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TRICENTENNIAL

additional rooms in the
Alamo repaired to house
more patients and to
provide one as a phar-
macy. He ordered the
purchase of lumber to
construct "30 beds fully
equipped." This was
completed in 1807. In
1809, the hospital insti-
tuted the smallpox vac-
cination for all military
and civilian members of
the community.
It continued as a mili-
tary infirmary until 1821
when Mexico became a
republic and funds were
no longer available to
maintain the Alamo as a
hospital.
But armies on cam-
paign must care for their
sick and wounded. Dur-
ing the Texas Revolu-
tion, the Provisional
Government of Texas
commissioned a number
of doctors to serve as
surgeons and following
the Battle of Béxar, an
infirmary was again es-
tablished at the Alamo
to care for the wounded.
At that time, the sur-
geons were Samuel
Stivers and Amos Pol-
lard. The departure of
Stivers left Pollard as senior surgeon of the garrison in San Antonio, Records indicate that the hospital was located in the second floor
a post he held during the siege and battle. of the Long Barrack.
Surgeon Pollard, who trained at Vermont Academy in Castletown, (The preceding article is drawn from writings by Dr. Richard Bruce Winders,
was not the only doctor at the Alamo. John Purdy Reynolds, who Director of Education & Curation, Alamo Trust; and Dr. J. L. Waller,
assisted Pollard, studied at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia. Bexar County Medical Society Communications Committee member.)
At least five other members of the garrison had medical training:
William D. Howell, Edward F. Mitchasson, John W. Thomson, and David Schulz is a member of the BCMS Communications/Publications
John H. Forsyth. Committee.

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