Hospital

The hospital on a Liberty ship was little more than a bunk room equipped with basic medical supplies and lighter weight bed frames that could double as a gurney. 

Most merchant ships did not carry a doctor or any other specialized medical personnel, although pursers typically had a pharmacist rating and had basic medical training. The primary duties of the purser were to keep track of the ship’s payroll and other business as well as operate the slop chest where the crew could buy items such as cigarettes, candy, and toiletries.  Ships operating with an escort had the option to transfer patients to a naval vessel with a doctor and more advanced medical facilities, but otherwise any treatment was handled by the ships officers with the assistance of a government issued medical guide book.