The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-06-20

airing yards The two which had been originally pre-
pared being mserably small and without prospect had
become dilapidated forbid their use After
amining this part of the esa blishment could not
but agree, that its name Mad House we'll applied
for there was madness in its conception, madness in
is completion, and madness in its continuance. 1t
certainly more full Of Madness and better cacula
ted to perpetuate madness, than any house have
ever examined
In concluding their remarks about the buildings
themselves, the reporters sum up tollOws:-
''They were excessively crowded, some portions
containing twice as many patients as could be
conveniently accommodated. They were also,
in many places, out of order, and requiring re-
pairs. The first and second stories Of the Asy-
lum, occupied by females, are extremely well
adapted to the purpose and In tolerable condition,
while the basement and Mad House are. in our
opinion, unfit tor occupancy. The airing grounds
are too small, too far removed from the house, too
few, improperly constructed, and almost worth
less"
The condition of the patients was not any more
satisfactory than that of the house. The first VI
sits of inspection were the most painful duties of
their lives, say the reporters. Notwithstanding
the faithful exertlons OF the resident physician,
ideness and confusion seemed to pervade the
tablishment. Three hundred and seventy five pa
hents eight or nine-tenths of them being incura-
BILE, were confined in space not too large for two
hundred, without regular treatment, occupation, or
classification They were accumulated in large
numbers in the halls and lobbes: in the basement
the men were suffering from fever and darrh9a;
their rooms badly ventilated and offensive. In the
| Mad House
"One hun dred and thirteen crowded into space not
large enough for half the number fourteen confined
to cells three four restrained by iron hand. cuffs
and. with strait jacket there being only
pententary convict to take charge of thirty men,
and one woman to manage eighty-two female lunatcs
with YARD for exercise or change Of air; but all
confined to the house, all idle, excited and noisy
singing chatterng, or raving others mopng and list
less reminding of the descriptions of mad houses in
the last century and in countries not yet enlightened
by Christianity and civilization"
| The reporters also complain of the deness that
pervaded every part of the asylum, and justly re-
| probate 1t.
In their remarks on the condition of the PATIENTS
the reporters absolve the resident physician from
all blame. 1t was not his fault, but the fault of
| those who placed him there with three hundred
| and seventy-tive patients to manage, and none of
| the necessary appurenances and appliances to do
| 1t with
| They deduce from this wrctched condition of
the asylum the argument that in its present condl-
ton, it does not fulfil the purposes for which it was
intended; and that, consequently, In the long rum
| it is more expensive to the pnblic purse than it
would be were reformation established, even at
the expense of some extra expenditures at the pre-
sent time AT present, it costs ST. Is per week to
maintain each patient; and under this arrange
ment the tables OF statistics OF the asy lum for the
four years ending in December, 1917, show az an
nual mortality of 25 per cent of the average num-
Der of patients during that period, viz 367 per
mum. AS TO recoverles, reliable tables could be
found.
| If then we compare the Lunatc Hospital on
Blac kwell's Island with other establishments for
| the insane III dlfierents parts OF our country,
shall find that it will suffer by comparison with
each one of them, without exception
| To remedy this state oi affairs, the reporters
earnestly call the attention OF the Common Coun-
| ell to the following Recommend stions:
1st To go on steadily witt the original rian until
the building shall be comp,etea .,iways bcaring in
mind that every model Of Lanatle Asylsm, however
perfect it may be whole, is but 10 adapted to its
| purpose when only part IL ini.hed and that the
erection Of mad houses or other detached buildings
at distance from the main edifce, interferes with
what is of vital Importance in all public institutions
| facility Of inspect n
2ndly To apart as much IA possible of the upper
end Of the Island (say 40 acres at least and build
high wall its whole BREADTH to exclude all
common paupers Migrants and penitentary convicts,
| as well those ordinary visiters who in the
habit of resortng to public institutions from
i'm Titclen and lsndssans pardsn. and adorn.
ing the latter with shade and ornamental trees then
to divide the lands thus dedicated to exercise and
creation into two nearly equal parts by another fence
| running east and west as to give the Of
these sllotments, and the women the other appro.
pratn g that the south side Of the ASYLUM to the
| men and that on the north to the women which en-
closure for the females, when properly filled in, will
contain more than 10 acres the walls to be
structed not to interfere with any desirable views
numerous small airing courts to be made the
buildings that each class Of patients shall have
separate one to which 1t may resort at all times-the
quiet, harmless and convalescent only to enjoy the
| liberty Of the general grounds
3dly To improve accommodations for the sick by
establishing in large we'll Inflated rooms two nirma-
ries one for each sexand If possible to prevent the
basement Of the part Of the Asylum building,
from being occupied as lodging rooms for patients.
| 4thly. To prepare receiving ward for each sex,
where patients may be temporarily lodged until their
cases shall be understood, and they properly cassed.
and to alter the law respecting the committing of
lunatics, to avoid their being taken to The police
| office.
5thly. To procure proper attendants for male and
nurses for female patients avoiding the Of
all prisoners and other persons of bad moral character
and to give the resident physician every necessary
| aid in the performance of his arduous duties.
6thly. To provide all the for MAXIM the Asy-
um curative establishment, by finding suitable en-
pigments for the inmates, engaging them, far
practicable, in useful labor &c and while the most
rigid economy may continue to be practsed. to dis
pense much money will realize this grand object,
| which think may be accomplished by an expend-
ture Of two dollars week for each patient.