Sunday Washington globe., 1902-02-02

Inmates OF States Prison
There is a decided antipathy by the heads
Of District institutions to soap and water for
the inmates use. The GLOBE has shown
that the inmates Of the Jail are denied soap
to cleanse their hands Of the accumulation
of grease from dipping in their tin soup
vessels after shreds of meat, bits of potatoes
and vegetables which swim on top or sink
to the bottom through their own rottenness,
and also the other unmentionable filth and
dirt adhering to their hands, all of which is
due to the prohibition of knife, fork or
spoon We had supposed that this prohib-
itiou Of soap and water was confined to the
Jail and hardly dreamed that an hospital, of
all places in the world would enforce such
unsanitary and disease-breeding regulations.
But, as will be seen, the maiden superin-
tendent Of the aims house hospital Miss
Francis by name, has restricted as much as
she can the ablutions and personal eleanli-
ness of the unfortunate inmates Here is
an extract from a private letter touching
this subject
zone of her latest orders is that the
bath room must be kept LOCKED all the
time with the exception of one hour % to
a. m.) in which all patients must get
washed. If they don't all make it in that
time they 60 without or wash at the spigot
in the closet. What do you think of thatl
Can you believe it2'
Yes-the GLOBE can believe anything in
the line of inhumanity by the District SER
wants who are responsible to nobody, and
whom public opinion cannot touch This
corresponCleut goes on and saws:
There was another order issued some
time ago which was almost as good, but we
have gotten pretty we'll used to it by this
time, and don't mind il so very much, al
though / confess il is a little inconvenient.
It Is that no patient is to have a razor, and
when he wants TO shave himself he must
have permission from the house-doctor
Then he waits the pleasure of the orderly
to get his razor. even then he must not dare
60 to work and shave himself unless said
orderly has time to sit down and watch him
and see that he does not shave any one who
did not have permission, or cut his throat,
or his corns, or do any other foolish thing.
A prisoner could not possibly be made feel
he was a criminal any more than Miss
Francis makes a patient in this place feel
he is a pauper. She loses no chance to
show one that she is TT and he is NIT.
She is a very able manager too. and prac
tices economy to such an extent that about
fifteen cups and plates do duty for twenty
seven to thirty patients-one-half waits for
the other half to eat before they get theirs
so if you stand in with the pantry man you
may get in with the first and get warm grub
if you don t you may be last, and then your
grub is not warm. But why go on any
further might write yard more, but
what's the use2 A fellow has to endure
sucn things in any place Of this kind no
doubt. only want to show you that Stout
enburg is not the only one of his kind. He
has a good running mate in Miss Francis.
She is a peach"
Front other sources the GLOBE has ascer-
tanned that the physicians, Doctors McIn-
tyre aud Manning, do their duty by the un-
fortunate pauper patients, as also the head
physician, DR.. Hckling, in so tar as pre-
scribing for their ailments and fulfilling
the duties of their profession. II is indeed
a sad commentary that a woman-Ngentle
woman n''--superintendent should be so de-
void of the humanities as 70 oppress Gods
sick and ailing poor Forcing helpless old
creatures out of bed at a. m in order to
secure the luxuries Of a bath, or compelling
them after a. N. to wash from the spigot
in closet is an outrageous exercise of
authority and coming from a woman Is
almost unbelievable
The treatment of these pauper sick and
helpless people in other respects is Just as
harsh and inhuman, For instance, the rule
is rigidly enforced preventing these poor
| old creatures from lying down on their
beds during any portion Of the day after
they have once arisen from their beds.
,e -.
| or helplessness TO arise are permitted, per-
force, to remain in bed, where they must
remain the whole day and no part of which
are they helped to enjoy sitting up in easy
chairs. Sick and helpless old people are
tortured when not permitted to lie down
portions of the day aud it is equal torture
to compel others to lie in bed all day when,
by proper assistance, they might sit up
few hours for a change Aud how grateful
this change is those who have been par
TALLY bedIidden know
The whole intention of the aims house
hospital management is after the style Of
ex.Commissary Clerk H. Clay Evans treat
ment of the old veterans--die as quickly as
possible and relieve the public purse from
further expenditures This is the humanity
and this is the civilized treatment extended
to the errinR and unfortunate wards alike Of
the District Of Columbia by its pampered
officials.
We propose TO keep on tearing the mask
from the faces of these hypocritical officials,
Congress and the District Commissioners
included, and let the representatives Of
foreign countries (who are close readers Of
the GLOBE) know the manner and kind OF
treatment to which misdemeanants paupers
and the afflicted are subjected in the Capital
Of the Nation.