The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-19

CoHulIlOn. The The laVdIOFleS, par ticularly in the white mems section, were dirty and had some odor. The bedding was only fair.
 The cells for the colored men were in fairly good condition, the toilets especially being clean, and showed signs of their having taken some interest in keeping their quarters clean.
 We recommend that the corridors of the jail be fitted with some sta tionary benches so that the prison CTS may have an opportunity to Sit down during the day while they are locked out of their cells.
 The cells for the white women were very much out of order, great deal of it being due probably to the fact that they are on the ground floor and the condition of the walls and floor make it almost impossible to keep them clean or looking right, that be ing the oldest part of the jail. These quarters could probably be frightened up by having the walls and floors repaired and put in con dition which would be more sani- tary. v.
 The jail kitchen did not show signs of being as clean as 1t should be. At the time the grand jury visited the jail they were preparing meal, and while the food that was being cooked looked clean and was cooked in clean vessels, the general surroundings in the kitchen were not inviting. An inspection of the death cell showed some messages from former prisoners on the wall which were not at all elevating, and we suggest the repainting of these walls in order to cover up these inscriptions.
 At the time of our visit there were IA prisoners in the jail, as follows: White men, state and government, 50; white females. 10; black males 76; black females 8.
 The condition of the basement of the jail makes it impossible for any one to stay in that part of it. While services are frequently held there, it is damp, and pipes are leaking water continuously into it, and there is water on the floor. We were told they tried to repair 1t, but for some reason it had not been done.
 The shower bath in the basement was out of repair, and we believe in- adequate for the number of pris- oners confined at this time. HilIman Hospital.
 The Hillman hospital, which is owned and maintained by Jefferson county at a cost of s11O,000 a year is one of the best institutions of it's kind, and is doing some of the great est work in the city of Birmingham today. Ninety-ffve per cent of the patients at the Hillman hospital arc from within the corporate limits of the city of Birmingham, and we rec ommend and feel that 1t is the duty of the city of Birmingham and Jeffer- son county to cooperate with each t<.fl .f,a T etl,e h. ~f 411a upkeep Of this hospital.
 The grand jury found the hospital was clean. the food being served was nicely prepared, and the general con dition of the hospital was good We think credit should be given the doc tors, the officers and nurses who maintain this hospital for the poor unfortunates of Jefferson county.
 We found that there is no provision for hot water, which the board of revenue has told us will be taken care of and that they would have a hot water system installed before the ing supplied during the winter months in connection with the steam heat.
 The hospital Is overtaxed and in adequate to meet the really urgent needs of the city and county. In a number of cases cots were placed in the aisles and all wards were com pletely filled. At the time of our inspection there were probably only five or six vacant beds in the whole hospital.
 There is some discussion at the present Aims house, which is three property occupied by the Hillman hos pital and building a larger and more adeQuate hospital at the site of the present Aims housed which is three miles out. We recommend that this be not done, for the reason that if a patient is seriously hurt, if he had to be carried three miles in an ann bulance or other conveyance he would de before he got there, whereas, if there were a hospital closer in, his life might be saved. Instead of that plan, we recommend, that the county and city build a wing of the same size as at present constructed, along