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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
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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280 | For Quarters, there is counted according to regulations, as follows: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
281 |
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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. |