Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-12-26

three filthy women and they are kept
in the basement. Three men are also
kept there, and they are somewhat
filthy. About three-fourths of the
men work more or less, and all go out
every day. Two or three women are
kept in all the time. Men and women
are kept separate, except when out or
doors, and they are looked after by
some one. Women are in charge of 4
woman. No classification of patients,
except the filthy ones who are put in
the basement. Men work in the gar
den and at farm work. About half the
women work about the house. They
have no amusements except games. No
RELIGIOUS worship. No cases of recov-
cry. No separate account of the cost
of support. The books of the institu-
ton show that it costs $32 per year
ner capita to support the entire popu-
lation. 1t was said this included the
expense of physician. superintendent
and attendants, and all money paid out
for everything needed, but it did not
include farm produce. An examina-
.3tion of the books disclosed the fact
that a number of employees salaries
We're not included in the expense on
which the per capita was based. The
farm consists of 246 acres and is worth
$50 per acre outside of the buildings.
The buildings cost $4,000. They are
heated with steam and lighted with
kerosene.
MIR. Wilson Talks.
Georoe Wilson, steward of the coun-
tv farm, was called up by telephone
today and the report read to him.
That gentleman said that the report
is misleading and does not state the
facts. Mr.. Wilson and wife were away
from home at the time Judge Kin
ne made his visit, hence the member of
the board of control must have formed
his judgment entirely from superficial
tiles. Mr.. Wilson said:
SIN regard to there being two beds in
each room, have this to say: In some
of the rooms there are two beds, but 1
see nothing wrong about that. The
character OF patients who occupy them
is such as to insure its perfect pro-
priety. The basement is not dark,
damp and ill-veutilated. Neither are
three female patients confined there.
There never were but two, and they
were put there temporarily at night.
The day Judge Kline made his visit
my wife and were away from home
and TO insure the safe keeping of one
1 woman she was confined in the base
ment for a few hours. Now as to its
! filthy condition. Some patients are
| filthy, but do not suppose for minute
that we would rest until we had
4 thoroughly cleansed the room in which
a nlthv patient had been confined.
i Neither is the bed clothing dirty.
Sheets on the beds of the better class
of patients are changed once week
and every day on the beds of the worst
class, If necessary. That part of the
report relating to the sewage is mis-.
leading. Instead of its being but 1000
i feet long, it is over 1900 feet in length
Neither do the COWS drink from the
creek, into which the sewer empties
i Water never reaches the COW pasture
except when the overflow from the ar
tesian well now building is such that
the creek cannot contain it. The COWS
are watered in two large tanks in the
barnyard and there is no necessity TO,
their drinking from the creek, even il
they had access to it. The grand jury
4 has investigated this matter and mad,
no unfayorable report; the board o
supervisors visits the place frequently
and they have found nothing wrong
VIC nave ud0 pul OIC VAST vi ny plOlS
fever in five years, and I think if tn,
cows We're drinking filthy water, w,
would have had more cases of that dis
ease. would like to make you few
statistics taken from the records O
this place, just to show that it is not a
bad a place as has been painted. A
the present time there are twenty-si.
insane male patients. and like mum
Der Of females, making IN all fifty-two
OF these, seven are epileptics, fv,
males and two females. The tota
number of insane patients received
since 1895, number sixty-seven. o
these twelve have been discharged AM
three have died. This is not such
bad record, and will compare favorabl,
with anv record Mt. Pleasant nigh
produce"
It has been said that the gist Of tn
whole matter with the board of contro
is that big insane asylum at Chero
kee, when completed, Unjust be file,
with patients, and the county hospital
are the only places to find them.