Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-02-29

Our County InnrmRFy.
An afternoon visitto our County Infrmary,
day or two since, has afforded us materials
for brief sketch of its condition, history,
and prospects, which will, we think, prove Of
interest to the readers of the LEADER, touch
ing, as it does, upon subject SO nearly con-
nected with the interests of Cleveland and
Cuyahoga as the condition of the benevolent
institutions of our city and county. Our In
frmary ia in itself great charity, and the
sight of its massive walls, the inspection in
detail of its excellent internal arrangements,
the spectacle of the poor and sick tended and
cared for, are evidences of the Christian and
benevolent spirit of our people, of which we
may we'll be proud. Our infrmary is at once
an asylum for the aged and inirm, hos
pital, and house of correction. It is under
the charge Of c. NJ. Smith, the excellent and
faithful Superintendent, and the medical de.
partment is under the supervision of the en-
srgetic In6rmary physician, DR.. 1. H. Mar
shall. It is fine four story brick building,
of plain and massive architecture, and is suf-
fcientIy roomy for twice its present number
of inmates. In the basement story are con-
fined the dangerously and violently insane,
whose faces glover out at US through
the CRATES of their cells, with fierce and yet
stolid glancss. They are not pleasant
sight, and We do not look at them long.
Above there are separate rooms for the little
boys of the Asylum, orphans or worse than
orphans, who live life as happy as an or
phan's life can be, here. The old msn, old
women, and little girls have also their sepa-
rate rooms, for sitting during the day. The
sleeping-rooms contain each from eight to
twelve beds, and are, as we'll as everything
else in the building, kept IN the most won
derful state Of cleanliness and neatness. Ev-
erything is in spick-snd-spsn order, from
the scrubbed floor to the immaculate ceiling.
The hospital rooms are in the fourth story,
and are in four wards, one Of which is occu-
pied by men and three by women. They
contain about twenty patients, but one or
two of whom, however, are regarded as in =
dangerous condition. The hospital is visi-
ted three times week by DR.. Marshall, who
examines each. case, prescribes remedies for
ssch and gives direction to the attendant
nurses. We should like to dwell longer in
description and detail of some of the cases
which we see here and in other rooms in the
building, but time and space alike forbid, and
We must hurry on.
In the third story of the building is large
hall which is used on Sundays as a chapel,
whenever q minister is present to preach,
which happens once or twice month. The
room is sometimes thrown open for more
festive occasions, as on Mrs. Smiths last
birthday, when curious but happy party
of In6rmary inmates met for social gather
ing there.
| The cells and rooms Of the House Of Cor
rsctiOn are in the fourth story. They now con-
tain about thirty inmates, who are made to
do much useful work around the house, in
scrubbing, washing, cooking and sewing.
The remainder of the building is taken up
with the various sleeping wards, many of
which are not now in use, the Doctors and
Superintendent's offices, the Sewing room,
over which Mrs. Barton presides most ezcel-
Iently, the rooms occupied by the family Of
the Superintendent, the kitchen, washrooms,
&C., &c. Several Out-buiIdings arc con-
nectsd with the Inhrmary, in enc of which
the violently insane women are confined.
The building is unfit for its purpose and we
are glad to learn that another more suitable
place is to be provided for these unfOrtunatss.
The Inhrmary was erected in the year
1855, aud opened on the 18th Of December of
that year. Mr.. Miller was its first Superin-
tendent. He was succeeded May 9th, 1857,
by Mr.. Sprsgue, who in his turn was succeed
ed on the 18th of April, 1851, by Mr.. John
Smith, who died in January, 1882, and whose
place was taken by his brother, C. NJ. Smith,
the present incumbent. Since its FIRST opon-
ing the number of patients admitted has
been S,433. I73 arc now inmates of the
building-there being a much larger number
there during the winter than in the summer
months: OF this number, 33 are children un-
der twelve years of age.
The farm, which contains about eighty
acres, is in most excellent order. It had
run down during previous administrations,
and was comparatively worthless when Mr..
Smith took hold of it. He has renovated it
entirely, and made it paying Institution
The crops of the past year were worth, at
current prices, $S4S4 90, beside pasturags for
a large amount of stock, and large and
excellent varsity of summer fruits. The
farm is carried on by the labor of the in
mates under Mr.. Smiths personal supsrvis-
ion and direction.
The general impression made upon the
mind of any visitor who takes the trouble
carefully to examine the building and its
management, is, that it is in most
excellent condition, and under most sx-
cellent officers. There could hardly be two
men better fitted for their trying and respon-
sible positions than G. N. Smith, Infrmary
Superintendent, and DR.. Marshsll, Infrma-
ry Physician.
APPLICATIONS FOR EXEMPTION FROM DRAFT.
We are requested to state, for the benefit