Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-02-22

The COUNTY INFIRMARY-Probably the grea
majority Of our readers know nothing more abOu
our County Iufrmary than that such an lnSiiiu
ton exists, to which The victims Of piuehi pOv
er,y or disease are seut to be cared for AZ The
public expense. A walk through the apaoiou'
Establishment will conv ince any one Of its imPor-
tanee, aud the amount OF Ia Dor and Of good ther'
done.
The Inarmary Is situated in Brooklyn township
near the Columbus street road Connected with II
lie farm Of about slxty-avo acres under good
cultivation. This farm is tended by those inmates
Of the Indrmary who are able to work, and from
Il the vegetables and produce used in the house
are raised. Beside these, about fourteen barrels
o. pork was raised upon the farm last year. Ad-
Joining this farm IS aBother one Of about equal
size which Il has been urged the county shoald
buy. and unite the two 10 one farm. Whether
this investment would be best We shall not dis.
euss. The soil is good, and the articles raised Of
good quality.
The buiding has been in operation about four
years, during which time many handred persons
have been received aud cared for. It is built Of
biiek, is five stories high, and contains over one
hundr ed rooms. In the basement are the kitchen,
store rooms, wash rooms, and dining rooms, the
latter being separate for women and men. In the
store rooms may be obtained some idea Of the
quantity Of food 1t takes TO supply such house
hold. About one barrel Of -four Is used per day,
which makes four "bakings' in a large oven. The
inmates have meat for breakfast aud dinner. They
have coffee in the morning and tea at night, and
al their food is wholesome and abundant
Upon the first aOor are the Office, reception
rooms, family dining room, and larger working
rooms for the men and women, The sexes are
entirely distinct occupying opposite ends Of the
building and baving no communication.
Ia the upper stories are bed rooms, hospitals
&c. The women are kept employed, If well
enough to work, upon sewing, irOning, cooking,
&c. Among these, there are now several ola
ladies who will probably end their days in the In
siituton. There is one lretty young girl who
would be fine looking if consumption had not laid
his heavy hand upon her, eating out her life and
mprinting her doom upon her lace. There are
ole women, young women, children and babies.
The most Of the women seem in good spirits, and
ready to laugh and joke with a visitor.
There are more males than females in the In
Urinary. Among them are four or I've ngrOes. -
There may be seen some of the old city prison
biris vino have afflicted the Police Court like
pesiilence until the nuisance was too greviOus TO
be borne, when they were sent here to find com
Portable quarters, aud to partly pay for their living
There are some ptiable cases here in the hospital
department Two old men who are dying Of con-
sumption are as sad sPectacles as oiten fall to the
lot of men TO see. Sharp wan features, hollow
cheeks and suBken eyes tell tale that il needs
not the rafting voice to confirm.
As soon as person is taken to the Iohrmary he
or she must first visit the bath room, where al
tendanis cleanse them thoroughly y, and ft them out
with a new suit Ofplain, strong clothes, Through
out the building everything is most scrupulOusly
clean. The floors are white with frequent scOuF-
ngs, and the bed and personal clothing attess the
faithful use of soap and water. Water pipes open
upon the halls Of every door, and full supply Of
hose Is ready 10 be attached at moments notice
and food the building.
In the {" Red House, little distant from the
main buildings, are kept the unruly insane. Or
these theo are at present eight or ten. These are
tended by female attendant, hired for the pur-
pose These are all women, and are kept shut in
their cells when visitors are about. In the same
building is an idiotic boy about l2 years old who
appears to have no more ideas than mere animal
he is shocking sight to sensitive people
There is a school connected with the Institute
for the children, which is taught by the Misses
Sprague. The children are nearly all very bright
and intelligent appearing, and learn rapidly under
the tuition Of their instructors,
Dnring The last quarter there were 227 inmates
The daily average for the year is about $50. The
Irish predominate, the Germans being next in the
scale Of numbers. During the last quarter there
were lG insane, half wilted and idiOtic inmates
The following are the officers, &C. connected
with the institution:
superntendent-V. T, Sprague.
Biatron-AIrs. Sprague. ~
Acting Director-W.J J. Warner.
DirectNrs-A Powell, J. G. Black.
Cerk-C II. Warner
One woman, one cook, and one matron Of the
Red House. are employed.
The visiting day is Friday from ] to o'clock
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