POLAR HOSPITALS 



By HENRY BIEDERBICK 



k URSING the sick is at all times a serious 

 problem, but has been brought to such 

 a perfection in our hospitals, and at 

 our homes also, when professional 

 nurses can be employed, that the pati- 

 ent suffers as little as possible. This 

 is entirely different, however, on an 

 Arctic Expedition, and I will give here a few instances 

 which occurred during our three years' sojourn in the 

 frozen North. 



After landing in Lady Franklin Bay, in latitude 8i° 44' 

 north, longitude 64 ° 45' west, a house measuring 65 by 21 

 feet in the clear was at once constructed. It had double 

 walls, the two being about 15 inches apart, and was built 

 so as to give the greatest possible comfort. The interior 

 was divided into three rooms, one 16 by 21 feet for the 

 officers, another to be occupied by the other members of the 

 expedition, 40 by 21 feet, and the kitchen, situated between 

 the two, 14 by 8 feet, while the hallway alongside measured 

 7 by 8 feet. On the north and south sides, so-called lean- 

 tos were made from canvas and tar paper; these were used 

 for the storage of supplies, and also served as stopping 

 places when going out or coming in from the great outside 

 cold. 



This house was our permanent place of abode for the first 

 two years of our Arctic stay, and I am glad to say the 

 health of the party was such that it was seldom a sick-bed 

 had to be used therein ; and that in the few instances when 

 we had a patient on hand, we were able to make him quite 

 comfortable, and attend to his every want. 



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