The Opelousas courier., 1884-08-16

Df SEnU6 dIu. Opoh khS
the Governors letter, the Board OF
Administrators, at their meeting OF
Feb. Is, appointed a committee OF
five to prepare a plan of action, where
by the suggestions of his Excellency
could be carried out. In due course,
and after proper publication, the citi-
Gems of New Orleans were invited to
assemble in the Mayors parlor at the
City Hall, to organize for carrying
out the project.
Major w. J. Behan, Messrs. A. H.
May, Albert Baldwin, w. B. Schmidt,
F. J. Harr, Adam Thompson, |. L.
Lyons, C. II. Hyams, Isidore New
man, Edward Booth and others with
the Board of Administrators OF the
Hospital were present at the meeting
and perfected an organization OF cen
trail and subordinate committees for
raising money for the necessities OF the
institution.
Not only were
LIBERAL CONTRIBUTIONS
received from the people of this city
but generous aid was sent in from the
country parishes, and this ~outpourlng
of popular benevolence resulted in
raising the handsome sum of 1872 1000.
To this the board added $4,000 from
the funds of the hospital and with this
aggregate sum of $50, 900 it was hoped
that all the improvements contem-
plated could be completed and made
fully available.
ThesbOard then went to work with Ii
will and have now within a few days
of completion a well constructed two
story brick building $50 feet long by
so feet wide. The new building occu-
pies a great portion of the Gravier
street front of the grounds and is con
nected with the buildings on the west
ern front. This addition is intended
for a female ward, with a section for
infant children. Cribs have been do
mated by the ladies. There is room
for one hundred adult female patients
and thirty young children, allowing
one thousand cubic feet of air space
to each bed.
THE BUILDING IS ADMIRABLY AR
RANGED
for all the purposes for which it is in
tended and is ventilated in most per
feet manner
To addition to the new building, a
most important work has been COM
pleted in laying a six inch sewer pipe
of cast iron to the river, with a pow
erful force pump to drive all the sew
g and garbage of the hospital through
this pipe. All the refuse of the insti-
tuition is gathered by various channels
into an underground tank which holds
60, 900 gallons. and this is empted dali
ly into the Mississippi River with great
expedition and avoidance of all noxious
odors, by means of the pump. The hes
pital frequently contains as many as
1000 inmates, and to dispose properly
of the vast amount of garbage which
must result from such a population has
always been
A MOST DIFFICULT PROBLEM.
1t is now thoroughly solved, and the
only drawback in this way now is the
possibility that the pump may
become %disordered for a day, which
would entail serious evils, as the sew
age tank must be emptied daily. The
Only way t o obviate this danger will be
o have a duplicate pump, which can
be held in reserve for an emergency.
Among the late improvements, also,
is the steam heating apparatus, which
is designed to maintain any desired
temperature, in all parts of the extern
sive structure. There is also the ven-
tilating system, which is provided to
carry off all foul gases, and to furnish
fresh air to every part of the building
The complete absence OF unpleasant
odors from the premises is a noticeable
and notable fact, speaking volumes fol
the excellence of the systems of sew
erage, drainage and disinfection in
use. One admirable feature is the
conveying of the gases from the sewer
tank to the furnace under the steam
boilers. These gases are largely com
posed of combustible elements, ant
are there burned and exterminated
An improved passenger elevator of thu
best class is now in use conveying pa
tients on a bed or stretcher to am
floor Of the building desired.
TEE KITCHEN AND LAUNDRY
departments are thoroughly appointed
and on an extensive scale. The for
mer has perhaps a greater cooking ca
pacity than any kitchen in the city, 70
it is a common thing to be called o.
to prepare food for a thousand people
The ranges, boilers and other para
phernalia are the best of their class
and kept with scrupulous neatness
The laundry is fitted with washing
wringing, drying and ironing MACH
merry, all operated by steam, and tho
roughly adapted to meet the demand
which such an institution must max
for clean linen.
The hospital, besides
A FINE LIBRARY
and reading room, we'll provided wit
standard works and periodical publi
cations pertaining to medical science
has a complete museum of patio
logical anatomy, for which quarter
have been provided in the second sto
~ of the new dead house, the groun
floor of which is foored and vale
with stone and fitted up for laying GU
the dead and preparing bodies for bul
ial. There are also special ooms fc
post norton examinations; but thes
latter must not be COMPOUNDED wit
the well arranged and thoroughly ar
pointed amphitheatre
FOR ASTRONOMICAL EXAMINATION
and demonstration before a class.
leaves nothing in the way of conve
nience and completeness to be de
sired.
The chemical and medical Elaborate