Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1870-06-18
Mr. Anderson,s Column.
About our In6rmary.
NTMIlER rOTR.

NUMBER POUR.
with this article want to close my series
on the Infrmary, (alrcady perhaps, too longJ
and as do II ] may make n little apology for
dwelling for so many weeks on this theme
"whatever is worth doing at all IS worth doing
WELL" and am glad that our people feel 50 In
the conduct Of our Infrnary.
Put over against each other The two follow
ing extracts from the last Report QeG0,) OF the
Board of State Charities -
"Thc Inhrmary Of this county tAhstabula) may be
ranked among the best" P. 43)
"Nothing that could be written would convey nn ade'
quate idea Of the unmitigacd miseries Of the Athens
County Inatmary From cellar 10 roof within and
without ON every hand unqualified and objectionable
neglect Il apparent Little idea Of cleanliness
or cemort can be entertained in regard to the building
especially devoted to the insane, cpieptic aud idioc
Here elsewhere throughout the state, neglect seems
concentrated upon these unfortunate classes. The de-
tail of their condition would be the sckening repetition
of email cribs vile odors, nakedncss and filth. Here
| full score OF little children find home"
Much the same us this last find land cspe-
cially of the insane and the chldren) in the
reports of 26 counties in Ohio; while there
are only IS counties that give reports like our
own. In Licking County the building con-
| lul0lUR lllG lHsuuG was UufHtu UP, anu WI
poor, shrieking, bowling, Gagged creatures were
burned up with it.
1t is a shame that there should be any insane
in our County Inirmares at all. With the
ample arrangements made for the insane, even
those hopelcssly SO should be cared for at
institutions erected tor the purpose and where
there are both the convenences and the knowl-
edge necessary for their care.
am glad to see that our state has perfected
arrangements for this, and that appropriations
have been made for suitable buildings in con-
nection with our asylums for these unforiu-
mates.
A word want to say TO our good people in
relation to the care of the poor So far as
could see, land l have dropped in" several
times, unannounced, on our Infirmary, since
commencing these articles,) the inmates are
well housed and fed. | did not see delicacies
on the table, and did not expect to. 1t may
be 50 that the tea and coffee provided are not
of the most expensive kind, and that musl
may not be as palateabe for a frequent dish as
some other articles of diet; but what they had
to cat was wholesome, nutritious, clean, and
seemed to be well cooked.
That man with the fastdious taste of my
friend, theyNaior, should find reason for dis
satisfaction in the accommodations, gave mt
no surprise. Reared in luxury, and all his
life accustomed to expensive living, and him
self polished gentleman, should expect he
would find many things disagreeabe. Bu
even he was too courteous, and of too fine
principle to assail me with complaints whicl
1. A. 4 TO- all ,,,erht M
, make with as good cause as himself
do not doubt that there may be some whC
are inclined to find fault with their treatment
and who would of any treatment. do no
: believe it is the duty of people to shut thei
S ears to any such, but merely to inform them
Y selres about them by personal inspection o
Y the premises.
The County Infirmary belongs to the Coun
ty. Every man and woman has an interest il
: it, and voice. 1t is and will be, what tn
Y County makes it, The Commissioners ar
C only the agents of the mass of the people Il
C writing of the Infrmary l am writing of villa
: |, as taxpayer, ION a small scale,) have
s personal interest in, and about which, as a vC
: ter, have personal voice. So has ever
c man,
II If appropriations are made, 1re must conscn
to them; if mistakes are made, we shoul
e know it, and remedy them; if there are spC
IS cial causes of praise, we should have had sue
Y part in them that we can participate III thi
IL praise.
n This can only be done by going to see til
II Infirmary, and by thus becoming familiar wit
II its workings.
d | suppose there are good many people VIII
IF have never been to visit this institution, an
n who literally know nothing at all about it.
lt can have reused, by these articles, suflciel
interest in the minds of these people to TAX
them there for visit of inspection, l sha
le feel paid for writing as Ihave.
IN One man said to me, II hear that the poe
le things are abused sometimes, most shameful
- w." / asked him if he had been there t. Sc
D, and he said he had not.-never had "becn ne
le the drafted thing" l could only say to him
Il "As one of the men of influence in the cou
T. ty, if the poor things are abused, 1t is yo
nc fault You should go and see about it.
I'll does no good TO carp and criticise, and COME
'e. turc. Go and see! A good look at the fac
ei there will tell story that may scotch a lie; /;
" or if there is an evil, will reveal, and open Il
nc way for its rectifcation''
d Then, too, it is good thing for ones self
us 60 and see such place. 1t gives pith to one
oi thankful prayer. 1t gives new zeal to on'
appreciation of Gods bounties 1t makes o.
re. realize more fully the blessings of a soul
he mind. 1t gives larger heart through the syl
on pathes stirred
,, am convinced that shall not get the
let VIII oi MI ano Hii'. Ou'"o "
increase TO their labors, in urging people
visit them believe the gentlemen who &
he Directors are not inclined TO hide any of tn
ON work from the County, but rather desire
+, have it seen, either for commendation or cri
ip- cism.
The Photographio Exhibition,