The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1920-12-29
CONFEDERATE
INFIRMARY
Dep!oraole Conditions Exist, Re.
port States


listed on November Il, by Rober
Norman and Secretary G.. Croft viii
hams. We found that the manage.
mel-t had only recently changed and
that the new superintendent had mo-
taken charge. This partly accounts
for the condition Of affairs that we
found at :he Infirmary.
This institution as it's name de-
notes is for infirm Confederate Vete-
rams. There are now sixty-seven in
mates, all of whom, of course, are aged
men, and most of them are extreme
/ ~ I"cbl" and in need of great atten
non. This We took into conSdera-
non when W. investigated the infirm-
aly and oar recommendations are
based upo:I these facts.
There are two nurses-one night
and one day. We recommend that
more help should be given along this
line. There should be at least one
nurse and two helpers for the day
! and one nurse and one helper for
The night. We found that there We're
+ tWo cooks and one house girl. We
recommend that there be employed in
addition to this, a matron and another
house girl.
I'VE found no records of the ply
sician. 1t wa sthc custo mlast wear
and in the preceding years, for the
doctor to keep a record book OF his
daily visits, together with the med
cal directions for the sergeant to
! follow. We urge that this practice
be resumed. We commend the ac-
curate and easily accessible record
that the sergeant keeps.
I'VE found that most of the rooms
were unheated. Aged men require
much heat, especially if they take lit
tie exercise. 1t is almost inhuman
to place our aged Confederate Vet
Grams in sleeping rooms that have no
heat.
we observed that much of the fur
niiure in the infirmary is old and
worn. There is great need of new
beds and of more chairs.
I'm general, the main building is
badly in need of general repairs and
painting, both interior and exterior.
The hospital and superintendent s
house are in better condition, but
both of these also need both paint
and minor repairs.
''In the main building, the roof
leaks badly, and consequently the
plastering has fallen from the ceiling
IN almost every room. The floor of
the kitchen and all porches are very
dilapidated and in some places are
actually dangerous The steps on
all sides are almost falling down. and
are Too Atapn for oo,,,Hort
The infirmary and it's annex needs
repairs to the roof as we'll as re-
pairs to the steps and minor wood
work. More radiators are needed here
to keep it adequately warm, as all
neat in the annex is supplied by a
stove.
"The superintendent asked that the
addition of dining room and kitchen
20 his house be taken into consid-
Grafton, The superintendent's house
now contains a bath and four rooms.
two of which apparently being un-
used. The other two are used as
combined Office and bed room, and
dining room and buffers pantry. re-
spectivey. All cooking for the su-
perintehdent is done i'm the main
building.
Fhe plumbing system will need
overhauling; and several toilets should
be replaced. There is room for much
more cleanliness i'm both toilets and
baths. Especial attention is directed
to the toilet Oh the ouside OF the
klchen, which is presumably used by
servants. This was i'm deplorable
condition.. ,.such a condition that should
not exist on any part of any prem
ises within q city. Added to this de.
ploralle condition is the nauseous fact
that this toilet is outside the kitchen
window, and is separated from the
Kitchen stove by a bare wall.
THE heating system requires the
installation of additional radiators
in the living and bed rooms, and in
the in'frmary, which now have in
sufficient heat for comfort. There
is complaint that the present system
Of heating by ceiling coils is not COM
Portable and it was asked. that the
ceiling coils be placed beneath the
windows.
The following recommendations
are respectfully submitted:
THAT the steps be made lower and
of some permanent material such as
concrete.
That the exterior be painted with
some Water-tight material.
That the walk between the in
Urinary and main building be raised
to the floor level for the better con-
venience and comfort of those in both
buildings.
That al plastering be repaired.
and kalsomined to make the interior
neater and more cheerful in appear
ance.
That the blinds be entirely re-
move, rs they are now in bad con-
dition and are seldom used.
That suitable wire screens be plac-
ed in all sash and broken glass be
repaired.
That the stairs leading to the
second floor of the main building be
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