American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1859-01-13

defect and disease In mental OF physical
organization render proper objects Of pub
itic care; and @hoss number and relation
10 society constitute another element of
our social condition, which must engage
yo,Ir notice. lssso baE sluss asasio4 ..,fiirss
4 The benevoic6ce oftbo State has already
provided three Asylums for the Insane,
which have cost for grounds and eonstrdc-
tion about 474, coo and are sustained at
an apual expense Of 10000. excluding the
charges properly belonging TO the account
of construction and interest. The cost OF
the Northern and Central Asylunts has
been about 1853, 900 each; that oftts South,
ern about 1863, 1000. The actual value Of
the C,ntraf Asylum is, now probably more
than double that Of either of others.
In these Asylums there were ,atthe bcrr
ginning Of tie last y ear, 568 inmates, and
there were received during the year 4i4,
making the whole number of participants
in their benefits 982; there, were dischRg-
ed 4I2; thsle did 43, aud there remained
at the commencement OF, the current year.
1850. OF those discharged S4o had been
restored to sanity. and 35. decidedly i'm,
proved, The average expense Of each, in
mate was about ,158. .,b a "a n. L,,.,r ss,
4 The Central Asylum will accommodate
4 $50 Inmates, the Northern. al6o, and The
ESaulhern160. Each has beer, filed TO the
lextent Of ita capacity, Anothor Asylum is
in progress of, construction in Hamilton
county, for The resepds n Of The Insane Of
of that County only. After its completion
and opening, that Countyyiwin constitute
the South western AsJ )um, District. ,n ID,
The number of Insane in Ohio ,Accor,
ding 10 the census ofl850. was d, LOB
| This number was doubtless pnderrated -
| am satisfied that tie plumber 10 not less
than two thousand. The Superintendent Of
tho GENITAL Asylum thinks il does not fall
tshort Of three thousand. The arguments is
which establish the duty Of some provision
for some of The Insane, require doubtless,
4 adequate provision for all. Several plans
for such provision have been, suggeste d 81
t One contempletes the enlargement Of one
CT more Of tie existing Asylums; another
/ proposes tc provide for the support aud
Treatment Of the Insane in the County In
frmaries; while a ihird. not necessarily
excluding the others suggests the enact;
mept Of . law for the establishment and
regulation Of private Apyluns. in which a
large portion Of he Insane would be provi.
vlded for by their friends without charge
10 the State. ] have 30 hesitation in re.
conmendipg the Legislation contemplated
Ivy this latter suggestion, The ,informa-
ton necessary 10 well grounded cloire
between the other plans is not yet accessi,
bic. Ny impression is that The, first will
. prove most economical and most ,benef-
cent; if indeed, after the completion oftbe
South Asy ylum and the enactment
. of judicieus lay for Private Arylums, oil
r ther shall be found necessary, ,ih,, ts,ar
t The condition of the Idiolic, equally
with that of tbs Insane, must engage, the
attention Of The philanthropist and states
! man., "A few yeaIs ago this hapsss class
r seemed beyond the reach OF effeotusl relief
n Recently, however, attempts 10 rescue them
from their apparently hopeless condition
have been crowned by results which in.
, spire. hope and encourage perseyerance.7-
The judicious humanity of the last Gene
. raj Assembly inauguraled systematic plan
Tor their instruction and improvement,
which has been so far executed under
your auspices, that ultimate success is 10
longer doubtful. 1t is not indeed to be
, expected that the Idiolic can be, elevated
to any higher deglee Of capafity; but very
many Of them can be qualified to earn their
own substance, and nearly all can be
trained TO habits Of neatness aud proprie-
tv. The whole number of Idiots in The
State is reasonably estimated at about 9 ;.
600. or these, 500 are Of proper age TO-
, receive instruction. la tie Asylum re-
, Gently opened for their reception, there
were, at the commencement of the present
year, is; there were received during the
wear 90; there were discharged =; there
are absent 6; the number under iDstruc.
ton at the commencement Of the present
year, was 26; the average number main.
tanned at the States expense twenty.1-
The expense OF Che year, excluding the
cost Of permanent improvements has been
So, 845,57. The average annual expense
+ of each pupil, was 1880 When the In.
stitution is full. ihe average expense Of
each pupil viii Of course be less, and will
, not exceed the cost ofeAch inmate Of the
, other Asylums. The question Of the per-
manent establishment and location of the
Institution should be promptly Decided
f Ifdecided sffirmatively, provision she uld
be made for the purchase either Of The
3 propertyin which III temporarily estab.
: iished, or Of scme other site, Alter care.
. fiji consideIation Si all circumstances.
b think it my duty TO recommend, the frs
alternatives as most judicioas and most e
. economical gi,w sQucr.af yALnu7 stI
II Deaf fnutes CONSTITUTES another class fol
: whose education public provision mus
q necessarily be made.i To our State be-
c longs The honor of. first recognizing thii
! principal and nearly 80 years have now
4, elapsed since her Asylum was 6rst open
ed to these unlortunates. The number
!, now in the State is estimated att ,200.--
: Of these more thsn one.third hrver receeiv
lied instructions in the Aaylum, and prob
: ably another third are Of suitable age fol
: admission. OF this later number $50 arg
a in actual enjoyments Of lis benefits, whil'
\ $50 arc necessarily excluded. The mum