Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol 7.djvu/435

 CARE OF THE SICK AND WOUNDED. 391 foul poisons surrounding our Levantine hospitals c;hap. with the weapons of the skilled engineer, they L_ resolved that the Sanitary Commissioners de- spatched for this purpose should — not merely go enquiring, but — act, and should not only act, but be prompt. Urged by orders conceived in this spirit, the Commissioners, Dr Sutherland, Dr H. Gavin, and Mr Eawlinson, went off to the East without seemingly losing a day. They soon found that our Levantine hospitals were suffering under rank poison — not poison of such a kind that it can be annulled or coun- teracted by domestic management, but of that grosser sort that can only be combated by engin- eering works ; and propelled by wholesome in- structions which ordered them ' to see instantly ' to the commencement of the necessary work, and ' to its superintendence day by day until ' finished,' (^^) they passed into action with ad- mirable promptitude. In the second week of March they had already made some progress, and on the l7th had advanced their works so far as to be in a state for producing at once some part of the intended effects. Then came tbechaiiy^ on a change which, if only it had been preceded wrought. by mummery instead of ventilation and drain- age, and pure water supply, would have easily passed for a miracle.(^^) Down went the rate of mortality. Having already gone down from the terrible February rate of 42 per cent to 31, it descended in the next fortnight to 14 ; in the next twenty days to 10; in the next, to 5 ; in the next, to 4 ; and finally, in the next twenty