1. it is plainly a dictate of humanity that a government should provide for the comfort and skillful treatment of those persons who are wounded in its service, or who become diseased under the hardships of a military life and are disabled from active duty. our century is specially distinguished by the benevolent care bestowed on the indigent and the suffering, in all civilized countries, and we have reason to expect that the[301] united states would take a leading place in this care for her own citizens.
2. this has been done, and all the thoughtful attention that the case called for has been given to hospitals and asylums for the disabled and suffering, both of the army and navy, equally in peace and war.
3. in 1851, congress passed an act for the establishment of military asylums, for the purpose of making the same provision for wounded and disabled soldiers as had already been made for that class of seamen. these institutions are located in different sections of the country where deemed most eligible and convenient for those who need such a place of refuge. they are placed under the government of a board of commissioners, consisting of the general in chief, and eight other military officers of high rank, who submit their acts to the secretary of war for his approval.
4. the officers of these asylums must be taken from the army, and consist of a governor, a deputy governor, and secretary, who is also treasurer. the funds for their support are raised by a tax of twenty-five cents per month on the soldiers, to which are added the fines and penalties adjudged against soldiers by courts martial, with forfeitures for desertion, &c.
persons receiving pensions from the government may be admitted into these asylums upon condition that they surrender their pensions to the use of the institution while they remain in it.
the commissioners are authorized to buy sites and buildings for these institutions, and to receive donations of them. they also furnish them with whatever is necessary for the comfort of the inmates, and make such laws and regulations for their government as they deem proper.
deserters, mutineers, and habitual drunkards, are excluded from the benefits of these asylums.
insane asylum.
5. among these benevolent institutions provided by a generous government for the support of those who have faithfully[302] served their country, the insane asylum ought to be noticed. the title of this establishment is “the government hospital for the insane.” its objects are the cure and kind treatment of the insane of the army and navy, and of the district of columbia. it is under the control of a board of nine visitors, all of whom must be citizens of the said district. they are appointed by the president, and annually report to the secretary of the interior the condition of the asylum and its inmates. they serve without compensation.
6. the superintendent must be a physician. there is a farm attached to the asylum, which is under the direction of the superintendent, who receives patients upon the order of the secretary of the war, or the navy, and upon the order of the secretary of the interior. he may receive indigent insane persons residing in the district of columbia. if other than indigent persons are admitted, they must pay for the privilege a sum not less than the cost of their support.
7. the military hospitals in time of war are for temporary purposes, and are established wherever the army happens to be, and especially near where the great battles have been fought, that immediate relief may be given to the sick and wounded. these are established by the commanders of the army, and are under their control. and here let it be recorded to their praise, that since military hospitals were known, never have any been seen which for order, cleanliness and efficiency in administering to the comfort and care of the sick and wounded soldiers, surpassed those of the united states during the late civil war.
