drank the whole. Dr. Minor and I worked for hours with this
unfortunate and hoped he would recover, but other patients required
looking after, and during my absence whiskey was smuggled in to him,
of which he partook freely.
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