The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1871-12-02

On Thursday last We visited and tho
roughly and critically inspected the
Lunatic Asylum in this city. We are
aware how solioitous persons, having
friends or relatives there, bereft OF
reason. must be to learn OF the true con-
dition OF things. and it affords us plea
sure. on the day appointed for "Thanks-
giving" by the Federal and State au-
thorities, to state to the public our i'm
pressions OF the management of this
noble charity.
We are pleased to be able to use tile
language Of eulogy. In the discharge
OF our duty, as we understand it, it is
our necessity, contrary to our taste, to
employ the words of stern rebuke and
denunciation. We pass with great salts.
faction from these political subjects to
the more pleasing, though sad themes.
that our visit suggests. -
Our frst inspection was of the .female
department OF the Asylum. We found
the apartments we'll furnished with every
thing calculated to make the inmates
oontented and comfortable. The fnrni-
ture is mostly new and neat. The halls
aro carpeted. Water and bath arrange
ments. hot and cold, are on every floor,
and the patients are duly and skillfully
Observation-Disclosures being had to their
disease, their habits and their mode of
life at home. AS we rose from the
second floor and cached the fourth, We
noticed judioioue and considerate elias.
sification-all tending to the harmony OF
the establishment. Music and singing
birds. and billiard tables are provided
for the entertainment of the patients.
We heard hardly more than two discord-
ant voices in the whole Asylum. The
attendants seemed efficient and attentive,
and every part OF the building is kept
very neat and clean. We conversed with
number of the partly dem ented, and
all bear their honest testimony to the
kind treatment of the Superintendent.
the most striking feature connected
with the old building is the mode OF
heating the interior by means OF hot
air. This system is we'll nigh extended
over all the building. It works admira-
bly,. We found the whole area exposed
to this hot air delightfully."- warmed. It
was cold day when we visited the place,
aud it was quite pleasant in every hall,
room. nook and corner within the
warmed space.
We saw the furnaces. and were pleased
with the elements they possess OF sim
plioity. economy and thorough adapta-
tion to the end in view. A furnace not
larger in itself than q common-sized
cooking stove. aud containing q surface
OF coal not more than five inches deep,
warns. for four stories space about
forty feet by twenty feet. These fur
naces are repeated at intervals in the
basement OF the asylum, until the whole
establishment is warmed thoroughly and
economically. The system is to be ex-
tended to the new asylum building. It
will add largely to the comfort and safety
OF the inmates, and will also be far
cheaper than the present lad system
of warming the apartments by stoves.
This furnace is the warm air furnace,
with patent dust fue, radiator and ash
sitter combined, of Job Bartlett & Sons,
OF Philadelphia. The junior member of
the firm-young Mr. BIS putting
these furnaces up himself, and is an in
telligent man. who understands his busi-
ness we'll. We are satisfied that the
Bartlett furnace is an admirable thing
adapted just as we'll to private residences
as to public buildings.
After visiting the mess hall, the
kitchen, the laundry. the sewing room,
the chapel, the doctors Office, and other
arrangements connected with the female
asylum building, we passed over to the
male department and the colored depart
n'ent, male and female.
Here we found Dr.. Sloan, under DR..
Ensor's direction, Immediately in charge.
In the main building, we found the
furniture entirely renewed; the long hall
oarpeted and everything in Arst-rate
order; the patients cheerful, and cleanli-
ness-whioh we are told is next to godli-
ness-the order Of the day.
The same may be said for the colored
department Of our Asylum. In each
department Of this institution, the same
careful attention and the same judicious
classification stood out in bold relief.
The new building in course OF erection
is in progress. When this shall be COM
pleted. and DR.. Ensor shall extend his
furnace system all over the institution,
and when other improvements contem-
plated by the Superintendent are con.