Nova Scotia Archives

Archibald MacMechan

Halifax Disaster Record Office Materials

Copy of 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. — 5 pages : 30 x 38 cm.

view page 1 2 3 4 5 view transcript 1 2 3 4 5

close

note: transcription publicly contributed - please contact us with comments, errors or omisions

3.

RELATION WITH THE MILITARY AUTHORITIES

I suppose I must have received some informal military appointment to temporarily fill the place of the senior medical officer, but I have received no formal appointment. During he 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. Captain 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 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 ona 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 I arrived 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 with 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,


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 15

Nova Scotia Archives — https://archives.novascotia.ca/macmechan/archives/

Crown copyright © 2024, Province of Nova Scotia.