Evening star., 1940-02-11
Report Paints Vivid Picture of Blue Plains
Home Found overcrowded, Lacking in Essential Equipment
UndeYtoffed and InodequoteIy Financed

lnodequoteIy Financed
badly Illuminated at the 5 o'clock
meal. Supt. Haskell reports the
plate waste is high. \
Overcrowding In Wards.
Wards: Time did not permit the
measurement and bed count Of the
separate rooms, but marked over
crowding Is evident on casual in
spection. The total floor space is:
white women, two floors, 30x82, 1920
square feet; one small dormitory,
18x38, 683 square feet. Colored
women, two floors, 30x55, $500
square feet; two floors, 30x55, $500
square feet; two small dormitories,
18x36, 1858 square feet. White men.
two floors, 30xl02. 6.l20 square feet:
one small dormitory, lsx38, 684
square feet. Colored men, four floors.
30xl05. $4,000 square feet; two small
dormitories. lsx38, 1858 square feet.
Total square feet, 1884.
"Thirty-four thousand, three hum
dred and forty y-four square feet di-
vided by TOO, the number of inmates.
allows 49.6 square feet per bed. The
minimum standard for institutions
Is 30 square feet per bed. Only one
tub is provided for each section of
the wards. The writer did not OBJ
tain the number of beds served by
one tub, but the ratio is grossly in
adequate. The writer observed a
woman washing a bed chamber in
one bath tub, q situation which
arises from lack of sufIicient super
visory attendants. Some toilets were
without tissue, some rolls of tissue
had been on the wet floor and were
probably not disable. No SOAP was
seen in any toilet room and one
community" towel was observed
Ward Visits Recommended
The wards are in the charge of
attendants. The physician and the
nurse do not make ward visits ex-
cept on call from an attendant
Good practice would indicate dailv
rounds made by trained persons.
"1nfirmary: The infirmary con-
sists Of about 100 beds, permitting
not over 40 square feet per bed
Al! but about five were totally, per
manently bedfast patients. many
incontinent OF both bladder and
bowels.
Personnel: There is but one
graduate nurse on duty. and no
other positions are set for graduate
nurses. Two practical nurses are
on duty. At the time of nv visit.
one white nurse, one colored nurse
and one orderly were on duty to care
for the 100 patients. During the
morning shift of eight hours, five
infirmary employees are on duty.
But for is hours each day there re-
main three employees for each 100
patients, or one for each 43 patients
With this type of patient, that is,
the helpless, incontinent. bedfast,
there should be supervising nurse
for about each 20 patients and one
orderly, attendant, or maid for
about each 10 patients, according to
recognized standards.
Treatment room: One room is
set aside as combination office.
treatment room. dental Office and
laundry repair room. 1t contains
one medicine cabinet, one instru-
ment cabinet, dental chair without
accessories. table and chairs. The
sterilizer Is kettle boiled upon a
portable stove.
Private rooms: Several small
rooms are provided for isolation Of
terminal cases. Lacking sufficient
nursing personnel to supervise, this
arrangement Is undoubtedly un.
| Satisfactory.
~ Medical Aid Inadequate.
Physician: One physician is en-
ployed on part-time basis. Since
not only the inf1rmary patients, but
every ward inmate in the institution
Is in reality patient, part-time
medical service is markedly in
adequate. Dental service is provided
on call, the last visit of the dentist
being about one month ago.
Patients: On ward walk with the
nurse, she mentioned the reasons
various patients were confined to
the infirmary:
81. Arteriosclerosis and nephritis.
Admitted as veneral cases years ago.
Mental for time, now senile de-
mentia.
q. Senile. Probably feebleminded.
Fractured hip treated at Gallinger.
Previous epilepsy.
IS. Senile.
=. Senile.
IS. Senile dementia.
IS. Arthritis.
az. Cardiac and senile.
IS. Mental.
-. Postperative tumor of brain.
40. Feebleminded.
I'll. Apoplexy.
"12. Senile.
"13. Senile dementia.
IA. Paralyzed.
"15. Senile.
"16. Epilepsy.
at. Paralyzed.
"18. Senile.
| ~. mental.
40. Carcinoma.
AS mentioned above, q great many
of these patients are incontinent and
many must be spoon fed. The orderly
on duty in the ward reported the
need for additional commode chairs
and stated there was no hopper for
washing and cleaning the COM
modes. It was stated the supply of
linen is fair in amount, but must be
conserved over week ends when the
laundry is not in operation.
"Infirmary meals are served from
a food cart and a tray carrier.
Because of the limited number of
employees on duty, individual at
tention cannot be given at meal
time. There are very few bedside
tables provided in the infirmary
so water cannot be left at the bed
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