Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-08-29
But the Internal Arrangements Could
Not be More Perfect.
A BOWLING ALLEY FOR INMATES
Is One of the Innovations Intended to
Amuse and Benefit.
GREAT CARE EXERCISED In FEEDING

A maonifcent annex to the Dixnont
Hospital has just been completed at cost
of $50. 900. Its general dimensions are
63x125 feet The new building stands on
the east side of the main structure at an
elevation of 200 feet. The style of archi-
lecture is Renaissance. The outside dress
ing is of red brick, the foundation and base
ment is of cut limestone, which has been
uuarried from the hospital property. The
new annex has been in process of erection
since September, 1888. There has been con-
siderable delay in building, owing to the
cold weather intervening, otherwise the hos
pital would have been completed three
months ago.
There are three wards, two of which are
designed for so patients each and one for 80.
The main entrance on the west side leads
into a fine ward S1x40 feet, hanked by an
,ctagonal alcove at each end on one side of
the ward, and on the opposite side central
payiIion lOx28 feet Above this ward is
one of similar proportions, with adjoining
rooms for attendants and bath rooms for the
patients. Opening off both wards in each
story are large commodious balconies, which
are inclosed in wire netting, so that it makes
it impossible for the patient to get out or
fall over.
The upper ward is a long, narrow room.
with q wide alcove, and is designed to ac-
commodate so patients. The windows are
guarded with ornamental iron screens, the
ceilings are made of corrugated iron, and
supported in the center of pretty iron col
umns with bronze capitals and bases. The
dining room is in the basement; the floor is
laid in concrete and the ceiling is made of
corrugated iron.
NICE ARRANGEMENT.
There are pantries leading of from the
dining room. The food will be received
into the pant:ies from the main building by
means of an iron bridge which will connect
the two buildings. On the bridge, which is
II feet above the walks, a track will be
laid and a tramway run for carrying food
over to the new building. One-half of the
dining room is bowling alley and place
for holding entertainments. The floors in
the wards are made of polished hard wood.
The beds are oak with wire mattresses, and
will be furnished with husk and hair mat
tresses and the usual comforts.
The lavatories are supplied with marble
wash bowls, with hot and cold water. The
towels are locked in patent spring rack
which prevents the suicidal patient from
iniuring himself or herself or their fellow
patients. The windows of the rooms occu-
pied by patients are supplied with iron
sashes, which take the place of outside
screens or bars, thus doing away with the
prison like appearance, which are used in
MANY other asylums. They are connected
by one Icord so that the upper sash Dal-
ances the lower, and allows them to be
raised inches from the bottom and lowered
inches from the top, producing perfect ven-
tilation, and prevents the patient from escap-
ing by the windows.
ROOMS HEATED WITH STEAM.
The building is heated entirely by steam.
The main wards are heated directly, the
rooms indirectly. The boilers are situated
at the west end of the building, 100 feet
from the property.
Each ward is provided with a dining
room, where the nurses and patients take
their meals together. This dining room is
in charge of one nurse, who is constantly
there. The room is kept under lock and
key, so that patients cannot enter without
nurse is with them. Before the patients
are allowed to come out after their meals
the knives, forks and other table furniture
are counted. If any article is missing, no
one is released until he or she has been
thoroughly searched. These precautions
are necessary, because the hospital has
number OF suicidal patients in each of the
wards.
The food is prepared in one general kitch-
en-, and taken in an underground tramway
to each ward. The number of patients in
the hospital at present is 6S3. With the
new annex and two frame houses there is
accommodation for 600 patients, leaving
them SO patients more than there is room
for. There are eight people sick in bed,