[Rotate 90 degrees clockwise) Rough draft of a Letter To the Secretary of War concerng the Hospital to be erected in Newport, and recommending Dr. Lenter to the care of it. Augt.10 - 1799 Newport Augt 10th 1799

Sirs,

          On the 4th of June last I received from the
                         dated May 24th, 1799

Secretary of Treasury, with the copy of an Act in addition to an Act for the relief of sick and disabled seamen, and advising me that it was hoped that that an arrangement could have been formed before that time for the establishment of a permanent hospitals; that it appeared however this subject had been placed by [Shellet] of the East session to regulate the medical establishment under the immediate superintendence of the Physician General and that the object of his communica- tion was confined to a provision for the temporary relief and support of sick and disabled seamen in public and private services. —- that for the present the monies collected in the state of Rhode Island would be apended under my direction, and that it was the object of the Law that the expenditures of the funds for temporary relief should be at the hospitals or other institutions now established in the ports of the United States. On an island about two miles from this town called Coaster’s Harbour, and separate from Rhode Island by a narrow channel is an hospital belonging to the town, erected for the reception of persons afflicted with the small pox or other infectious distempers. At the time I received the Secretary’s letter several
persons sick with the small pox were in the hospital. Not long after and before the hospital was cleared the General Green George Washington Captain Fletcher arrived here from the West Indies with a number of sick, who were placed in a house procured for them by the Purveyor I had appointed. The people in the neighborhood were alarmed with apprehensions of the yellow fever and the alarm spread through the town like wildfire. The Town Council met, sent for and told me that they must be removed to a greater distance, or be returned to the ship. I told them that prior to the arrival of the ship that great pains had been taken to find a place in the outskirts of the town, but no one one could be found, that if a more suitable place could be hired, they should be immediately removed; but it would be death to them to be
sent back to the ship; and that Dr. Lenter had informed me that this disease was not the yellow fever. – The health officers and the Purveyor were immediately dispatched to search for a more suitable place. No one could be procured, and there they continued until all under the skillful management of that Physician had recovered excepting two who are now convalescents and one who died of a consumption. —— On the 27th of the last month the Genl. Greene Capt. Perry arrived in this harbour. Twenty of her men had

             in the course of twelve or fourteen days

died on board and a number of them were sick and it was said of the yellow fever. The apprehensions of the town were excited and to a greater degree if possible than before. Happily the hospital was free of sickness and all the sick about thirty five in number were admitted into and placed by the Town Council under the dir care of Dr. Lenter & the my Purveyor, and a guard appointed to prevent any communication between Coaster’s harbour & the Town. Three of them are already recovered and are sent to the Ship.
the major part of them will be returned to here in a few days, and the remainder of them, probably, by the time the ship is ready to sail.

 I have been particular in this narration because I am informed

that a public hospital is about to be erected in this port, that its position is to be determined by you and Genl. Hamilton, and that this only is wanting to its erection. The excellency of the harbour of Newport and the salubrity of our Air will invite many of our Ships of War to resort to it, more or less of their crews, according to the places where they have cruised, will be sick, and without a public hospital their accommodation will be very uncertain expensive, and desertions will take place. Four of the Genl. Greene’s men, altho’ sick, and not withstanding the guard, deserted. —- For those reasons, and for the safety and the satisfaction of the Town, it is the universal desire that a public hospital should be built as soon as possible.

   I have mentioned Dr. Lenter several times in this

letter. His success hath been so great and his skill is so that it is conceived the public service will be promoted by his appointment to the charge of the hospital to be erected here. I am a stranger to the Physic General. If I were as well acquainted with him as I have had the honours of being acquainted with you I should not hesitate to recommend Dr. Isaac Lenter to him for the appointment.

   Permit me, Sir, to request your influence with that

gentleman in his behalf. While I am writing I recollect Th the good advice of Horace, consider over and over again the character of the person who you would recommend, least his faults should cover you with shame. Dr. Lenter He is the first Physician in this town and State. He is a member of the London medical Society and of all or most of the medical Societies in the United States, and it is not his least praise that he deserved these honours. — You may rely upon it, Sir, that no shame shall [ - ac - or ever?] attach to you, if by your influence he should receive this appointment. I am with great esteem & respect

 Sir, yr  [     ] servant

[Left Margin] Dr. Lenter served as a Junior Surgeon during the revolutionary war, superintending one of the hospitals in the northern detachment under General Arnold S[-]