Medical Committee to Jonathan Potts

Your Letter directed to the medical Committee in Congress with the inclosed returns of Medicines, Stores & sick in the Hospitals at Albany & Ticonderoga came safe to hand this day.

We are highly pleased with your having the prospect of a sufficient supply of medicines in your department for the ensuing Campaign, & approve of the returns you have made us.

Your proposal of keeping the Small Pox out of the Garrison at Ticonderoga we think extremely proper & hope you will carefully attend to its execution.

Congress have just finished a new plan and arrangement of the medical department in the Army. It is ordered to be published immediately. As you will soon be possessed of the whole plan, we shall only inform you at present, that your appointment of Director of the northern department is renewed; the pay 5 dols. & 6 rations per diem.

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Senior surgeons 4 dols. & 5 rations a day. Regimental Surgeons 2 dols. & 4 rations a day. The pay of every other rank in proportion. As handsome sallaries are now allowed, we expect none but persons of the best abilities will be employed or suffered to remain in your service as Hospital or regimental Surgeons, & that you will strictly superintend every branch of the medical department under your charge.

We greatly approve of your scheme of a Garden for supplying the troops with Vegetables which we judge will contribute much towards preserving their health. Should forward you some seeds but think you can procure them nearer hand.

We hope to hear from you by every convenient opportunity.

By Order of the Medical Committee, I have the Honor to be, Sir, your very Hble Sert.

M. Thornton