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APPENDIX B
LAW OF 27 JULY 1775
The Congress took into consideration the reportof the committee on establishing an hospital, and the same being debated,was
agreed to as follows:
That for the establishment of an hospital foran army consisting of 20,000 men the following officers and other attendantsbe
appointed, with the following allowance or pay, viz.
1 Director general and chief physician, his pay per day | 4 dollars |
4 Surgeons, per diem, each | 1 1/3 do. |
1 Apothecary | 1 1/3 do. |
20 Mates, each | 2/3 do. |
1 Clerk | 2/3 do. |
2 Storekeepers, each | 4 dollars per month |
1 Nurse to every 10 sick | 1/15 of a dollar per day, or 2 dollars per month |
Labourers occasionally. |
|
The duty of the above officers: viz.
Director to furnish medicines, Bedding and allother necessaries, to pay for the same, superintend the whole, and makehis
report to, and receive orders from the commander in chief.
Surgeons, apothecary and mates: To visit and attendthe sick and the mates to obey the orders of the physicians, surgeons andapothecary.
Matron: To superintend the nurses, bedding, etc.
Nurses: To attend the sick, and obey the matron'sorders.
Clerk: To keep accounts for the director and storekeepers.
Storekeeper: To receive and deliver the beddingand other necessaries by order of the director . . . .
The Congress then proceeded to the choice of officersfor the Hospital, when Benjamin Church was unanimously elected as directorof, and chief physician in, the hospital.
Resolved, That the appointment of the fourSurgeons and the Apothecary be left to Doctr. Church.
That the Mates be appointed by the Surgeons; thatthe number do not exceed twenty; that the number be not kept in constantpay, unless the sick and wounded should be so numerous as to require theattendance of twenty, and to be diminished as circumstances will admit;for wch. purpose, the pay is fixed by the day, that they may only receivepay for actual service.
That one Clerk and two storekeepers and one nurseto every 10 sick be appointed by the Director.
SOURCE: Ford, Journals of theContinental Congress, 2: 209-10, 211.
