Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-05-22
TaE COUNTY INFIRNARY.
Its OfRicers--stRtIstics-- lnmateA
\and Present COnditiOn--Enlarge
memt and Prospects. f

Its OTRicers--statIstics- lnmates
\and Present COndItion--Enlar
ment and Prospects.
Having heard much said of late about
the condition of our County Infrmary, we
were induced to pay it, the other day, an
unexpected and brief visit for our own sat
isfaction and the information of Our read
ers.
The present Directors of the Inflrmary
are Newton Gibbons, Philemon Hess and
Frederick Beck; superintendent, Samuel
McElvain; Matron, Miss Emily McCloud
Physician and Surgeon, DIR. John Dawson.
On the first of June, 1865, there were in
the Inirmary l26 inmates. During the
past eleven months ending on the lst inst,
there we're received into the. institution,
lS9 men and 2l2 women and children.
There were q births within its walls in the
same period. The highest number of in-
mates atany one time during the said eleven
months, was 206 ;and the lowest nu nber
126, and the average l66. In the same pc
riod aid was extended to l03 destitute fam
lilies and to 40 single persons.
q The present number of inmates is 1872 in
the proportion of about one-third men and
two-thirds women and children. Five of
the inmates are persons of color. There
are in the hospital seven patients confined
thereon account of smallpox. OF the in
mates in the Infrmary, over fifty are in
curably insane, and several are idiots.
Quite u number Of the insane are raving
manacs whom it is necessary to confne in
cells and carefully guard-to prevent them
from, doing injury to themselves and 9th
ers. The care of these Is of itselfa great
task, especially to preserve anything like
order and cleanliness in their vicinity.
Yet the Superintendent and his assistants
by unwearied care and attention, have sue
ceeded admirably in this difficult under
taking.
Some of the inmates are suffering from
incurable and loathsome diseases; and a
large proportion are more. or less afflicted
with some of the terrible ills and infirmi-
ties that "fesh is heir to-" Some of the in
mates, both men and women, are very aged
persons-from seventy to ninety years old.
Many are small children.
The reader, from the foregoing briet
statements, can form some idea of what sort
of family the Directors, Superintendent,
and assistants have in charge. We think
personal visit to, and examination of the
Inflrmary would satisfy any reasonable
man that they have executed their trust
like faithful servants of the public, espe-
cially with the means at their command.
The different classes of inmates, the males
and females, the sane and insane, the badly
diseased and the more healthy, the aged and
the children, &c, are separated, and have
their distinct departments assigned them in
the buildings. In this respect, the order
maintained is deserving of high commend
alton.
The Infirmary is, in most respects, moth
ing more nor less than large hospital, and
is necessarily subject to the evils and in
conveniences inseparable from such an in
stitution. Yet it will be found that few
hospitals in the country are kept in as neat
and orderly condition as our County In
firmary. We were particularly surprised
at the all but entire cleanliness and neat
ness that generally pervaded every depart
ment, and especially, the lodging rooms
end beds of the inmates. These rooms are
well ventilated; the bed clothes clean
and well aired, and present an appearance
of comfort that many private families in
the city would consider a luxury.
There is, however, more room wanting in
the Infirmary for meeting the present and
future demands upon this public charity.
These demands, for various reasons, are
likely to increase largely for several years
to come. The Directors, in view of the
foregoing, and with an eye to economy in
the public burdens imposed upon the over
taxed people of the county, have deter
mined to limit the expense of enlarging
the Infirmary to the erection of large
North wing to the main building, similar
to the South wing, SO feet long by 81 in
breadth, and twostories high from the base
ment The prospect is that the building
may be ready for use the present year, or
early next season. With this enlargement,
the Infirmary will afford comfortable ac-
commodations to all the inmates that may
reasonably be expected for some years
hence, and if managed as at present, it
cannot fail to be a blessing to the destitute
and afflicted, as well as credit to the
county. - .,'