Existing comment:
With the influx of large numbers of sick and wounded soldiers, the cities of the eastern and southern coasts became centers for large general hospitals. New hospitals were designed and built. Others were created from existing buildings. A belief that "bad air" caused certain diseases suggested that increased airflow would reduce sickness. As a result, new hospitals maximized the ventilation of their wards.
Some hospitals specialized in the care of certain injuries or medical conditions. For example, Turner's Lane Hospital in Philadelphia became the Union Army's hospital for the care of neurological disorders. The Confederate medical command favored the construction of very large hospitals. With 8,000 beds and 250 surgeons, Chimborazo Hospital in Richmond was one of the largest. |