1880-1900's hospital privy??

[ehkahk]

Hi guys, I'm wondering, if there was a building that was built in the mid 1870's and it was a hospital type of building with patients etc... would it have privies? where would they be going to the washrooms? also, would there be a dump, if so would it be nearby? how about the edge of a plateau with a steep slope say 100 yards behind it, think that would be the place to look for a dump possibly?

Paul

 

[welddigger]

YES, YES, and YES!

 

[ehkahk]

Thanks LOL

So the privies would be outdoors like at the side of the building or something?

The building is standing, actually there was several buildings, one of them was massive, but only this one remains. That slope thing i'm talking about, its got a modern road closer to the bottom, but there used to be a road which came off it and went up along below this slope kinda parallel to it, back in the late 1800's, it could of even been there the early 1800's, i don't know. So basically i figured thats where the dump's gonna be and if there is one, it may be quite interesting indeed. So i'm going to go there on sat or sunday and so some major exploring.

 

[JGUIS]

You're probably right, they used to sure up roadbeds running across a slope with anything they could. My only thought is 1)Alot of burning went on with things associated with desease 2)If you find a dump from there that hasn't been burned, BE CAREFUL!! Hospitals back then could have just as well been called morgues, or a place to die with all the nasty crap they had. Be safe.

 

[ehkahk]

Thanks, yea I realize that about disease etc. It's not a regular hospital in that sense but I can't wait till sat cause i'm going to go walk that old road bed below the lip of the plateau there, i've never walked there before but it looks promising. Even if there is no dump associated with the building, I would think there is going to be something thrown from the road itself

 

[swizzle]

If I was to dig a hospital privy I'd get one of those tyvec suits and some googles and face mask and gloves. Once you hit that black layer gear up and go at it. Be safe. Swizzle

 

[Bluebelle]

Have you been able to research the local history and find out what kind of hospital it was? Sounds like you've got a sort of rural location, which makes me think TB sanatorium, where fresh air and camp-like conditions were common, and many of the patients might be ambulatory. Acute care wouldn't be out in the boonies, but also, a mental hospital might be - but I doubt if they would let the inmates go potty outdoors out of concern they might wander off. Down a steep slope also sounds like a place where they might have thrown their trash. Hope you will keep us posted on what you find.

 

[ehkahk]

Hi Guys,

Bluebell nailed it, it was a mental hospital. And yes it was out in the farms at the time. Unfortunately we got a bunch of snow this week and I did not get out to that specific spot this weekend. However, I am still going to walk this old road and take some pics, might still see something if it melts by this weekend. If nothing else, we can get a sense of what that road and the slopes there look like

 

[JGUIS]

Hey Zane, go for it, your inbox is full