pip. m" iff' INVESTIGATIONS AT FORT STEVENSON — SMITH 213 



Ordnance — Continued 



Cap box (No. 1855). A shallow, round, brass box (lacks cover), to hold 

 primers (1^^ inches in diameter ; Yiq inch in depth). 



Worm (No, 1521). Fragment of steel worm for cleaning rifle barrel. 



Ramrod (Nos. 1606, 1867). Portions of two ramrods. One (No. 1867) has 

 the regularly designed end with an eye to hold a cleaning patch (16^^ 

 inches in length). Used with model 1864 or 1866 rifle. 



Scahhard (No. 1857/1-2) (illustrated example pi. 50, j). Fragments of 

 the butt ends of sword or bayonet scabbards. Brass ferrules (3^/4 inches 

 in length) are riveted to the leather fragments. 

 Medical : 



Bed bracket (Nos. 60, 566, 701). Steel brackets which were fastened to the 

 end-frames and supported the springs. Other specimens were found 

 in place on end-frames (not collected). Steel cots were in use in the 

 western military posts by 1874. These beds may not be strictly regula- 

 tion equipment of the Medical Department. 



Scissors (Nos. 563, 633, 634) (illustrated example pi. 50, n). Steel scissors, 

 with small thumb and finger loops, apparently of surgical style. 



Surgical probe (No. 1798) (pi. 50, t). Steel probe; shank i/4 inch diameter; 

 tapers to fine point; end slightly curved (6 inches in length). 



Syringe (Nos. 336, 514) (illustrated example pi. 50, m). Fragments of two 

 glass urethral syringes, with glass plunger (3% inches in length; 

 % inch in diameter). Venereal diseases are specifically mentioned as a 

 problem in the post hospital records (Mattison, 1951 a, p. 22). 



Cause (No. 1820). Cotton hospital gauze is present among fabrics found 

 in excavation of latrines. 



Bottles and ground-glass stoppers (Nos. 515-517, 579, 580, 928, 1281, 1660, 

 1776, 1840-1842, 1847, 1848, 1852, 1853, 1878). Various containers of glass, 

 clearly for medicinal or patent-medicine use, and ground-glass stoppers. 

 Only one specimen found (No. 1840) (pi. 50, x) is known to have been 

 of military issue. This is a round brown-green glass bottle, small mouth, 

 containing approximately 32 ounces liquid, bearing letters molded hori- 

 zontally on the side : "U. S. A./Hosp. Dept." An assortment of smaller dis- 

 pensary-type, clear-glass, small-mouth bottles, round or square in cross 

 section, are also probably of military origin. These are preserved in 

 6-ounce (No. 1842), 4-ounce (No. 1841), 2-ounee (Nos. 579, 1776), and 

 1-ounce (Nos. 931, 1875) size. Related to these, apparently, are three 

 even smaller, clear-glass, small-mouth bottles, apparently for narcotic 

 drugs, in view of their small size (Nos. 928, 1847, 1848) (illustrated 

 example pi. 50, n). These small containers are only % inch in diameter, 

 and range from 2 to 4 inches in height. 



Clearly of use for patent medicines are several other glass bottles. Two, 

 of brown glass, hexagonal in cross section, and containing approximately 

 16 ounces liquid (Nos. 1852, 1853), bear the following lettering molded 

 on one face : "C. Lediard/St. Louis." The firm of Hastings, Lediard and 

 Co., of which Charles Lediard was a member, is listed in the St. Louis 

 directory of 1866, as manufacturers of "Lediard's mixed liquors and 

 bitters." Lediard appears to have been a New York member of the firm 

 (information from Missouri Historical Society, Apr. 9, 1952). Another 

 bottle (No. 1281) (pi. 53, o) of brown glass, square in cross section and 

 of approximately the same capacity, bears in recessed panels on two oppo- 

 site sides: "Paine' s/Celery Compound" (similar specimens have been 

 excavated at the site of Fort Laramie, Wyo.). 



