Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-06-25

The problem of feeding and caring
| for nearly one thousand people from
one base Of supply would not seem to
| be Il very difficult task to the ordinary
| layman, but the system employed in
| the executive department of the Maine
State Insane Hospital in this city is one
| to marvel at, and when Manning s.
Campbell, the steward and treasurer Of
| th2t big Institution invited a journal
reporter to take a peek behind Tie
| scenes, it was accepted eagerly.
| At the present time there are "a pa
| ticnts under care in the hospital, and
| altogether there are employed about
| 200 men ana women in various rapaci-
| ties for the proper operation of the in
| stitution. The entire work of the hos
| pital is under the direct supervision of
| DR.. r. r. Sanborn, the superintendent.
| but much Of the real executive work
| falls upon the shoulders If Mr.. Camp
| bell. who ought to have more than 4
] passing familiarity with the work.
| since he has devoted his entire business
| life. some = years, to the insane hos
pital. In Mr.. campbcll's office there
| are several clerks who attend To I'll"
| bookkeeping and other office duties,
| and from this centre is directed the
work Of maintaining an institution that
| enjoys the reputation of being nie Of
thu finest hospitals for the car" "f thr
insane in this section Of Tie United
| States.
During the year 1905. the average
number 1f patients IN the hospital was
| 10 'rht. cost Of caring for these ia
| ti,mtS figured upon the statistics ~ ne
! in Mr.. CunphcIl's office IS about >i."p
| Der week i!cr capita. 81 tins anlNtnt.
$lS1 il; fur raw material Of food r"a-
sumed. $l.13 for kitchen force, laundry
workers ana attendants. ANA the bal
a.c, for repairs and mtlnt"lEtiir' ~ tit'
institution. which occupying land al
most isolated from the city is 4 llttit
city in itself, ANA no form Of municipal
government was ever more successful
or systematic than is practised here.
The kitchen il one Of the most i'm
portant departments III the hospital
and it is presided over by Clarence >
Waite. the head chef, VIII" has oc"H-
pied that position about 10 years anna
is in consequence, man Of uhaSa;ti
ability and experience in this particular
line. Mr. Watt. has the assistance 81
four cooks 4 milllnan. ana four p"r-
tcrs In this great room IS prepared
the food that is supplied 70 n" VA |
ticnts ana working force. Tn" room IS
fitted With the most modern cooking
appliances. roasting ovens. ranges
broil,rs. giant tea ana coffee urnS, soup
kettles whose capacity is 100 gallons
etc. In one corner Of the main Kit
,l.,, Iiat L ~ with
pericnccd diet chef in charge. llcr" II
prepared the food that goes to tn" Slcn |
wards. The baking department "cu-
pies quarters by itself and the Head
baker is George X. BLACK. He has |
several assistants ana tn" capacity Of |
the great ovens. which measure Sxla |
feet is enormous. An idea of the |
strenuous life led by the baking crew
may he gained by the output Of TINS
department on the day Of the journal
mans visit. THIS included 300 loaNrS
Of white bread Of unusually large size,
143 loavns Of brown bread. 100 latG" |
sheets Of molasscs ginger bread. -
pies ana 10 dozen duughnuts. IN this |
department ~ III al others in til" in
stitution, the very best Of everything IS
used. ana the product of the hospital
ovens is much better than is served in
the ordinary household.
The kitchens and bake-shOp are sup
rlied with raw material from the
grocery store" which in itself IS quite
an important institution. This de
partmcnt is fitted up exactly as any
ordinary commercial store might b..
There IS clerk in charge ana n
honors rcquisitions for goods and at
tends to their delivery. \ stock of
81 900 worth Of raw grocery material
is carried all the time. and in another
department is located the dry goods
store" where big stock of mems
clothing. dress goods. boots ana shoes
and all kinds Of dry goods The stock
carried in this department averages
$4,000.
Underneath the main kitchen arc H.
Gated two giant refrgerators. IN one
is kent the meats used in the kitchen
and in the other the butter ana chick
ems. The Journal man saw two tons
of nure gulden-ytlloW creamery butter
in this refrigerator on his visit and
none better could possibly b. chUrnel
TIL milk used in the hospital comes
from the big herd Of thoroughbred COWS
owned by the state ANA the process Of
steriliZing the fluid is 4 long ana
elaborate one. and the patients are as
surei freedom from germs and impure
milk.
The prepared food is Transported in
metal dishes, placed On steam heated