The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1846-10-15

LllOSO SdbbOSp NhiSA DlO oNp ~
quent visits of friends or acquaintance may
make them dissatisfied with their situation
and less comfortable inmates Of an instltu
ton.
While on this subject we wish to be dis
tinctly understood. We have never refused
the immediate relatives of the patients from
having an interview with them, and have al
ways allowed them to do so when they have
wished it. In some few cases we consider II
advisable for the relatives to see the patient,
but in most cases we consider it injudicious.
We always state our opinions candidly to the
relatives on the probable effects Of an inter-
view, and then leave it entirely to their own
decision. 1t is left to the discretion OF the
Superintendent whether it is eXpcdient for
any but the relatives to have an interview
with any particular patient. The relatives
often make a special request that the patient
shall not be exhibited to his acquaintance so
long as he remains insane.
A short time since one of the ableSt lawyers
in the country, called at the Asylum to see a
patient who had been an old classmate in col
lcgc, as we'll as intimate friend. He enjoyed
a respectable standing in college, was after
wards admitted to the bar, and was a young
man of much promise, At the time of this
visit he had been insane many years, and
his mind had become greatly impaired. Such
was the contrast of his appearance at the pres
ent time, compared with that Of former years,
his friend on leaving begged of me-, if he
should ever become insane, and brought to
the asylum, that l would never suffer him to
be exhibited to any of his former acquaint-
ances until he recovered. So great is the
morbid curiosity of some, that the opinion of
the physician and the request Of the relatives
avail not with them, and they go away disap-
pointed, and sometimes dissatisfied If not al
lowed to see their acquaintance.
The new buildings, a part only of which
were finished at the commencement of the
year are now completed. We now have ac-
commodations for three hundred patients
The establishment is nearly full. But as pa
tients are constantly discharged as well as
admitted, the accommodations will probably
be sufficient for all who may apply for admis-
sion.
The same treatment which has been detail
ed in our former reports, is still continued
The attendants and nurses are procured from
respectable families, and none are retained OK
cept those who are kind, intelligent, faithful
and honest. We live in a section of country
particularly favorable for procuring such as
siStants, and it is not too much to say, that
the attendants of this institution are not infe- !
rior to those of any other Asylum in this or |
any country.
Our usual modes of employment and amuse-
ment are still continued. An excellent farm
is connected with the Institution, on which
many of our patients are more or less employ
ed. There is also a flower and culinary gar
den which affords much agreeable employ
ment in their cultivation. In the carpenters
and shoe makers shop there is much labor
performed. The employment to which the
were accustomed before their .insan-
ity, is generally the most agreeable to them,
and profitable to the Institution. The con-
scionsness of having been in som way useful
to the Institution is very gratifying to many
of them.
We have a healthy climate and a plenty
of pure water. OF the latter, a large quanti-
ty is constantly running through the Asylum,
and is accessible at all times in every hall of
the building. Its importance to the health
and comfort Of the inmates is obvious to cv-
cry one.
Whenever there can be detected any ply
seal disease in any part Of the human sys-
tenn, it is treated as in other states Of the mind.
After all, we depend much on the taithtulness
Of kind and intelligent nurses, wholesome and
nourishing diet, neat and well ventilated a.
oartments, the different kinds of bathing,
plenty of exercise in the open air, either by
walking, or cultivating the garden and
arm, and all such agreeable employment of
he mind and body as shall promote health,
md call into exercise those faculties Of the
mind as are unemployed.
Reading and writing we consider valuable
luxiliaries for the comfort and restoration Of
he insane. The patients are furnished with
stationery, and are encouraged to write on all
except that Of their insanity. The
of writing improves the power Of fix
ng the attention, and tends to restore the
ost balance by diverting the mind from its
and calling into exercise those fac
lilies which would otherwise lie dormant
even when they write on the subject of their
they disclose the nature Of their in
anity more clearly than would be learned in
other way. l
A large number of the patients are fond OF
and beguile many a weary hour in
Yearly eight hundred volumes, is at their dis
Like all other public libraries, we OBJ
crve the same regulations relative to the [
oking out and returning ofbooks. 1t is very {
eldom that the books sustain any injury at S
heir hands. t
The Asylum journal continues to furnish {
much employment by writing and selecting
its columns. 1t also furnishes a large a.
of interesting reading matter, by {
neans of the newspapers which are received l
n return. We are under renewed obliga- t
to the publishers who have so generous {
y exchanged with us. {
We rejoice in the experiment of lessening &
he expenses by increasing the number of pa l
We find by experience that much
reater facilities for comfort and restoration, f
be afforded with our present number, {
han when the expenses were nearly twice c
he present terms with a small number of pa I
The Legislature, by furnishing the l
lcans for erecting our buildings, have con- /
erred a great benefit on the people of this
,tate, who live very independently and COM f