470 A JOURNEY IN BRAZIL. 



not contract dampness, and look very cool an<i fresh. The 

 floor is made of the dark Brazilian wood, partly inlaid, and 

 waxed carefully ; not a stain is to he seen anywhere on its 

 shining surface. The bedding consists of a well-stuffed 

 straw-mattress helow, with a thick hair-mattress above. 

 The sheets and pillow-cases are spotless. Indeed, every- 

 thing in this fresh, well-aired, spacious room bespeaks an 

 exquisite order and neatness. The bath-rooms are in con- 

 venient relation to the wards, furnished with large marble 

 bath-tubs, and with hot and cold water in abundance. 

 From the public wards we pass into large corridors, upon 

 which open private apartments for the use of persons who, 

 not having , convenient arrangements at home, or being 

 strangers in the city, prefer, in case of illness, to go to the 

 hospital. The rent of these chambers is exceedingly mod- 

 erate ; for a room to one's self, 81.50 a day ; for a room 

 shared with one other person, $ 1 a day ; for a bed in a 

 larger room occupied by half a dozen, but withdrawn from 

 the general throng, 75 cents. These charges include medi- 

 cal attendance, nursing, and food. From the wards de- 

 voted to ordinary diseases, fevers and the like, we went to 

 the surgical wards. It need not be said that here the same 

 neatness and care prevailed ; the operating rooms, the sur- 

 gery lined with cases containing instruments, lint, bandages, 

 <fcc. were all in faultless order. 



From this building looking, as we went, into the kitchen, 

 where the contents of the great shiny copper kettles smelt 

 very invitingly we passed through a paved court to the 

 old hospital, in which are the wards for women and chil- 

 dren. This gave us an opportunity of comparing, at least 

 in its general arrangement, the ancient establishment with 

 the modern one. The neatness and order prevailing through- 



