St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-05-08
MINNEAPOLIS.
THE QUARANTINE HOSPITAL
1t Used 20 BE a pest House,"
bit 1t Isn't Now.


Since his election to the office of
health commissioner DIR. Kilyington has
made an enviable reputation as an en-
tertainer, and he did not in any way
detract from it in his excursion to the
quarantine hospital yesterday after
noon. There has always been
more or less opposition in the
provements at that place. This an
tagonism was largely traceable to the
popular idea that any man taken there
was lis good as dead, and that the place
was rarely used at all. There has also
been an impression that too much
money had already been uselessly
spent ON an institution that was in no
way a credit to the city, and never could
be made what it should be without the
building of an entire new hospital.
DR.. Wilmington and the committee
on health and hospitals realizing that
extensive and accurate knowledge of
the condition OF the place was all that
was needed to place the minds Of the
aldermen right on this point, invited
the mayor and council with the city
officials, representatives of the press
and few others to visit the place yes
terday, as there are now no patients
there, and the buildings have been
thoroughly disinfected and fumi-
gated since the recovery of
the last case. At 3 O'Clock party of
about thirty. including twenty-five
cOuncilmen, left the st. Louis depot by
special train to visit the hospital, re-
turning at 5 p. NJ. The hospital grounds,
something over eight acres in extent,
are situated about five miles from the
az ho1 fI1n oh IF
hospital buildings are situated among a
grove of trees on slight eminence over
looking the lake, and more pleasant and
sunny location could not be desired for
a summer hotel OF private residence.
These lands were purchased by the city
some six years ago at cost OF $500 an
acre, and are now readily Salable at
$1,000 per acre.
The buildings consist OF the hospital
proper, One-story frame structure, we'll
but cheaply constructed, and consisting
OF three wards capable of accommodate
ing eighteen OF twenty patients, or even
more in case of necessity. The head
quarters building, barn. ice house and
norge, for the storage of dead bodies
during the winter, when it is almost inn
possible to inter them ON account OF dig
cling graves in the frozen ground.
The headquarters building is large
square. two-story building, on the first
floor of which are the living rooms OF
Mr.. and Mrs. Scott-the superintendent
and matron of the hOspital-the kitchen.
pantry and reception parlor, all Of
which are prettily and conveniently
furnished and arranged. On the second
floor are four bed rooms. No smallpox
cases are admitted to this building,
and the four rooms are used
chiefly as the female ward and
for persons afflicted with measles,
scarlet fever and other OF the milder
forms of contagious and infectious dis
eases. In the barn are kept the horses
and ambulance which remove to the
hospital all cases of contagious dis
eases sent there by the quarantine ply
sician and health department..
Beyond the road which divides the
hospital grounds into two sections
are the potter's field. where all
the city dead are inferred, and
the little farm that has been
cleared up and cultivated under the
present administration until it now sup
plies nearly all the corn, potatoes and
other vegetables consumed at the hos
pital.
All the aldermen, even those who are
most enthusiastic over the work DR..
Kilvington has done in the health de-
partment were more than surprised at
the condition of things and expressed
themselves as highly pleased with
everything.
The party went through all the build
ings and found everything clean,
orderly and in excellent condition, and
when they reached the convalescent
ward of the hospital proper they found
that the beds had been cleared out, and
on couple OF tables was spread very
appetizing lunch prepared In the hos
pital kitchen. After partaking of the
good things the aldermen smoked the
doctors prime cigars, and admitted
that their eyes had been opened.
Ex-Ald. Gleason said something about
the horrible condition of the place when
Dr. Kilvington took hold of it, and Aid.
Parry announced that he had fought
DR.. Kilvington as hard as he could, but
had decided to cease his opposition.
There is very little more to be done
to finish the work which has begun
there, the most important thing being
the removal of some 200 bodies that
have been buried near the railroad
tracks to the burying ground on the
further side of the grounds and out of
sight of the buildings. This will be
attended to Immediately, and then the
AOafor saws he will he satisfied