During the first week in October we took possession and moved into the permanent Hospital at this Post - consisting of a two story frame building with two large wards upstairs each containing space for 10 beds and 4 rooms below stairs besides closets for stores and bedding and c (etc.) the rooms below stairs are occupied as Kitchen, Dispensary, Steward's Room and bathing (or mess) room.-- Asst. Surgeon Joseph Walker, December 1843 Assistant Quartermaster Captain Thomas Swords designed the fort hospital based on French Colonial and Greek Revival Architectural features. Patients used the wrap-around porch or piazza while convalescing. The porch also protected the ward room from the intense Kansas summer sun. Proper attention is paid to the sick, and every ward room and office are in the neatest possible order. The building is well arranged, and when the floor of the gallery . . . is laid, the convalescent patient will have a delightful place for exercise.-- Inspector Colonel Croghan, Summer 1844

Doctors assigned at post hospitals were called Assistant Surgeons.