The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1915-07-28
F|REPROOF WARDS
10 Be PROVIDED
MARKED IMPROVEMENT AT THE
STATE HOSPITAL FOR THE
INSANE
Superintendent Is
Reducing Expenses
Daily Staff Meeting-Negro Patients
Are Removed to State Park
Farm Furnishes Much Food.
(T'he State)

4AO SIdtCJ
Clean, well ventilated, sanitary
fireproof wards are to take the place
of the stuffy rooms at the State Hos.
pital for the Insane, when the plans
contemplated by the new administra,
ton are carried out. Saturday the
white males were removed from sew.
eral ofathe wards and the construc.
ton work is to begin tomorrow.
The wards are to be made as com.
Portable as possible by the regents
New plumbing fixtures are being in.
stalled. Concrete porches will take
the place of the wooden structures
Fire escapes are to. be installed
Plans have been submitted for show.
er baths for each of the wards. White
iron beds are to take the place OF
the old wooden beds which have been
in use for many years.
Will Reduce Expenses. -.
Great improvements are under
way in the white female wards. A
new central kitchen andrdining room
is being constructed. This build.
ing will take the place of the numer.
GUS kitchens about the various wards
and will cut down the expenses OF
each department. ~.
Eventually every ward at the in:
stitution is to be remodeled. The leg.
islature gave s150,0OO for the work
this year. AS time goes by the re-
gents hope to remodel every ward at
the old asylum. .... ~. F.. ( .....
C. Fred Williams, M. D., the new
superintendent, is giving his personal
attention to these improvements.
When they are completed: this State
will have one of the. most modern in
stitutions for the care of unfortu-
mates in the South. He has selected
an. able medical staff and each pa
tient is given careful attention.
When a patient is entered a history
is made of his case and filed in the
central Office. =. -. .. !,
Daily staff conferences are held, at
which the condition of the various
patients is discussed. All of the as
sistant physicians reside on the
asylum grounds. In the past the as
sistants gave only part of their time
to the patients. =
Negroes at St1te Park.
For years the asylum has been
crowded, to the detriment of the pa
tients. However, during the last sew.
eral weeks more than 200 negro fe-
male patients have been removed to
State Park, where they are housed
in the large building constructed by
the asylum commission. In few
days 100 negro male patients will be
removed to the park, where quarters
will be provided for them in the
building that was intended for use as
a laundry. The negro women are be-
ing we'll cared for at State Park. The
building is we'll kept and abundance
of plain, wholesome food is pro-
vided.
The State owns about $500 acres
of land at State Park. The farm is
furnishing much food for the pa
tients there and at the old asylum.
The water supply has given the re-
gents great deal of trouble. Re-
Gently six wells were bored on the
place and now $4,000 gallons Of wa
ter are being pumped daily to the
tank. This is an ample supply for
the needs of the various buildings.
Forty acres have been planted in
tomatoes at State Park and the man.
agement will this year, can about
5000 pounds for winter use. The
canning work is being done by the
negro women patients.
The new administration is finding
work for as many patients as posi-
BILE. The occupational treatment is
considered one of the best by ex-
perts. Patients given light work
have shown much improvement and
tb;c no1ic,, will he rorfinued