The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-06-21

extent must be studied. / have nothing 10
say against the Almshouse of Portland so far
as its treatment to the able. bodied adults is
concerned. Keep them on coarse food, work
them as hard as possible, and let them sleep in
filth, if they choose; / will offer no objections.
But the innocent child and the sick should al
ways be provided for. An almshouse is no
place for them. In moral point of view,
nothing can be worse than the influence e1-
erted over the children i'll the poor houso.of
this city. Here about thirty children under
II years of age are constantly in the company
of the worst characters that can be picked up
in the city. Prostitutes, when so reduced by
disease as to be no longer worth their keeping
i'm the more quiet houses of i'll fame, are sent
to this institution to recuperate their lost en-
erges under the judcious care of the city ply
sician. The only remedy for this evil is in
separating the pauper children from the pau
per adults, and this would of course separate
children and parents, which would no doubt
give rise to some trouble and naturally increase
thelexpense of keeping. And this question of
expense We all know is too apt to clog all the
wheels of moral reform. An asylum for needy
children where influence of moral char acter
with proper training could be given them is
another of Portland's great needs, and in this
matter the moral retormers should at once
move. ... 1,...-.,4 i.us4flstf
u And now as for accommodations for the
needy sick or for the sick stranger in the city,
l am obliged to say there are none. Portland,
w
foreign population, has no hospital. In con-
nection with the almshouse is an apology for
such an Institution, but none except those who
are from actual poverty obliged to do SO, will
ever consent to go there. 1t is in the strictsst
sense a poor-house concern, under the SUPER
intendence of the Overseers of the Poor and
Keeper of the Almshouse. l have had oppor-
tunity to observe the management of this
place fol, some years past, and L must say that
l consider it one of the most miserable situa-
L. 81 "a s,r that Is
Quoted on what is considered the strictest plan
of economy. Nicely prepared food or too
much Of it never causes relapses in the disease
of its inmates. 1t is surprising sometimes to
see how useless lives will continue in this
place under the most favorable conditions for
death. 1 have recently seen dry bread of q
very poor quality, with boiled potatoes and fish,
with neither gravy, butter nor drink OF any
kind, served out for the dinner of the sick,
that were too feeble to leave their beds The
toothless have hard work to gum it in this in
stitution and the infant finds a short journey
to a better "house not made with hands" To
those who consider the lives of paupers
worth saving, this Almshouse hospital must
be considered most wretched disgrace to the
city. But if it is not just what it should be,
who is to blame? Let US examine the matter
a bit, and see at whose door the real sin lies
Many might say, perhaps, that the Keeper Of
the Almshouse and the OverSeers OF tile Poor
are in fault, but how can this be, when
for the sole purpose OF taking of the city's
poor at the least possible expense. They are
not supposed to know anything about the ex-
ira care or wants of the sick. Their duty con
siStS in making the income of the poor farm
cover as nearly as possible the expense OF the
Almshouse, and I think it would trouble the
citizens of any city to find board Of Overseers
that do their duty in this particular better. Ii
the voters of the city should make it the duty
of tn officers to care for the morals of the in
mates of the Almshouse, and see that the sick
were properly fed and cared for, have no
doubt, from my personal knowledge of these
men, that they would do it. Nothing would
give them more pleasure than to see these poor,
little, ill-Datured urchins brought up in the
ways of religion and truth, and to see the poor
sick and dying pauper surrounded by the COM
forts of well managed hospital. n -E'
Some might say that the Board of Health
should see to these matters. The Mayor and
Aldermen compose that board, and the City
Marshall with his deputies are the officers to
execute the laws OF. health. None of these are
medical men, and their other duties seem to
absorb their time and attention. 1t would be
unreasonable to suppose that they would in
terest themselves in the care OF the sick un less
their minds We're called to the subject by
members of onr profession. l have no doubt
but that they would cheerfully do all in their
power to remedy this evil il the subject was
properly brought before them
The physician is the one whose special blu si-
ness it is to care for the sick. The poor like
the wealthy call for his services and claim his
attention. No men are capable welding a
greater influence than medical men. As 1
oody our profession stands second to none, and
It's claims when properly made known and
earnestly pressed, will not fail OF speedy rec
ogntion. Ii the sick OF Portland are not prop
erly cared tor, the medical profession Of the
city is to blame Let the members of the pro-
fession unItedly show their interest in this
matter, and work for the establishment OF a
hospital, and whatever they ask by way of aid =,
of Inc city Authorities have reason to believe,
will be granted them. .