The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-12-02

THE SMALLPOX HosFITAL.-Reports regard
ing the bad condition of the smallpox hospital,
or ''pest house." as it is commonly called, have
been current in this city for some time The
impression has gone abroad that the building is
a squalid howell, lacking all the decencies and
many OF the necessaries of life; an abode reek-
ing with pestilence and not fit for the habita-
tion OF any human being. Upon what grounds
these accusations have been made it is some
what difficult to determine, az, for obvious
reasons, the number of visitors to the institu-
ton has been extremely small. Indeed, the
City Physician is about the only man in town
who has any knowledge from personal observa-
ton of it's condition. With the exception of
the Mayor, none of the city officials, not even
members of the Board of Health, have thought
it worth their while to inspect the place or in
vestigate the truth of the stories regarding it.
Believing that if the condition of the house was
so bad as represented it should be "shown up"
without mercy, the PRESS recently detailed
reporter to investigate the matter and report
the true state of affairs By the courtesy OF
Dr. b. d. Foster the City Physician, our re-
porter was given a seat in the Doctors comfor
Arriving on the ground, he found a large, plain,
rather sembre-lcoking two-story building, sit
uated in the centre of a large pasture, and
seemingly well adapted to its purpose. On en-
tering the building and inspecting the rooms,
they were found to be large, airy, clean and
comfortable looking. On the ground floor are
four as good rooms as are ordinarily to be seen.
The bedding is clean and neat, and the bed
steads, tho plain, are substantial and answer
every purpose. The rooms are well ventilated
and kept in "apple-pe" order. On the second
floor are two wards as neatly kept and furnished
as those below. Every provision is made for
the convenience and comfort of the inmates,
and our reporter saw none of the sQualor and
filth he had been led to expect. The two nurses
Mrs. Mcclure and Mr.. Jeffards, seem admira-
bly, fitted for their posts and discharge their
duties faithfully. 1t may not be amiss to state
that the condition of the hospital, under the
of DR.. Foster has materially
since last spring. At that time there
might have been some grounds for condemna-
ton.
There are some wants that have not been
supplied, and to these the city authorities should
attend Immediately. From the large cellar,
which by the way is in excellent condition.
much cold air rushes up thro the unexpected
floors. As carpets cannot be used on account
of sanitary reasons, suitable furnace should
be placed in the cellar, in order to warm the
whole building. Should the foundations be
banked up much of the discomfort would be
prevented. Sebago water Should be introduced
into the house. This could be done from the
Aims House near by at small expense. The
ell needs shinglins badly. These measures are
demanded Were TIE house
painted some less sombre hue and blinds put
upon it, its cheerfulness of aspect would be
much added to and patients would feel less re-
pugnance at their confinement. A fence should
be put around the building as soon as possible.
There is but one patient at the hospital at
present. and that is the German sailor, Joseph
Barton by name, who has the small pox. The
man is as comfortable as could be expected
We have alluded to the subject of repairs,
&C., because the city officials have a not I'M
natural repugnance to visiting the hospital, and
may be unaware of its needs.