The Portsmouth inquirer. [volume] (Portsmouth, O. [Ohio]) 1849-1855, 1850-12-09

Fected. Of such buildings as woula provide
forthe wants of the people. II the same
ratio exists here es III Massachusetts there
must be overfour thopsa I'd 10 the State, and
more than three thousandsfx hundred for
whom VIZ se nd provision,
Bnt whether The same ratio prevails here
or not, il is manifest that there are very
many who cannot receive the benefits o.
|ou present Asylum, spacious and we'll con-
|ducted as lis is. g 81, h. Ef1I. .f
There is one other feature OF this matter
which, according to the present law. seems
torequlre some attention. The law requires
that before apersop having a family can be
addittedas u Saftej patient, that ii shall
be shown thai his property, after, deductinp
debts, is worth lrss than one thousand dol.
lars. II may with great tlptopriety bh asked
why compel any oneto pay for going into
hisown house? Has not the whole property
OF The State been taxedto build The ho1si
and dopot all pDyiin proportion to their
property Tor its su9port?o Take case. and
onH which may oceurfto n thousand families
under the pr sent law thu head of q family
is admitled iOihr Institution, and the ia mi.
" left.to support hemselves aud rdise the
money 10 pay the expense of their afflicted
head. lntwo years the whole Of the little
property will be expe nded the Iunatic may
I've discharged as incumble, and returned up.
on the, bands of the lUmily, palsied for The
want Of the little emesns which has been ex-
bausted in this effortto restore him to health
Or he may be discharged as recovered, 10
sink again under the accumulated pressure
Of loss Of property and a family in want.
In two OF the annual reports OF the Direc-
tors, this subject has been pressed upon the.
Legislature, asking that this distinction may
be removed. Il has long been my opinion
that both justice and policy require that the
law be oam nded as to admit all as State
patients, without regard TO property.
therefore recommend il to the consideration
ofthe Central Assembly, And | also recon-
mend 10 the Legislature to enter vigorously
upon suth mrasures as will The most speed
lily secure the erection of The necessary build
inss for thr wants Of The State. One othel
reason at least for this should not be omitted.
There will Of necessity always be certain
numbers of incurables. who must be cared
ior somewhere. These, by the present law,
whenever there is q lack o room, if safe or
harmless, must be discharged, to make room
for recent Cases. But this is only commit
ting the lesser inhunanity Of throwing out
upon the world one believed to be incurable,
to prevent the rejection OF one who only
may b. cured. And who can say when he
whose mind is dethronpd is safe or harmless?
Who knows at what moment some pbrenzy
may take possession Of The man, and he, by a
fatal blow. destroy the nearest friend, OF
whoever siiaH be 10 the way? Safety, econ
omy and humanity, therefore require that
this whole class Of The afflicted should be
sustained and kept by the State 10 Asylums
provided for that purpose, s,-..' 3
The operations of the 3Penitentiary have
,beeu unusually successful. considering The
fataity by cholera last year and the sickness
prevailing portion OF the present. For
more .hana year from the time the cholera
ceased, in l849. not death occurredin the
institution from any cause. IN June, how
ever, about the tims The cholera commenced
in the ciiyand vicinity, tIiarrhGa began 10
prevail ia the prison, This was followed
by the prevalence OF dis ntery Of an aggra
waited na ture, clos ly resembling cholera
and sixteen deaths occurred from the latter
lisease, and five from other caus IS, withir
q very short period Of time. The sickness
Pwus doubtless much aggravated by the unu-
SlMl panic among The prisoners, occasioned
by the memory of the frighdul scenes Of last
-lH ID d.