Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1845-02-27

and apartments were all extremely neat aud clean,
tnsomuch that the committee in passing through
every part Of the building were never met with !
disagreeable odor of any kind-for which both |
the Steward and Ma,ron Werit our unqualified |
commentators. These passages terminate in |
the veIandas before mentioned, furnished with !
doors so as to admit or exclude the air from the
passages at pleasure. or as the Thermometer may
Indicate. The passages in the two lateral build
ings are about feet wide, and the doors of the
cells on each side thereof open into them as in
me main building, and its wings and those pas
sages terminate IN each story in the verandas be-
Tore described. Abou, the centre of these lateral
buildings, and directly opposite to each other is
cupola erected on each Of the same dimensions,
aud over the centre door in each of the lateral
ou'ioings, on the lower story two portcoso-
recting and nearly finished OF the same size and
OF the same materials. These porticos are erect
ed In the same order of architecture, with the
poItico before described at the entry of the main
building, but are smaller than the latter por,ico
as the lateral buildings to correspond with the
wings of the main building are not so high by
one story as is before stated. So that the Eas-
tern Asylum no longer presents the gloomy and
cheeriess aspect OF d prison, on the contrary il
wears the pleasing and inviting appearance of
comfort.
| In passing through this whole building, con-
| tanning al this time l36 lunatics-the undersign.
ed saw no insane person chained, nor did we see
a chain fastened to ring and staple a whip, or
any other instrument Of coercion or punishment,
which shows strikingy the contrast between the
present and the past-Instead of an imbecle old
woman TO attend on the inmates, there is IA re-
spectacle Matron with we'll trained assistants to
attend each ward OF the Female Department, and
an intelligent kind-hear,ed Steward with his as
sistants to superntend the Male Department.
4 Suitable rooms are fitted up in the different
wards of the building where the inmates assem-
BILE to converse, sew, read, &c. When the pre-
sent building is completed and the repairs and al.
teraions ma6e asked for by the Directory al
the last Session Of the General Assembly, it will
be difficult, in the opinion of your committee. to
make the condition Of the inmates more comfort
abie. 1t has been observed by an eminent Phi
stefan and Philanthropist, "that prison is, doubt
less, very fit place TO punish crime, but not to
cure malady Of body mind This the mani
| &C himself knows well as the man who has
never been deprived of his reason. The insane
man Is rational on many subjects. He is consci-
Gus OF his own insanity and often tries to conceal
1t. tie is peculiarly jealous Of his rights. and is
teelingy alive to sense of injustice when he
supposes himself TO suffer wrongfuly; and such
must be his feelings when he finds himself i'm
INJURED in the solitary cell suffering as a criminal
for that which should call forth from every one
sympathy and commiseration-such a residence
Whatever else 1t may do. can never effect the re-
turn OF reason to its wonted seat and power
If this doctrine be correct and it seems to your
|
experience, it necessarily follows that the con-
J hnement OF lunatcs in the common tails of our
| State tends TO rivet the disease upon them and
make it Incurable. The census OF 1910 shows
that there were l044 insane persons in Virginia
of these the Western Asylum can only accom-
modate 200, and the Eastern ASYLUM when filled
can only accommodate l56-eaving 6SS insane
persons to be supported at the public expense in
the common jails. Now the books in the Audi
| tors Office, and the annual reports from the In
| sane Asylums in this State, do conclusively show
that the expense of maintaining lunatics in the
common Jals far exceeds the expense of maintain
| Ing them in the Lunaiic Asylums. Besides il
is now fully ascertaned by Medical men, thatin
sanity is disease when subjected to proper
treatment in Lunatic Asylum, as much within
the power Of medicine and proper treatment as
any other disease and that of recent cases of in
sanity, under such circumstances, that from eigh.
! ~ to ninety out OF a hundred are cured. Does
not this demonstrate that rational ECONOMY pleads
as loudly as humanity and charity in favor of the
enlargement. Of the Lunatic Asylums of this Com
monwea,h for the maintenance and cure of all
their insane. For by neglecling it the disease
becomes incurable, and the public are consequent
ly subjected to the support of the lunatic for life
instead of few months or years.
The lunatics in the Eastern Asylum are fur
nished with small library, with convenient
shops for labor, and clean healthy apartments for
study, retirement and sleep-with wholesome
1000 and enough ofit-with warm clothing by
day and comfortable lodgings by night, with the
Word of God to peruse. They attend religious
worship on every Sabbath, in which they seem TO |
take deep interest and have frequent visits from
the Chaplain during the week, to encourage, to
instruct, and to enlighten them when sick they
have the attention of the Superintendent who is
an eminent Physician, and the best of care both
by day and by night
Occupation, exercise and amusements are va
Red, according to the taste and inclination of the
patients. carpenters shop, shoemaker's
shop, the garden, and the various household du-
lies. afford requisite employment for those who
are inclined to work. Music is also cultivated
and much practised. Nothing but necessity in
the opinion of the Superintendent, who has now
charge OF the Eastern Asylum, justiiies absolute
restraint. Punishment is totally repudiated and
the principle is adopted, 'that if you wish to ben
eht the insane you must love him and devote
yourself to him"
Such is the agreeable and unexpected condi-
ton in which your committee found the Eastern
Asylum, In the city OF Wiiamsburo-a charity
now worthy of Virginia and Of which she has
just reason to be proud.-Your committee would
further remark, that at the last Session of the
General Assembly, they, from the pressure of the
times, cut down the appropriation asked for by
the Intelligent agents OF the State for the manage
men OF this Institution from g. 900 to s. 600 dol
lars, as will be more certainly seen by reference
to the report OF the President and Directors of the
Eastern Asylu to the Lsgislature-See Journal
OF the House OF Delegates, 1S43-44 Document
No. 80, and the Act of the 18th of February,
IS4i-and by the law just referred 10, appropria-
ted the 80 900 10 the remodelling and repairing
OF the old MISUNDERSTANDING the other improve
Inents and repairs without any appropriation.
The directors being bound to conform to the Ie-
gislative will applied the above sum to the three
Portcos before mentioned, leaving the other al
teTaions and repairs deemed indispensably ne
cessary In their said report for future appropri-