Fort Larned Post Hospital

One of the two hospital wards in the converted barracks buildings.

NPS Photo

For 13 years the fort's hospital was not the neat, spacious, and well-lit spaces in one half of the east barracks building. The original post hospital was an adobe structure that stood behind that building. It was built in 1860 along with the fort's first permanent buildings. It was poorly constructed and close to falling down by the 1870's.

The half of the barracks building converted into a hospital in 1872 was designed to house cavalry units. The first, and last, cavalry unit to occupy these quarters was Company A of the 10th U.S. Cavalry in 1867. They were members of the new all black regiments authorized by Congress in 1866. No other cavalry units were stationed at the fort after they left in 1869..

In 1871, Acting Assistant Surgeon James M. Laing, got permission to replace the old adobe hospital. Work crews converted the cavalry half of the east barracks building into a hospital. The new hospital had two wards, a mess room, dispensary, kitchen, storeroom and attendants' rooms.

The post surgeon was responsible for the health and well-being of everyone at the post. He had a staff to help him with this task, including a steward, hospital attendants, and a matron.

Medical care in the army was the best the period had to offer. After the Civil War, Army surgeons had to pass a rigorous test to enter the Army Medical Corps, making them some of the best trained doctors in the country. Their main limitation to care for and cure patients was the medical knowledge of the day. There was only so much doctors could do in a time when deadly diseases lurked everywhere and a scratch could kill if it got infected.