The age-herald., 1902-02-13
JAIL HOSPITAL IS
 IN BAD CONDITION Report of County Committee of
 Public Health. WOUNDS NEED MORE CARE No Provision for Aseptle Dressing. White and coIored Prisoners Are Confined Side By side-Prls-
 oners Trade Blankets.
WOUNDS NEED MORE CARE

Prisoners In the county jail are to have a free hair cut. An order to this effect was issued yesterday by Dr. E. H. Sholl. chairman of the committee of public health. Dr. Prude McAdory was given au- thority to attend to this wholesale capil- lary amputation.
 The county committee of public health has been conducting an investigation of the sanitary condition of the county jail and this order is issued for sanitary pur- poses.
 The investigation of the jail was made by Dr. J. M Mason, assisted by Dr. D. T. Talley, a member of the committee, under authority conferred by paragraph of section 12S2 of the code of Alabama. Their report is as follows:
 Birmingham. Ala. February Il, 1902. "Dr. E. H. Shou, Chairman Committee of Public Health, Birmingham, Ala;
 Dear Slr-We submit to you the report of our inspection of the county jail made on Saturday afternoon, February s, 1902 The sanitary condition of the jail as d whole is fair, but in several particulars Improvements are needed. The heating and ventilation seem to be satisfactory. NNN---NN~ closets was any odor emanating.
 Tn the jail for colored prisoners. the floors are scrubbed twice week, which keeps them in fairly clean condition, but the cells are dirty and a more fre- quent resort to white-washing would inn prove their condition. The jail for white prisoners receives the same attention as that for the blacks but the prisoners keep it heater, and 1t has the appearance of greater cleanliness.
 Bathing Facilities Adequate.
 ''The bathing facilities are adequate, and a rule has been recently established making & weekly bath compulsory and this goes far towards improving the con- dition of the inmates individually and collectively. Since smallpox has again made it's appearance Tn the state, each prisoner is required, on admission, to bathe, is furnished with change of clothes, and is vaccinated, If he does not show satisfactory scar His clothing Is thoroughly disinfected before being re- turned to him. We wish specially to com mend the prison authorities for these pre- cautions against smallpox.
 The kitchen is clean and the food that is furnished is well-cookod and whole some; however, for weeks at a time no vegetables are served to the prisoners ana this should be promptly and pcrma- nently corrected.
 'The hospital facilities are entirely in- adequate. White and colored prisoners are confined therein side by side. Tho cells from the colored female prison have large iron gratings opening into the hos pital ward making privacy impossible | These gratings should be closed for this reason and also for the unsanitary eff feet of this cramped room opening into the hospital ward.
 No Aseptic Treatment.
 "No provision whatever Is made for aseptic treatment of wounds, and as the first dressing so often decides the fate of a wounded person, this condition should be remeded
 "The cots supplied the prisoners have no mattresses upon them but each pris- oner Is furnished with two blankets. At the time of our inspection some of the prisoners had blankets. others had none. We were told that this was due to the fact that frequently the prisoners traded their blankets and clothing to other prisoners after being admitted.
 Very respectfully.
 ID. F. VALLEY,
 U. M. MASON" The Board of Revenue, and not Sheriff