Hospital existed, it may be as well to briefly describe them here.

Convalescents were turned over to the steward, and their meals were
attended to by him and his assistants. I had only to see that their
mess-room was kept in order and that their rations were cooked to the
best advantage. For the sick I had my own kitchen, my own cooks and
other servants, my own store-room, also liberty to send out foragers.
Every morning I sent to each surgeon a list of such diet as I could
command for the sick. With this in hand he was able to decide upon the
proper food for each patient. Each bed was numbered. The head-nurse
kept a small book, into which he copied each day's diet-list. He was
also expected to have ready every morning a fresh piece of paper, upon
which the surgeon wrote the numbers of the beds, and opposite, F.D.,
H.D., L.D., V.L.D., or S.D. (full diet, half diet, light diet, very
light diet, and special diet). If special directions were needed, the
surgeon brought the list to my business-room. If not, it was left with
the head-nurse, and when I made my own rounds it would be my guide in
consulting the tastes of the patients themselves as to the kind of
food they preferred and its preparation. Of all this I made notes. I
made it a point to feed the very ill patients myself. Others wore
served from a distributing-room, where at regular meal-times I always
presided, sitting at the end of a long table, having a pile of tin
numbers before me corresponding to the numbers on the beds in the
wards. There was an under-steward whose business it was to supply the
plates; also two helpers. The head-nurse from Ward No. 1 having come
down with his subordinates would call out, "No. 1, full diet," or as
the case might be. As the plate was filled, I handed out the
corresponding number, which was put upon the plate. The plates having
been placed upon large wooden trays, were carried off to the ward.
Then came No. 2, and so on, all the special patients having been