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Archibald MacMechan

Halifax Disaster Record Office Materials

Letter from E.A. Cadman, M.D., Y.M.C.A. Military Hospital to Captain A.R. Goodman, Asst., to Lt. Col. Bell

14 December 1917. — 3 pages : 30 x 49 cm.

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Capt. A. R. Goodman. --2--
that there is real need for their use.
X. RAY APPARATUS.
We have installed on the floor near the operating room and large male surgical ward, a first class X Ray apparatus, which was brought from Boston by the Medical Red Cross. This X Ray apparatus is now in operation, and owing to the fact that Miss Twombley, radiologist of my own Hospital in Boston, is here to do the work, we could probably take care of any demand there may be for X Ray work from other hospitals. Male patients with fractures or foreign bodies needing X Rays can readily be admitted to the 28 empty beds in the Surgical Ward, for X Rays and the necessary surgery afterwards.
THE RELATION WITH THE MILITARY AUTHORITIES.
I suppose that I must have received some informal military appointment to temporarily fill the place of of senior medical officer, but I have received no formal appointment. During the transformation of the Y. M. C. A. Building into a Hospital, I have been acting in this capacity, and have been greatly aided in getting the hospital into condition By Lieut. Reid who from the date of the accident to the present time has rendered invaluable service, at first as a volunteer, and later as an adjutant. Capt. Barrett has given most satisfactory and efficient service in helping us obtain equipment and stores.
HOUSEKEEPING SITUATION.
At the time I took charge of the hospital, I found a committee of ladies under the informal charge of Mrs. McDougall, and Mrs. Henry, who had seen to it that the some 20 odd patients who had been admitted during the emergency should be able to get their meals, and the necessary bedside care. Up to the present these ladies have served with the greatest skill and diligence and no patient ot [or] member of the personnel has gone away hungry. For the last few days it has been evident that the strain has begun to tell on these volunteers, and it is necessary now to constitute a more regular kitchen service. Lieut. Reid has engaged two cooks, and plans to engage one more in order to put the Quartermaster Department on a definite Military Basis. I have gladly signed his suggestion for this work, as he has shown great ability in meeting the needs of his office.
NURSING SITUATION.
When Iarrived at the hospital I found that Miss Stewart of Fredericton, N. B., who is an extremely capable woman, had already attended to the nursing of the emergency patients. She has worked in the capacity of Superintendent since I arrived, although my own Superintendent Miss Stevens, has nominally been head. Miss Stevens has confined most of her work to the operating room, and large surgical ward. My other nurse, Miss Adams, has worked under Miss Stewart, and the various nurses who have been assigned from your office, and with those who came from Miss Stewart from Fredericton.
ORDERLIES.
The orderlies have worked well under the direction of Lieut. REID, and have taken their meals in the building at the same mess which has been served by the Halifax ladies, but from now on Lieut. Reid plans to have them given a separate mess downstairs, and the cooking done by one of the chefs he has engaged. Owing to the occasional crowding of the Dining Room, I have made a lasting arrangement with the proprietor of the Green Lantern, so that members of the personell can go in there for meals, and sign slips as coming from the Y. M. C. A.
QUARTERS.
Through the efficient work of Mr. Dawson of the Y. M. C. A. staff, arrangements have been made with some of the citizens of Halifax, to quarter some of the nurses and doctors outside the hospital. This arrangement could be increased, if there were a greater demand for patient's rooms, and all the nurses were thus displaced.


The Situation of the Y.M.C.A. Hospital in the evening of December 14th, 1917, with a brief statement concerning the use of the Y.M.C.A. Building, since the accident on December 6th.

Reference: Archibald MacMechan Nova Scotia Archives MG 1 volume 2124 number 13

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