43 
The civil hospital was founded about twenty years ago, and is 
a massive building of granite, with ten Ionic columns of the same 
stone. The building, founded by voluntary subscriptions, and 
afterwards enriched by legacies, now supports itself by the inte¬ 
rest of the capital and by fees which some patients pay. The 
administration of the hospitals and other benevolent institutions, 
is conducted, without charge, by the principal inhabitants, in a 
very correct and economical manner. The house has a cellar, two 
stories besides a ground floor, and may contain about eighty sick of 
both sexes, which are placed in different wings of the building. 
There were at that time fifty-six patients, under the care of six 
nurses and a matron. The house is under the direction of a 
steward, who is at the same time a physician. Those patients 
who pay ten dollars a week, occupy separate chambers, with se¬ 
parate attendants; others pay only three dollars a week, and 
many nothing at all. The latter are all in the same halls, which, 
however, are very light and well ventilated. The sick sleep on 
beds of hard wood, with good hair mattresses and very fine bed 
clothes. The steps are of granite, the halls and chambers are 
planked, and the floors are painted with oil colours. I have seen 
many hospitals, but none in which the sick were so conveniently 
and suitably lodged, and none in which cleanliness was so well 
observed. The kitchen and wash-house are in the cellar. In the 
former, the victuals are cooked by means of steam, and the latter 
is arranged like that in the Plymouth Marine Hospital, namely, 
with very large wooden frames to dry the clothes. The session 
room of the directors, the anatomical theatre, with some cham¬ 
bers for sick, are in the first story; the dwelling of the matron, 
and the remainder of the chambers for patients, are arranged in 
the second story. Two reservoirs of water, which may be rais¬ 
ed by pumps, should a fire break out, are situated on the ground 
floor. Mr. Coolidge, one of the directors, accompanied us, and 
conducted us also to the lunatic asylum, which is under the same 
directors. 
This building stands on an eminence between Cambridge and 
Charlestown. A farm-house has been purchased in 4he neigh¬ 
bourhood, which serves as the dwelling of the steward and head 
physician, as well as for a kitchen and wash-house. this 
house two very solid wings have been built, three stories high, 
one for males, and the other for females. They somewhat re¬ 
semble prisons, but are concealed by the farm-house, which has a 
very pleasing aspect, and thus prevents the unpleasant sensations 
which the institution would otherwise excite in the minds of the 
unhappy lunatics when they first approach it. A large garden, 
surrounded with a wall, is attached to each wing, serving as a 
place of recreation for the patients. A 'well-lighted corridor runs 
