The herald., 1896-05-31
County Hospital Abuses
(To the Editor Of Tho Herald.)

W 400 VIC WI 10 "a Ola CtA ACSS AehAAe
tartan as prologue, the attention OF
the taxpayers of Los Angeles is called
to the apparently non-essential quality
cleanliness, of their own county hospi-
tai And there are some conditions as
well as unsanitary methods practlceu
In the management of that institution
which, now that the warm weather APP
proaches, should call for immediate
investigation by some corporate body.
or the hospital committee of the super
visors. perhaps; that is. II they have the
comfort and recovery of sick men at
heart. AS to the cleanliness of the place,
most OF the women's wards are well
scrubbed and swept, the beds inviting
and with general look of brightness,
and fair ventilation. Not so, however.
with some of the mems wards, where
the floors are often badly in need OF
scrubbing, and even the broom used
IN such careless manner that most OF
the dirt has been left under the beds. or
stove, or in the corners. The windows
in some OF these wards for weeks take
on an undisturbed accumulation of dis
ease and fly specks. which might we'll
lead the fevered ward inmate into the
deiusion that the sun was in perpetual
condition of partial eclipse. The main
hallway to the buildings never looks
clean; even after being scrubbed has
only the appearance of having mop
swished over it, each flop leaving mud
dy trail. Altogether. in too many spots
throughout the whole place, hospital
ism is pollutingly imprinted, proclaim
ing as loud as the leper of old, I'm
clean, unclean"
The consumptive ward of the hospi-
tai is always full. and sometimes over
~ full OF men in all stages of the dread
disease. and should be the battle ground
wherein constant warfare is TO be
fought with the deadly germ of phthiss.
10 the eye OF the occasional visitor in
the consunptive ward of the Los An
geles county hospital there is only the
vista of long sunlit room. lined on
either side with it's narrow white beds,
some OF whose occupants are PROSTATE
upon them with the spirit in the atten-
uated bodies nearing the border land.
While others are still able to sit up or
walk about the ward or rest in the warm
southern sunlight that floods the wide
verandah outside, and as they rest hop
ing, with the delusion of their disease,
they will again mingle with their fell
low men, strong and well once more
The uninterrupted nurses fit in and out
lending prettiness to the pathos OF the
ward and it's approaches. But it is with
some conditions unknown to the average
taxpayer in connection with the con-
sumptive ward to which this statement
calls attention. 1t is an indisputable
fact that this ward has remained for at
least five years without ever receiving
single coat of whitewash or oalcimine.
when even the slightest regard to san
itary laws would demand that the walls
of this ward be frequently carboliZed
or whitened. However, within the last
few months, either owing to the ipcli-
nation OF the superintendent or ths.ur-
gent plea made to the supervisors. the
walls of the consumptive ward have re-
Ceived thin coat of whtewash-bu
how has it been done? The walls, teem-
ing with millions of microbes, should
first have been thoroughly scraped. but
We're not, and the upper ceiling was left
untouched; and so it remains, patent
to all who choose to look through the
cobweb festoons into that mourning
hued area of plaster. a perpetual pail
that is the doleful resting place of many
a dying mans last glance on earthly
things. And If the innumerable family
of bacilli can manifest to each other in
bacilli-like way the sentiments of life,
the consumptive ward ceiling muat re.
joice over a progeny of many undis-
turbed generations who. begotten in
corruption, are free to rest undisturbed
or float into the lungs of poor boys and
men not yet fatally diseased. but who
in an atmosphere so impregnated with
the dire germs can make no fair fight for
life. To whom shall the appeal be
made for the accomplishment of the
cleansing of the consumptive ward?
Shall it be to the superintendent, who re-
ceives $3.50 per month for TO other pur-
pose than to look after the welfare of
the sick men and women under his
charge? Oh, surely If he cared in the
least he would not have been so lorg
remiss in his duty. Shall the plea be
made to Mr.. Field, chairman of the
hospital committee? This gentleman
has been heard to say that he visits the
hospital twice a week. TO Mr.. Field
then, let the appeal be made and If the
inmates of the county hospital con-
sumptive ward dared utter the cry they
would say to him: 'Come over ard heip
us; bring a couple of pals of whitewash
and a brush to aid in this unequal war
fare between life and filth. The un-
cleansed ceiling. however, is not the only
abuse existent in the consumptive ward.
The men who are unable to go into the
dining room, eat their meals there, anu
the dishes they use, instead OF being
carried to the dining room to be Wasneu,
are. and have for months, been washed
in the water closet and bath room, which
is one and the same. in hot water or
cold, Just as it happens; sometimes in
tin wash basin and sometimes in the
WashboWl in which the consumptives
make theid daily additions; also WASH
their dirty socks and handkerchiets,
and even use for eXpectoration some
times. The frying pan and little stew
kettle used to cook eggs, heat milk,
etc, in the ward, are also, presumably
to be handy, kept in the water closet.
During DR.. Hagan's administration, the
frying pan used to hang on a nail i'm
mediately over the urinal, but with the
Introduction of a nurses training
school, closer observation of correct
methods are sought. therefore the fry
ing pan and stew kettle are now kept
hanging snugly under the wash BASIN
but still in the water closet. one poor
fellow, in speaking of seeing the cook
ing utensils washed in the bath room
wash bowl, said at first it Disguised him
and turned him sick but that he had got
used to it. Another man said that very
recently, in order to wash his hands, he
had to remove from the wash basin the
frying pan and several dirty cups
Not long since, woman visiting the
consumptive ward, looked into the bath
room and saw the catheter, after hav-
ing been used in the ward lying in the
frying pan. and upon coming out made
the remark, that for filthy methods
that beat them all. Another handy
place of deposit for odds and ends in
the edible line, left over from one meal
and ready for use for the next, is the
table drawer of the consumptive ward,
where will be found bread, crackers
eggs and butter and on more than one
occasion, the butter in the drawer has
shown the appearance of being ready
to run from it's close confinement in
the fetid ward. The alleged abuses of
sanitary laws pertaining to the hospital
consumptive ward can oil be proven, the
names Of both inmates and visitors
who are prepared to give fuller informa-
I