The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1850-12-11

ineursbls can BE- discharged with my safety TO
themselves or the public. But why turn any
swayl They can be supported there cheaper,
end more comfortably for themselves and their
ffiends, than they can. be anywhere else. Inc
average number in the Institution during the year
ending November Is, ls4s, was three hundred
and twenty.three, while, in the previous year
one hundred and forty five applications for admis-
sion had been postponed for want Of room in the
Institution. How long shall citizen Of Ohio,
who applies TO the State Benevolent Institution
for admission of husband or wife, father or
mother, son or a daughter, be turned away with
the heart-crushng answer There is not room! |!
y In the year ls48, the Legislature OF Massachu-
setty sppointed a committee "to consider the
whole subject connected with insanity IN the
commonwealth" That committee, after care
ful examination of the whole matter, reported the
whole number OF the insane in that State to be
fifteen hundred and twelve; thst in the five inst.
tutions for this purpose in the State there is satis
factory provision made for eight hundred and fif-
y-three patients; that sixty patients are provided
for at private asyums; that no suitable provision
car be made for the insane in the county jails;
and that six hundred Of the fifteen hundred and
twelve insane persons in that State, are unprovi-
ded for in any asylum devoted to that purpose.
The committee, having thus ascertaIned the des-
titution of the afflicted. with promptitude hon.
orable to themselves and worthy Of their State,
recommended the erection Of such buildings as
would provide for the wants Of the people If
the same ratio exists here as in Massachusetts,
there must be over four thousand in the State,
and more than three thousand SIX hundred for
whom there is no provision,
But whether the same ratio prevails here or not,
il is manifest that there are very many who cannot
receive the benefits Of our present Asylum, spa
cious and we'll conducted as IL is.
3 There is one other feature of this matter which,
according to the present law, seems to require
some attention. The law requires that before a
person having family can be admitted as a State
patient. that r shall be shown that his property,
after deductirg debts, is worth less than one
thousand dollars. II may with great propriety be
asked, why compel any one 10 pay for going into
his own house9 Has not the whole property of
the State been taxed to build the house, and do
not all pay inpruportion to their property for its
support? Take a case, and one which may occur
to thousand families under the present law: the
head OF family is admitted to the Institution,
aud the family left 20 support themselves and raise
the money to pay the expenses OF their afflicted
head. IN two years the whole of the little prop-
erty will be expended; the lunatc may be dis
charged as incurable, and returned upon the hands
ofthe family, palsied for The want OF the little
means which has been exhausted in this effort 70
sestore him to health Or he may be discharged
ss recovered, to sink again under the accumulated
pressure Of loss of properly and famil, in want.
In TWO of the annual reports OF the Directors this
subject has been pressed upon the Legislature.
asking that this distinction may be removed. 1t
has long been my opinion that both justice and
policy require that the law be so amended as to
admit all as State patients, without regard to
property. | therefore recommend il to the con-
siderauon of ,he General Assembly And also
recommend to the Legislature to enter vigorously
upon such measures as will the most speedily SC.
cure the erection of the necessary buildings Tor
the wants Of the State. One other reason at leas.
for this should not be omitted. There will OF ne.
cessity always he certain number of incurables.
who must be cared for somewhere. These, by
the present law, whenever there Is lack OF room,
il safe or harmless, must be discharged, to make
room for recent cases But this is only commit
ting the lesser inhumanity Of throwing out upon
the world one believed to be lncurable to prevent
the rejection of one who only may be cured
And who can say when he whose mind is de-
throned is safe or harmless! Who knows at what
moment some phrenZy may take possession OF the
man, and lie. by fatal blow, destroy the nearest
friend. or whoever shall be 10 the way! Safety.
economy and humanity. therefore, all require that
this whole cass Of the afflicted should be sustained
and kept by the State in Asylums provided for
thst purpose
The operations of the Penitentiary have been
unusually successful, considering the fatality by
cholera last year, and the sickness prevailing
portion OF the present. For more than year from
the time the cholera ceased. in l849, not death
occurred 10 the institution from any cause. In
June, however, about the time the cholera com.
menced in the city and vicinity. diarrhea began to
prevail in the prison. This was followed by the
prevalence Of dysenterp OF IN aggravated nature,
closely resembling cholera, aud sixteen deaths oc.
cured from the latter disease. and five from other
causes, within very short period of time. The
sickness was doubtless much aggravated by the
unusual panic among the prisoners, occasioned by
the memory Of the frightful scenes oflsst year
III consequence of the fatality by cholera and
other causes last year, the present year commenced
with but 1886 prisoners, being 1873 less than the ave-
rage number for ten years preceding. which, added
to the generally debilitated state Of the cohvicts
from the effects of cholera epidemic, led to the
reasonable expectation that the avails OF labor in
the institution this year would be much dmn-
ished
The number on the s0th November, being
the close fihe fiscal year for the prison, was 1856
Received during the present year 1913
IL 529
Reduced by death 81
Pardoned by the Governor 80
Psrdoned by the President 2
IssE = a Al -.