The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-09-27
Wanted, Appropriations for Additional
state AsyIums.

Crleans-A F. Brown.
ftseao-L. II. PIERCE
2ueo-Jamcs NJ Lean, W. II. Seeiey.
Westchester-H. W. Hart.
Yates--A Clark.
Mr.. .. Ford, of ADegany, acted chairman, and G.
". Jerman, of Niagara, as secretary.
On motion, DR.. Gray of the Utica Lunatic Asylum was
invited to and did take seat in the convention.
On notion it ordered that the committees appoint
ed at the last convention do now report.
Mr.. A. w. BEACH announced that his committee on the
subject of emigration not prepared to report and
his motion, the of Mr.. Jermain ofNagara was
added to that committee.
On notion Mr.. Monroe, of Utica, invited to and
did take seat in the convention.
Mr.. JONES Of Oneida, chairman of the Committee on
Lunacy and Lunahc Asylums, in their relations to the
Of the poor announced ht they had endeavored to
get up full report but unable to do So the Su
perntendents of the Poor had not generally answered
their circular He asked that the committee be contin
ud and that they be at liberty to condense their report
H proceeded to read that which they had prepared but
which, he said, was incomplete. Among Tho causes OF
mental decay and disease enumerated in this report
social progress the spread of intelligence the increase Of
newspapers, facility of travel Inducements to specula
tom and religious excitement According to the report
Of the secretary of State the insane of ts State are to
the whole population to 1880. The increase since
1875 has been at the rate of 200 per cent at greater
to than the increase of population. Taking the
proportion of insane to the whole population tho s
iscs Of Massachusetts show for that state-or AIT
S.09
persons affected In 1921 the proportion Of cures to
admissions in Bloomngdale Asylum was Is 70 100 and
in the succeeding five years that ratio increased SO
cent and in the five years to 1850 AZ per cent
The whole number Of received at the Utica Asylum
since its foundation 4,313, and the recoverios 799
II per cent for the whole period The number at pre-
sent under there Is 476 The increase Of INSANITY
in this State is shown by the following gures-In 1885
the number of insane to the whole population 10
2 in 1ss0 it was as to 253, and in 1850 it was a.
to ESQ., since 1925 the increase in the number of in
sane was zoo per cenffteen per cent larger than the
The insane relieved last year at the two asyums 22
which forms u per cent Of the total number Of paupers
relieved and the cost thereof 1854 5S4 In 1860 the
estimate is that 1857 insane will need relief cost OF
9t5I The proportion of effected in the Utica
nnatc Asylum in cases sent there from the county of
ted in great degree the propinquity Of the Asylum
and the consequent quickness with which remedies were
applied The proportion Of cures Of insanity, where
promptly treated was stated to be 76 per cent WHILE
where it neglected, the only per cent
In conclusion, the Committee reported-
y defective and Inadequate.
"a That their condition demands immediate attention
and rehef.
"a That this relief should be commensurate With the
demand.
4th, They recommend this additional resolution
Resolved That committee OF i've be appointed me-
moralze the Legislature the ensuing session the
subject Of the insane paupers Of the STATE and recon-
mend speedy action TO insure attention to the
Of this class Of our fellow citizens
1t moved and seconded that the report he accepted
With liberty to the committee to ill up the blanks.
Mr.. JONES moved the adoption OF the report
Mr. CHANDLER OF Chauauquc thought the meeting should
have little time to compare notes and exchange senti.
ments in relation to that report. There were some
shngs in it which he could not vote for. For instance
Il was stated that few recoveres are made in the country
hospitals lie did not consider that this
And then also, the statistics given of Oneida county diff
fer very materially from those Of other countries IN his
county they had had many cases sent their county
poor house where many recovees effected They had
Had cases, returned ncurable from Utica, placed in
their county poor house. in many Of which there were
they had 10 persons In their county poor
house. and IA or 10 Of these were as comfortable there
as they would be in the Utica Asylum. There but
two which they would be willing to send 70
the State Asylum He in favor OF having extensive
in the State Asylum, but he did not believe there
another large asylum required though 1t might
be proper to have a small auxiliary
Mr. JONES thought tho gentleman from Chautauque
had misunderstood the meaning OF the report With re-
gard to the question whether county follow one
course in regard to its OF patients and whether
another county follows another IL amounts TO
nothing. The reason why he gave the statistics OF
Oneida county, because he was familiarity aci uainted
with them while he was not acquainted With those of
Chautauque other counties. Whatever difference
there might be in tho treatment OF cases he DESTROYS
that they should have the benefit Of their expert
The tact that discharged FROM the luna
tic asylum ncurabe and being afterwards cured at
the county house only proves thai nature had restored
them and would have done So whether in the asylum,
in the poor house out Of doors There is certain
class Of lunaics who would recover after certain tme
whether they have have not Spontaneous cures
said to be at the rate Of per cent But there
other which might with proper but
lie had nothing boast # for the county asylum poor
house in the county Of Oneida in fact he thought they
ought to be ashamed of them Of the twenty eight in
Sane persons in the Oneida poor house he did not
believe that two would ever recover. Only
person who had been to the asylum was cured in
their poor house in the space Of five years.
The question, however, did not turn upon this all
The principle established that insanity disease
and that those afflicted by should be cared for at the
public expense. He believed tint less number than
i've hundred can he better treated lunatic asylum
than larger number than that He did not want
one house. He believed that instead Of keeping hope
essy demented persons In warehouses; they should be
kept In the lunatc asylums the effect Of bringing ex
IRENE insanity together would be hghy beneficial in
some degrees Of IT, He would ask what Is the character
the treatment Of these persons at poor housesy Were
they not oidnby abused and neglected? He knew
that In bis county they certainly Trey could not
BE- well cared for they should be. Did the gentle
from Chautauque believe that it beneficial TO
have insane and pauper persons mingle together in
poor housef He, for one did not.
Mr. CHANDLER did not design TO cast any impntaons
on the SnperiDtendents of the State Asylum. He had
confidence In hem and believed that the facilities for
cures larger in the asylum than out Of it, But the
hrger class Of their those which could be
veil treated in the county houses the iunatic
mms II the gentenan's argument good TO the
eeneeai effect ofmnsns various degrees Of insanity
from the mineng OF insane persons and paupes
Mr.. REID, of Genesee, asked whether the number re-
turned being in the asylum embraced those who have
been there more than two years
DIR. GRAY-lt embraces AL who arc there-scme Of
them from the opening OF the institution.
Mr. knD-Is II the design Of the Institution to keep
them there longer than two years.
Dr. Gpsy-Ihe law organizing the asylum has no reie-
the length Of time which insane persons may be
kept there subsequent law made provision as 70 per
from county houses limiting their term 10 two
hut there persons there since the foundation
1.-THE estabnshment. II Is question % expedency
whether persons having spent two yoars There ought 81
ought not TO be removed. The law further states tina
where cases incrsbe, the supcrutendents Of the
rosr may be notified Of it and the cases may be sent
the county houses or the expense Of keeping them
charged 10 the county. Tho asy,um now was much
crowded, They had now 15o applications for admission
which they could not accommodate. Many of these
persons would have TO get well at home, and many
have to get vel at the county houses. The
number OF spontaneous natural cures Ia per
cent But the question is whether the recovery
may be facilitated BY and active medical remedies
or not. was well known that after years continu
If the disease the chances are con er
bly, diminished. He would be glad TO submit statistics on
the subject which he thought would be very
They had persons in the institution which got
-x eight years; but these were exceptional cases
Whether the county houses have the proper meiica
means aad system Of treatment he did not know. HI
anew that the OF proper treatment very ex