The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-12
Hospital Committee of the Board
of Health Inspects the
Jails.
THE ALMsHOUsE ALSO VISITED.
Accumulated Filth Caused by Imperfect
Plumbing Was Deplorably in
Evidence.

Early yesterday morning when the air
struck keenly and before the fogs had lifted
over the City roofs, the physicians con-
stituting the Hospital Committee of the
Board of Health, Drs. Henry H. Hart, J.
NJ. Williamson and G.. J. Fitzgibbon, ac-
companied by City Physicians j. r. Nc
Murdo and A. P. O'Brien, together with
Chief Plumbing Inspector J. J. Sullivan,
went spinning across the rocky roads, over
the hills, out toward the branch jails and
the AlmShouse.
Chief Inspector Sullivan was in the lead.
The object of the committee was an in
spection simply of the sanitary and plumb
ing condition of these institutions.
Captain z. n. Clarkson Of the Branch
Jail 2, formerly the House of Correction,
conducted the party through that building.
The doctors thoroughly and conscien-
tiously examined the plumbing fixtures
from cellar to- garnet.
Since the recommendations of Mr.. Sulli-
van regarding the improvements in this
line throughout the City and County in
stitutions in this building alone have his
suggestions been satisfactorily acted upon.
The committee found things there in a
more favorable state than in any of the
three buildings visited yesterday.
Some very objectionable features exist
however, in the way of open sewer holes
and faulty constructed bathtubs. In the
butcher-shop, which serves also as a refrig-
orator, large hole connecting directly
with the sewer opens in the floor next to
the sink. The etfiuvium arising from it
fingers among the legs of mutton and
quarters of beef. ''If we did not flush
things ont two or three times a dav."
remarked Captain Garrison, "the meat
would walk away in the night"
There should be Il trap beneath this
drain" said Mr. Sullivan, land the flush
ing should be automatically done, as it is
in other institutions Of the kind
I'D make improvements fast enough !"
sighed the captain, "but we lack sfnff
Economy, economy is the cry
There are 266 prisoners in the jail.
The women's department, jail 8. was
found in deplora BILE sanitary state
"Ah, this room," SAID DIR. Hart. peering
through the darkness. ''needs light and
air and coat of paint"
Patches of plastering in a wide exnanse
of protruding lath were coated with Slime
The doctors beat hasty retreat. Con
denim 1t, condemn it, was Whispered bv
each one.
Then began a long night-marish tramn
through shadowy passage ways, from
which vista would open now and then of
large, low-ceilinged rooms, where cringino
creatures huddled in groups together: M
shaky winding stairways that led to misty
dusty attics, only TO view, when the last
step was climbed, the place where pine
rising from filth beneath penetrated the
roof to send Its noxious breath into ada
cent windows. Then down through the
uncertain way again to the place where
the nth stagnated and dealt out its
deadly miasma to the poor unfortunates
above.
In tomb-like bathroom six coffin tubs
rose from floor reeking with nastiness.
In the laundry near the dining-room q
witch OF Endor stirred with long stick a
nolsome brew of dirty linen, and the
dlnlng-room itself was remarkable for an
open cesspool at one end, an open sewer at
the other, and a strong draft between.
The committee FASTENED outside to air
Itself.
And yet" said DIR. McMurdo, "there is
very little sickness here, and it is all owing
to the excellent care that is maintained by
those in charge
ut must be a good care" observed Mr..