Ashtabula Weekly Telegraph

With this article I want to close my series on the Infirmary, (already, perhaps, too long,) and as I do it I may make a little apology for dwelling for so many weeks on this theme. "Whatever is worth doing at all is worth doing well," and I am glad that our people feel so in the conduct of our Infirmary.

Put over against each other the two following extracts from the last Report (1809,) of the Board of State Charities:-

"The Infirmary of this county (Ashtabula,) may be ranked among the best." (P. 43.)

"Nothing that could be written would convey an adequate idea of the unmitigated miseries of the Athens County Infirmary. From cellar to roof, within and without, on every hand, unqualified and unpardonable neglect is apparent. * * * Little idea of cleanliness or comfort can be entertained in regard to the building especially devoted to the insane, epileptic and idiotic. Here, as elsewhere throughout the State, neglect seems concentrated upon these unfortunate classes. The detail of their condition would be the sickening repetition of small cribs, vile odors, nakedness and filth. Here a full score of little children find a home."