New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1849-03-13
Tn. stnre Lunatic Asylum.

Il able ard interesting document Appended 10
tee Report Of the Managers Is the Annual Return Of
the Superintendent. Dr.. BRIGHAn-fsom whose vAlus-
be details We eoudcrse for TLs Tri5sns the following
general statements:
number Of patients IN the Institution during
the year ending on the 30ih November last vas 81
1872 men and AS women, Of whom 4g5 we're remain.
ing a, the end Of the year. The total number admit
ted since the opening Of the Asylum On the 18th Of Jan
usry, 1913, ia 20l4
TIE financial condition Of the Asylum continues pros
porous The receipts from the board OF patients are
stated . have been adequate 70 the payment Of all the
cuTen, expenses q the year including the wsges Of
attendants
re sst wear has been remarkable fr the prevalence
duripg the months Of August aud September Of a Sc
we're form OF Dysentery the Asylum sud rs vicinity.
large number 81 tie patients End several q the 81
teudsnts suffered under attacks o. This dsease-
AM g. out Of 40 cases which occurred, terminated
/ fatally Tie Managers remark Ina: 50 few died
considering the number. the prev IA condition snd
state Of health OF those attacked should excite feel
ing OF gratitude rather than surprise and in this con
nectou f1ey award great praise 20 the deToiiou d
thence ard self denial sriiested by the Ofces OF the
Asylum in the discharge OF their augmented a5ors and
responsibilities
The total number Of Discharges during the year
3s2-male, 10 females. 1873 OF these, IA are de.g-
hated as Recovered "a improved o unimproved
while s6 died The number in the Institution for the
Twelve lltE- Golsl4tlh14g tkCtrltl OF
sny previous year and the Asy um has been for most
OF the time lul st all consistent with the com
fort shd welfare 0 10. iEmstcs.--- Olce during the
year the Institution became crowded that the
OF some Of The iucurabe cass became necessary, In
order 70 ske room for the more recent and durable
The Superintendent lsmenis that Notwithstanding
the cautions given in TIE last Aonual Report coAsd-
erable npH5e Of oasts sent 70 he Asyn at 100 ear
a Jsri0i sitter TIE commencement OF de!irum, and
while lsboriug under severe bodily disease Of
this kind received during the lssiyesr al OF which
proved fsial soon after admission; but, having been
brought they Ia too feeble state 10 journey Tar
ther or TO be taken home.
To remedy the evil, the Superintendent earnestly
begs the friends Of the insane not 70 remove recent
case from home without hrst consulting a Jldcious
physician aud sscertsining from him after be has ful
examined the that the patient will probably rn
dure the jOursey without Injury lie remATks farther
that here u no aGzsar from fts delay Of e reess n
any rtoerf IF insanity But In thus recommending
caution Ia the removal from home OF sudden and acute
Of insanity Immediately after they attacked,
the necessity OF different course s urged In regard to
persons laborng under other forms Of mental dersnge
ment, msiny those which come on very gradually
and unperceyed for long time excepting BY tue most
intimate scquantsnces.
Regarding the Causes. Forms, Prevention and Medi-
cal Treatment OF Insanity the Superintendent mas
valuable remarks. general division OF the Causes Is
made into moral and physicsl-Dr. B. believing the
moral far more operative than the physical. He con
sders that iutemperaDce is not unrequenty the ndi-
rect cause Of insanity In many who are temperate TX
Of all kinds, and erroneous methods OF education
which prematurely task the intellectual faculties
permit the passions acquire undue power In early
life ne also considers predisPosng causes OF mental
alienation. ne most frequent sud Immediate cause OF
insanity, however, aud one OF the most important To
guard against he continues is the want OF sleep. SO
rarely DO a OF insanity that is not
preceded by want OF sleep that II is regarded
smost the sure precursor OF mental arrangement
urgpd ia able Keporf n
dent that the study If Insanity is too much neglected
by physicians engaged in general prsctce-thsi the
recurrence OF the msady m ht often be prevented by
proper csre-that hereditary insanity. and that pro.
duced by injury OF the head or arising from peculiar
structure OF the brain Is cursbebut that dsrang cement
arising from excessive study 10 rarely durable, espe
cay when originates in oris iostered By religious no
lions pride. oEtreuo ambition; and iaCGrAOlo where
i the suit OF epepsyln this connection, the Re
port thus treats Of the proPney Of bleeding patients
Many Of the patients sent 20 this Institution have
been Injured by much bleeding and depletion be-
fore they we're committed 10 our care some, we
think have been rendered ncurabe by this treatment
aud cannot ioToear Temarking that Ia our opinion
the work Of DR. Rush On the Diseases Of the Mind in
which directions gwen To bleed copi0usly In ma
nisca excitement has done much HARM and fear II
Is sti'exercisGg bad influence. and hope no fu-
ture edition will be Issued 1ithout notes appended To
correct the into which the distinguished author
has isen for OF the numerous facts which have
been furnished since his time, and which enable US 10
see the errors OF our predecessors"
In considering the subject Of Hereditary Predisposi
ton insanity the Report furnishes the following Ia
ble-presenting some important fscis ascertaned at
this Institution
Number Patients who have been the Asylum. 2 0s
Men ~ =
women ~
Known 10 have Insane 81
Known 10 have insane parent. Is
While four and I've inherited pretspos.uOn
10 insanity from bon pareais
Amusements schools and rel gous services are regu
larry attended TO in the Asylum In Summer, labor seems
TO afford the patients the mos, eradication and amuse-
men, during the warm there 10 no other rec
reauOn, unless walking riding, reading &c be SO
.dsred. Ia Winter schools are held every day except
Saturdays and Sundays lecture Is delivered every
Wednesday afternoon. in the chapel debating soce-
ties tsbleaux music and evening exhibitions are also
occasiopaly introduced by way Of envenment to the
unfortunate INN Of the Institution, and have far
been attended with the most happy results.
In short the favorable account is given Of this
excellent State charity and the results Of the year
dec, high honor upon the energetic Superintendent and
those connected with him In Office.