Rigid rules concerning the work and behavior of both patient's and nurses were instituted by the administrative surgeons. Rules for the Jarvis Army General Hospital in Baltimore spelled out the overall responsibilities of patients and nurses. The Patients will obey all lawful orders and instructions given them by the Nurses. They will be careful to be cleanly, and their conduct must be exemplary. All swearing, vulgar language and indecent exposure are strictly prohibited, under penalty of severe punishment. The Wards must be thoroughly ventilated an cleaned once each day, and the beds must be arranged as often as they may require — care being taken to have things in proper condition at all times for inspection. If a patient needs medical or surgical attendance, the Nurse must at once see the Medical Officer of the Day, and request him to visit the person who is complaining. The interests of the afflicted require that the Nurses be mild and humane in waiting on their more unfortunate companions, and the Surgeon in Charge expects this of them. No lounging on beds or smoking in the wards will be tolerated, and each bed, when not occupied, must be covered with clean bedding, which should be thoroughly changed at least once a week. The Female Nurses must be treated with the utmost respect and it must be remembered, a true soldier is always known by his good conduct. Patients must take baths at regular intervals, and, when indicated by nature they must have their hair and beard cut, as their is no excuse for vermin in a well-regulated Hospital. The female Nurse will not be allowed in the wards after tatoo; and while all lady friends and relatives of Patients will be treated with proper courtesy and respect when visiting the Hospital, they will not be allowed in any of the wards after dark, except by special permission from the Surgeon in Charge. Nursing in the American Civil War Back to Cry Havoc #10 Table of Contents Back to Cry Havoc List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1994 by David W. Tschanz. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com