The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1922-01-05

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change. although stiI Of such re-
cent date. has been marked BY in
provemeuts that are no less than
marvellous. If consideration Is given
to the fact that they have been ac-
complished without increased cost 70
the state.
After establishing the fundamen-
tai principles Of the management Of
the institutions. and securing the
proper personnel on the staff Of su-
pedinfendents. the work Of the board
has been directed toward the two
obiectiyes; l1l Bettering the physi-
cal condition Of the plants and l2)
Introducing. as fast as a limited IN
come villr allow, the most advanced
and at the same time the most ap-
proved methods Of caring for these
by-products of humanity, who are
either helpless to care for themselves
Dr who furnish a menace to the wei
fare Of society.
The physical Improvement Of the
plants-the replacing Of old wooden
floors. infested BY reaches and rats,
BY cement floors with rounded edges
and corners that leave no resting
place for even dust to gather, the
lighting Of dark places, the introduce
tion Of proper sewage disposal-no-
tably at the Central hospital at
Lakeland-all these innovation,
which furnish data by themselves
for a magazine article Of length,
have been made for practically the
cost Of the raw material. because of
the use made Ito their own benefit)
of the labor Of the inmates Of the
Institution. 1t has been authorita-
lively stated that the Imhof sewage
disposal tank at Lakeland would
cost under ordinary contract close
to $4,000; but by making use Of the
remarkable engineering skill Of one
patient. who drew all the intricate
plans. and the unskilled labor of
others. the entire work was con-
strncted at cost to the institution
Of about $500.
Much has already been done, but
there still remains much more to be
done in the way Of rehabiIitating
these old buildings and adapting
them to the needs Of methods far
different from those for which they
were constructed, not to mention the
need of new buildings to relieve the
overcrowded conditions, and of new
buildings to furnish adequate space
and equipment for the vocational
therapy that now plays. such an inn
portant pare in the crusade to re-
claim waste humanity. Most of this
work that still remains to be done
falls, of course, outside the utmost
limit of stretching that the income
Of the Board Of Charities and Cor
rections. the ingenuity of the heads
Of the institutions, and the labor of
the inmates are able to accomplish.
Vital as these problems Of the
physical environment Of the patients
are. it is the therapeutic care and
treatment of them and the program
Of preventative work the board has
inaugurated and hopes still further
to increase, that furnish subjects of
the most compelling interest. Each
classification Of the wards Of the
state calls for individual and special
lied care, presenting subject for
profound scientific investigation and
research, but il is a notable fact,
that along with the greater diversity
and specialization, there has come
more cooperation of all the forces,
(education, scientific, philanthropic,
religious) making the good Of hui
manity, all concentrated in a mighty
effort to prevent from the beginning
the bscksliding Of the individual, as
far as is humanity possible, into dis
ease, insanity and crime. The law
creating the Board of Charities and
Corrections has recognized this
trend and specifically authorizes the
board to call upon other state de-
partments for special services. These
services have so far included the asa
sistance of the State Board OF
Health for vaccination and medical
treatment, especially Of venereal
diseases, sewage disposal, general
sanitation and the examination OF
water supplies, also the use of the
state laboratories for blood, sputum
and other tests. The University Of
Kentucky has been called on for ad-
vice and assistance in matters per-
tanning TO farm management, the
care Of dairy herds and other live