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Report To The U.S. Sanitary Commission. On A System For The Economical Relief Of Disabled Soldiers, And On Certain Proposed Amendments To Our Present Pension Laws

Creator: John Ordronauz (author)
Date: 1864
Publisher: Sanford, Harroun & Co., New York
Source: Available at selected libraries

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250  

The mean age, counting Invalids alone, is 68 years.

251  

Of the 2,311 invalids, not more than 15 or 20 are soldiers of the Crimean and Italian wars. This results from the fact that, since that time, the rise in the scale of pensions has enabled Invalids to live at home, in preference to going into the Hotel.

252  

PROPORTION OF INVALIDS ABLE TO LABOR.

253  

Of the 2,083 invalids, (excluding the 16 drummers,) present at this time (Oct. 25th, 1862), only about 800 are able to mount guard, so that each man's turn comes round once in ten days. This leaves some 1,300 Invalids incapable of any kind of labor.

254  

EXPENDITURES.

255  

The expenses of 1861 amounted to Frs. 2,313,744 41 as follows:

256  

Repairs of Buildings, 124,000 00
Salaries of Officers, 323,246 78
Pay and Maintenance of Invalids, 108,432 05
Subsistence, 1,758,065 58
Frs. 2,313,744 41

257  

By dividing this sum (less outlays for repairs), amounting to 2,189,744 41 frs. by 2302, the average number of inmates for 1861, we obtain 951 francs as the average annual cost of each Invalid, or, including repairs, the annual cost is 1.0051 frs., or frs. 2.75 per diem.

258  

EMPLOYMENT OF INVALIDS, (INDOORS.)

259  

Chiefs and Adjutants of Divisions 33
Orderlies 17
Doorkeepers 10
Ward-masters, or Overseers 12
In the various offices 14
86 Internal military service 77
Total occupied daily 163

260  

OUT-DOOR SERVICES.

261  

Invalids, when not on duty, are free to dispose of their time, and many (some 130) thus find employment about the city, in lawyers' or sheriffs' offices, or as superintendents' of buildings in process of construction. Some again, amounting to 188, who are authorized to lodge in town, draw their rations in kind.

262  

The government furnishes no means of employment in the Hotel.

263  

INFIRMARY.

264  

The average number of sick in the infirmary, is about 200 in summer, to 300 in winter. The mean annual mortality is 289.

265  

LABOR OF INVALIDS.

266  

Invalids are free to labor according as they can find opportunity. Their gratuity (solde de menu besom) being insufficient to meet their necessary expenses, they supplement it either by the fruits of their labor, or by the sale of a portion of their rations.

267  

PERSONAL EXPENSES.

268  

Invalids receive in food, drink, and clothing, all that is necessary; nevertheless, it is to be regretted that they are chargeable with the following items of expenditure, viz:

269  

1st. Hair-cutting and shaving.

270  

2d. Purchase of soap, brushes and blacking.

271  

3d. Washing of flannel drawers and waistcoats; socks, pocket handkerchiefs, etc.

272  

A commission has been appointed to revise the organization of the Hotel, and will, in all probability, change the existing state of things in this particular.

273  

(Signed) FAUKE. October 25, 1862. Medical Director of the Invalides.

274  

PRUSSIA.

275  

INVALID HOUSE OF BERLIN.

276  

Cost of Maintenance per Head.

277  

This Invalid Asylum contains one Battalion, consisting of 26 officers, 4 physicians, and 400 men, divided into 8 companies.

278  

The salaries are according to rank, as follows:

279  

Yearly.
1 Commandant 1,800 Thalers.
2 Company-Chiefs, each 800 thalers 1,600
6 do " 600 " 3,600
8 First Lieutenants, " 300 " 2,400
8 Second do
1 do do (Adjutant), 240
Additional for Adjutant, 60 " 2,220
1 Chief Physician, 360 "
3 Assistant Physicians, " 240 " 1,080
8 Orderly Sergeants, " 10 " monthly 960
72 Non-commissioned Officers, " 4" " 3,456
320 Privates, " 2 1/2 " " 9,600
Extra pay (gratuity) for the 1st, or Body-Guard Company of 50 men, 1 thaler per month 600
Extra pay for the 2d, or Grenadier Company of 50 men, 1/2 thaler per month 300
Extra pay for the 37 oldest Non-commissioned officers, and 154 oldest Privates, 191 th. 15 s. g. per month 1,146
Extra pay for Non-commissioned officer acting as Battalion Secretary 18
Expenses per Company, annually 18 th. 18 s. g.; for 8 Companies 149
Repairs of arms per Company, 6 th 48
Gratuities for 400 men, each 4 th 1,600
Stationery for Commandant's office 36
" " Companies, each 7 1/2 th 60
Annual appropriation to meet extraordinary contingencies, 1,200
Total annual expenses 19,173
To this must be added for dietary, 1 lb. 12 oz. bread per cap. daily -- therefore for 400 men 5,200
For clothing 8 Sergeants, each 7.28, or 63. 15.4
" " 72 Non-commissioned officers, " 6.10, 456.18
" " 320 Privates, " 5.28, 1,820.13 2,340 16
Also cost of maintenance of sick, average per cap. 4 th. 4 s. g. yearly, for 400 1,657 23
Th. 28,371 10

280  

For Quarters, there is counted according to regulations, as follows:

281  

8 Orderly Sergeants, 36 th. yearly -- 288.
72 Non-Commissioned Officers, 16 " " 1,152.
320 Privates, 6 " " 1,920. 3,360

282  

Whence it follows that the cost of maintaining 400 men exclusive of quarters, fire and lights, is 28,371 th. 10 s. g., or, oil an average per head per year of a little over 70 thalers.

283  

But if we include in the cost of maintaining these 400 men the salaries of officers, their roomy quarters and emoluments for fuel and lights, as well as the fact that beside the Battalion, a number of officers with their families, reside in this establishment as beneficiaries, having all appropriate surroundings and comforts, as well as extras for attendance, reaching from 60 to 130 thalers annually, we shall, of course, reach an entirely different result from that expressed in the foregoing figures.

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