Evening star., 1905-09-21
MR. z|hkHAh'S REPORT
Washington Asylum I'm
provements Under Way.
URGES SEGREGATION
LOCATION OF HEALTH DEPART
MENT BUILDINGS.
Milk Supply Limited-Sun Porches for
Hospital Wards-Mental Cases
Cause Concern.
URGES SEGREGATION

ton Asylum today submitted 10 the DistIiet
Commissioners his annual report. together
with estimates for the conduct of that insu-
tuition during the fiscal year ending June
3O 1907. The report shows that many Inn
provements are under way and still more
contemplated, particular stress being laid
upon the impending separation ofthe aims
house, under individual management, from
the other branches Of the institution. Su-
perintendent Zinkhan not only looks with
favor on the impending change. but states
his belief that much better results would
be attained by separating the Washington
Asylum Hospital and the workhouse so
that the penal Institution would be far
away from the hospital
Text Of Report.
The report. with its reconlmendations,
follows:
This being my first year as superintend-
ent of the Washington Asylum, took
some time to study the system Of manage
ment-before suggesting inaugurating
any changes I am thoroughly col-Einced
that the present system of conducting three
different Institutions under one manage
ment Is distinct disadvantage to every one
separate foundations as promptly as right
sentiment and adequate appropriations can
bring 1t about.
LAS far as the almshouse is concerned.
the change is anticipated, for IL Is expected
that the new almshouse, now in the course
of construction at Giesboro. will soon be
ready for occupancy. Every effort should
be made to complete it by July l, 1906,
which closes our present fiscal year.
THE building now occupied needs many
repairs, but 1t is unwise to spend money on
Improvement at this time. as they are to
be vacated so soon. 1t is even more i'm
portant that the asylum hospital should be
removed from it's present location to the
new hospital site already provided. Some
Of the hospital buildings encroach on the
grounds required for the new workhouse
buildings, the second wing of which is now
being erected. The growing needs also re-
quire that an administration building be
provided at an early day. A dining hall
for prisoners. an assembly room or chapel
central power plant Offices and officers
quarters are all things greatly needed in
the workhouse. for the proper equipment
portance of having an administration build
ing, in which all of these can be centralized
THE Washington Asylum is located on
reservation 49, covering about thirty acres.
The following buildings are also grouped
on the same reservation: The United States
District jail. in the northwest corner; the
quarantine station. in the northeast corner;
the disnfecting plant. in the southeast cor
ner: the smallpox hospital and District
nursery, on the east front, near the Eastern
branch.
1.-The disinfecting plant should be placed
on a new site near the quarantine station,
so that the three buildings directly under
the control of the health department could
be close together and accessible from b
street. northeast, and the nursery should be
transferred to new site. so that all the
land on the reservation, between the south
side of the Jail and the Congressional ceme-
terry. and between 10Th street and the East
ern branch, could be fenced in and be set
apart for the exclusive use Of the Washing
ArN.l lspvyr cd oI,nv
result In giving the asylum increased acre
age. which is not only needed for pasture
and farming purposes, but to give added op-
portunities to the prisoners for employment.
1t would also exclude from this part of the
reservation many unknown persons, who
now use our roads to gain access to the
other institutions, and whose presence at
times is a great detriment to our discipline.
1t Is by this very unfortunate condition that
it is made possible for strangers to bring
clothing and other contraband matter upon
the grounds, which may facilitate the escape
of the prisoners assigned to work about the
farm. A well-constructed fence surround
ing the entire institution is greatly needed.
Segregation Of Sexes.
1.-THE first important change was under
taken in the a1mshouse, and consisted in
segregating the sexes in separate buildings
Formerly the two sexes were grouped in
separate wings OF the same building. The
change was not wholly to the liking of
some of the inmates. but the results have
determined the wisdom Of the new man
agement.
Careful attention has been given to the
Improvement OF the institution diets and to
the inspection of every article furnished
under contract or otherwise. This has been
especially true of the food supplies, and to
insure the best results one of the over
seers. who Is a practical butcher was as
signed. among his other duties, to receive
and ms a otc f,.rr r,ishn
THE milk supply was found to be very
limited, although there were about thirty
cows and heifers on the farm. The milk
supply has been greatly increased by the
purchase of few fresh cows. Some of the
old cows, no longer of use as milk pro-
ducers. were used for beef for. the institu-
tion.
lhe carpenter and tin shops which for
merly adjoined the horse stable were re-
moved to an old building remote from the
stable to lessen the danger from fire.
"All the asylum buildings were equipped
with chemical fire extinguishers
Nearly all of the, hot-water boilers in
the asylum were found to be in bad con-
dition. They were all thoroughly over
hauled and repaired, o. replaced with new
ones.
"A new portable bake oven has been In
stalled to meet the growing needs Of the
asylum.
THE hospital and workhouse grounds had
no pavements. Gravel walks had been laid
weather. During the past year more than
2.Oo0 lineal feet of cement and stone pave
ments and crossings have been laid making
the walking between the buildings and
about the grounds very good for all seasons
of the year.
1.-THE most important improvement during
the year was brought about by connecting
all the hospital wards with spacious sun
porches. These have been of great advan-
tage to the sick patients, who could thus
get much more sunshine and fresh air. The
porches are also of advantage to the nurses
and doctors. who formerly had often to
pass through the rain and snow to go from
one ward to another.
The growing needs of the hospital made
1t necessary to have a larger number of
nurses in the training school. The Nurses
Home was entirely too small to accomrno-
date all of them. Relief was found in this
direction by filing up few available
rooms In the main building Of the aims
house.
Mental Cases Cause Concern.
THE most serious problem at the begin
ming of the fiscal year was how to properly
care for and promptly dispose Of the In
creasing number OF mental cases sent to
the asylum hospital for observation and
Xroofr,ont Tho roraix,Sper xx,ar r,Atoi.