The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1907-12-04
A DOCTOR ON
THE POOR HOUSE
TELLS OF CONDITIONS AS THEY
ARE AND SUGGESTS A
REMEDY.
The Horror Of Horrors Is 1.-THE Round
House." . Breeding Place for
Consumption. 80
Editor The Herald:

Editor The Herald:
Through the editorial columns OF
The Herald the Poor House question
has been dealt with recently rather
freely. The facts brought out So far
have been of general nature. That
the public may have more complete
knowledge of the real condition of al
fairs at that institution, the writer of
this article will attemp TO follow more
into detail the ideas heretofore advanc.
ed.
The Yard" as 1t is called out there,
borders the pike on its eastern side
1t is an area of about two or three
acres, dotted about on its surface with
eight or ten cottages, of two rooms
each for the occupancy of the in
mates. Near the pike on the eastern
border, about half way, is the home
of the keeper. In the southeastern
corner, surrounded by high solid
plank fence, is round, one-storied
building, in which are kept the In
mates that are unmanageable.
The thought has frequently occurred
TO me that, instead OF SO many little
cottages scattered about over the
grounds, 1t would be much more sat
isfactory to have in the centre one
modern building, large enough to ac-
commodate all our INDECENT poor. It
he fuid cd Rnfn
one for the women and one for the
men. A dividing fence could be had,
separating the yard" into two sides,
with each apartment opening into it's
respective side or grounds. BY this
means the building could be more
easily heated and cleaned than can
the little cottages that are there now.
Also the two apartments could each
have their bath rooms and lavatories |
and water closets, and the inmates
could be required to battle regularly |
which is quite an undertaking under
the present arrangement.
But besides this by the above divi- |
sion of the yard, the constant rowing
around, meddling and gossip and
mixing" in the part of the inmates,
which is hard to prevent at present,
would be more easily controlled.
There is no place out there prepared
for doing the laundry. When one of
the cottages happens to be vacant It
can be done there, otherwise the yard
must be used. have seen the wo-
men standing on the cold ground over
the wash tub when 1t did not look
humane; and yet, no other arrange
ment could be made, under the exist
ing conditions
The spring which supplies water for
the place is in field across the pike
in front of the keepers home While
It Is not far away, 1t Is yet something
of task to carry enough water to
supply the place
As has been said before, in the
southeastern corner of the yard is
"The Round House" the Horror Of
all Horrors about these miserably ar
ranged quarters. I do not know who
was the architect of this structure,
but there 1t stands on the side of the
Mooresville pike. plainly to be seen
by all passing by, monument to
Hygienic Ignorance.
Entering 1t you will see circular
space about - feet in diameter and
in the centre of this space is stove,
with which the building is heated.
bordering On this circular space all
around are the cells-six or eight in
number. Each cell measures on this
central side about four feet, the walls
back diverging make the back
or outer wall about seven or eight feet
wide. The cell is about ten feet from
the bars at the inner circular space to
the back wall There is a window In
the outer wall.
Any casual observer will see that
the sun light can strike only about
two or three of the cells at any time,
and these for only two or three hours
IN the day. So when an inmate is I'M
fortunate enough to require incarcera-
ton in this "Sepulchre of Death" It is /.
not long before 1.-THE Great White :
Plague makes his appearance. Why ]
should he not? Such place as this /
Is his habitat; everything is suitable
Tor the growth and development of :
Mr. Tubercle Bacillus. Why not en- z
10y himself?
It Is a fact well known to all who i
have noticed It, that when anyone is r
confined long in this Round House" 4
tuberculosis almost invariably fol- &
ows. It takes strong constitution y
Q withstand It's ravages here.