[The main field hospitals of the French and Polish armies behind the lines in 1807].
The health requirements of the French and Polish troops fighting in Pomerania, mainly those of General Zajaczek's Observation Corps (Second Legion), forced the interim Polish authorities to establish main field hospitals in the Spring of 1807. Firstly, at Mława, and then in the former storehouses on the Vistula at Tokary and Dobrzyków. Though the latter were situated in two localities, they nevertheless constituted an administrative whole. Of temporary character, these large hospitals (Mława was capable of accommodating up to 1000 patients, Tokary and Dobrzyków up to 2000 patients) were closed after the end of hostilities. In spite of the temporary character of the field hospitals, the daily death rate was only several persons (sometimes there were a dozen or so fatalities, which also constituted a small number). During the establishment of the main field hospitals, a number of people demonstrated a degree of organisational talent. These included Józef Wybicki, representative of the Governing Committee and Stanisław Breza, director of internal affairs. Later there was Rev. Józef Poniatowski, war commander, also local officials such as Józef Zabłocki and Teodor Mikołaj Dembowski, as well as representatives of the health service such as Dr. Hiacynt Dziarkowski, and Dr. Michał Bergonzoni. Other people worth mentioning include the hospital personnel (Colonel Teodor Pretwitz was Commanding Officer of the field hospitals in Mława, Tokary and Dobrzyków) who helped the sick and wounded soldiers, often under the difficult conditions of supplies and staff shortages. These shortages were a result of the scale of the enterprise, the poor relations between staff members, such as the conflict between Dr. Dziarkowski and Colonel Pretwitz, reservations about the competence of the head doctor Juliusz Szamborski. But most of all these shortages were a result of requisitions ordered by French Commissioners and Ward Heads. In spite of the problems main field hospitals achieved their purpose and gained recognition by high-ranking Polish and French commanding officers, especially General Zajaczek.
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D005602:France; D049672:History, 19th Century; D006772:Hospitals, Military; D011044:Poland; D014857:Warfare