The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1883-12-26

| value during the period or organization.
| Their successors, Mr.. and Mrs. j. X.
| Neisz, are enthusiastic and faithful in
| their work, and have the entire conf
! dence of the trustees of the institution,
as we'll as the Board of Visitors.
THE INFIRMARY.
! This building is old and lacks many
| of the modern improvements. 1t has
| within the past few years been supplied
with steam heating apparatus, which
makes it much more comfortable for the
| inmates during extreme cold weather.
| A new building for laundry purposes
| has Just been completed, containing the
/ latest improved machinery for washing
| and drying clothes. This want was no
| ticed by the board at its first visit, when
/ the only means for drying clothes in in-
! clement weather was in the passage
/ ways. There are wash and bath rooms.
| The present water supply IS lnadequate;
! and work on "a new we'll has been com
menced.
There are no means for eXtinguish
| ing fires. nor any ire escapes. There
| are five avenues of egress and the stairs
| are wide. The attendants for the -iu-
| sane have their sleeping rooms near
| that department, ready in any emergen-
| ey to unlock the cells and rescue the
| inmates. Unusual care Is exercised
about the building to prevent such an
| a ;eident; but it would be we'll for the
| directors to give this subject their ear
| lie5t attention. small hospital build
| ing, a short distance from the main
I building, has recently been built,where,
| if any Infectious disease should make
| its appearance, patients may he properly
cared for. In the absence or Sucn ne
c3sSity it is used al general hospital
A physician is employed by the direct
Ors, VINO makes Two visits each week,
aud is subject to call at any time if
| needed. A new cooking range has been
/ placed in the kitchen, an Improvement
much needed.
rhe last visit of the Board was dur
| ing q meal. An abundance of good,
substantial food WAS found upon the Ia
| OleS. The inmates were comfortably
| clad, and those not engaged at work
were generally tidy in appearance.
There is large sitting room for the
| men, and number Of Ofsmaller rooms for
| the women. These are comfortably fur
nished.
No regular religious services are held
| in the Institution. The superintendent
| has made efforts to have this want sup
| piled, but without success. The Board
| desire to call the attention Of the neigh
| boring clergymen aud Christian people
| to this subject. These services are very
much desired by the inmates. There is
|
| lack Of miscellaneous reading matter.
| The county supplies a limited number
| Of papers, but these are insufficient.
! Newspapers, both German anu English,
are much in demand.
The department for insane demands
special notice. There are tifty-One in
| sane-nine epileDtic5 and fifteen idiots.
Within the limited space allotted to this
| department, no classification is possible
excepting as to sex. Males occupy the
| first floor, and females the second. The
manner in which these poor unfortunate
| beings are crowded together is pitiful.
Three and four are huddled together in
"a small room none too large for one.
Violent cases thus crowded, must be
| handcuffed, chained, or muffed, to pre-
vent their injuring one another, or do
| ing violence to their own person,
| Whereas with larger accommodations, a
| q strong room admitting but one could
| be set apart where the patient could
| nave the freedom of his limbs and a
| larger allowance of fresh air. To per-
SONS familiar with the more humane ac-
| cOmmOdatiOns of our State Asylums, this
condition of affairs seem OaTbaTOus.
| That this state of affairs has so long
| been permitted to exist, Is because the
mass of mankind are disinclined to
| familaTiZe themselves by personal OBJ
5ervatiOn, with subject Tepuisive even
| for contemplation.
For a wealthy, intelligent county like
| Stark to permit continuation of this
| state of affairs will be criminal. Petit
| tiOns to the General Assembly, asking
| for increased Accommodations for chronic
| insane, were generally circulated and
| numerOusly signed last winter, which
resulted in an appropriation for this
| purpose. A site has been chosen and
plans approved. Accommodations for
| only six hundred are to be furnished.
| There are at least that number in the
| district of which Stark forms part, and
| only partial relief can be looked for in
| this direction. The State ought to care
| for all it's insane, and our county must
| make demands to this end, or be COM
pelled to erect suitable building on
che InfirmaTy farm.
Daily average in the Inhrmary for the year7en1ng
September l. 1883 .l85
Total 2O4
/ Number buried by the county the time =. so
Number OF births in the Intrmary
Products of the farm for year ending spet.
ror nense for the az ny
Total EXPENSES Outdoor relief iSS643II
Total............ IO7.2O
2ddDg ADD 4sf vaiae 9iRf Of farm products
1t is the unanimous opinion of your
Board that the present Superintendent
and matTOn, Mr.. and Mrs. Welty, are
faithful and conscientious in the dis
charge of their varied duties ,and that
with the means at their command, it
| would not be possible to secure better
order, greater comfort or cleanliness
than was found at each visit of the
Board.
| THE COUNTY JAIL
is comparatively new structure, but
has not escaped the fate of most public
| buildings of the state and county. 1t is
defective in ventilation, light and
plumbing, factors essential to health
and comfort. 1t is dark aud dingy and
the air almost suffOcating. There were
thirty-five prisoners within its walls, at
the time of the last visit. 1t has been
necessary to put beds in the wash and
bath rooms, and as many as three are OBJ
liged to occupy one bed.
The drainage is defective, and the
basement has been for months covered
with water. As this creates an atmOs-
phere prejudicial to the health of the