The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1832-05-30
LUNATIC HOSPITAL.


as many recent publications. and appears TO b.
admirably adapted to communicate in brie
space valuable information on various subject
OF general interest. The Reviews are gener
ally spirited and entertaining. The following il
selected on account of its local character.
The Legislature of 1929 and 1880 appropri.
.ated the sum OF thirty Thousand dollars for The
erection Of a Lunalic Hospital of srficien,
dimensions to accommodate Superintendent
ana one hundred and twenty patients. We
learn from the highly interesting Report be-
lore US, that the walls of an edfce for this
purpose have been erected on a beautiful emf.
nence in the village of Worcester. tive hun.
dred and fifty six feet in length, consisting of a
centre four stories high, seventy six feet long.
ana 'oriy feet wide, and two wings, on the
same iine,.three stories high, and each ninety
ieet long and thirty-sx wide. The building (of
Whlch photographic drawing is prefxed to the
iNePorp Is huge pile of brick, without pre-
tensions to architectural beauty, plain To-
fauit. From its commanding position, howev.
en- IL Is sure TO arrest, if it does not charrn the
eye OF the traveller as ne wends als way
through that portion Of the valley of the Black
Stone, or traverses the handsome streets of the
village in which it stands. Judging from the
minute description given in the Report, as well
as from some personal observation we are sat-
lshed that the arrangements of the interior,
which are yet incomplete, will be extremely
Judicious, and well calculated to answer the
purposes of the institution
The laws of this Commonwealth authorize
the commitment to prison OF lunatcs who IN
lhe opinion 81 two magistrates may be judged
dangerous to the peace or safety of the good
people. Selectmen of towns are also reonired
t'proVioe for the safe keeping of insane persons
VINO are paupers; and it it d" the common prac.
uce o, many towns TO make private contracts
with the keepers Of jas and houses of correc
ZION TO take such persons at low rate and inn
prison them IN some of their unoccupied cells,
where no person has been held responsible for
their treatment, nor has the law tolerated an
thority 10 any one to examine into their condi.
tion." There is still another class of fanatics
IN the community, comprising those who are
not 80 furIously mad as to be liable TO impris
onment. II does not appear from the Report
what proportion of the whole number each of
the three classes constitutes but from returns
made in 1899, from towns embracing less than
halt the population of the State, it was ascer-
tanned that one hundred and sixty one lunatics
were in actual confinement, making the mum.
Der of more than three hundred and taventy tho,
at the same rate in the whole Commonwe alth
1t is said TO be Z" source of great complaint
ceive such persons, because they have no suita.
BILE accommodations for them"
Details of The condition in which imprisoned
lunatics have been found in this State are cited
from Report Of the Prison Discipline Society
some of which are unutterably loathsome and
revolving. In extenuaton of the rigorous mot
to say brutaD treatment of insane persons in
jails and houses Of correction, the Commission
ers say, that the proper mode of treatment is
OF recent discovery. "a few individuals just.
ly entitled to a conspicuous station among the
beneiactofs OF their race, have exploded the
barbarous doctrine that cruelty is the proper
antidote TO madness, and have discovered that
skill, ml!dness, and selfdevotion to tho welfare
OF the insane, are the only efficacous means
for their restoration" This principle has been
carried into SO successful operation at the Con-
necticut Retreat for the Insane, that late Re.
port of the Visitors shows a ratio of recoveries
in the old cases equal to twenty-six per cent,
and out of twenty -four recent cases, twenty
two recovered. The necessity and expedency
OF different system Of management on this
subject in our Commonwealth are thus strik-
ingly shown. Were there no hope of recover.
ing the victims of this dreadful maady, a
change would still be demanded on the score oil
humanity. And when TO this consideration is
added the certainty of restoration in a large
majority of cases, under mild and proper
treatment. the propriety of establishing hos
pital for this purpose, at almost anv expense
cannot be doubted for moment.
The actual expense of the insane nonulatior
to the State for many years past, it is estirnat
ed, has averaged forty thousand dollars annu.
ally. AS to the mode of defraying the charges
ofthe Hospital, the Commissioners recommend
that there be 10 alteration IN the present law
In relation TO those confined in the houses oil
.sAl
reference 10 the statute tina: the persons com.
united be KEEP: at their own expense. if thew
have estate, otherwise at the charge of The
had they not been committed. The only
cnange recommended by the Commissioners is
INA. 'una.lcs heretofore required to be lmPris
or,er ;, ,ne u y. w. u ;ne n'a.v' De mere
and that ,hose no ~ so usd az worcester
the Hos,i,a as soon as II Is rs,Jv e. nv. -
ception. They also recommend iba, The insan,
poor be allowed the benefit of the hospiiaI al
the least possible expense, that all classes ma,
be permitted to enjoy advantages now open on
y TO persons possessing pecuniary means
ne expense being thus reduced, towns will
aouo.,ess De induced 70 place their pauper luna
osJ1s 'r nr .ns.eaa o. crowdmg mem into I'M
them 70 ,ho ,'I"s ,s, or Stsposihg oil the care
We cannot cIose '' ,,;s h.;os o,;. ;,,
cordially commendinc This sensible .n %' ,,oi,
written Report (Which we understand ia Sron
the pen of Mr.. Mann, the Chairman of tb
Commissioners to general perusal, with tn
lent views II contains, in relation to a subiec
OF great public interest, may lead TO Just ap
probation OF the practical utility of the insttu
Lion about TO be established We would recon