The Portland daily press., 1868-02-26

we nave before us the report of the Com
missioners of Inyes tigation OF the Insane
Asylum, appointed last winter by the Legis-
lature, and the Memorial of Tobias Lord to
the Governor and Council on the Insane
Asylum. Mr.. Lord, as is well known, gave
much attention to securing the appointment
of the Commissioners last winter, and aided
them in the perfo- nance of their duties
during the year. He does not feel satisfied
with their conclusions. Messrs. Albert G.
Jewett, Jared Fuller and James N. Deering,
who constituted the board of investigation,
state that after patient and faithful attention
to the subject they find no evidence of per-
sonal ill-treatment of patients by Dr. Har-
low or of ill-treatment by attendants un-
punished BY the Superintendent when made
known to him. Second, they find that "ha-
grant abuses" have been committed by per-
sons holding subordinate positions in the
institution, but that such instances have
been occasional rather than general. They
reach their conclusions from the testimony
of persons formerly insane, and express the
opinion that such testimony should be re-
ceived with some degree of caution. They
hold that persons guilty of abusing patients
should be held to answer in a court of law,
and that it is the duty of the Superintend-
ent and the Trustees "to especially let the
patients understand that no attendant will be
allowed to ill-treat them with impunity." The
only recommendation made by the Commis-
sioners which appears to be expressly intend
ed to prevent the further occurrence of out
RACES upon patients is embraced in the fol-
lowing proposed amendment of the laws re-
lating to the Hospital: 'The Board of Trus-
sist of nine members instead of six, three
of whom shall be physicians. One of said
Board shall visit the Asylum every month,
three shall visit quarterly, and the whole
Board annually" l.al
Mr.. Lord conceives that the report OF
which We have given brief abstract, is de-
fective owing to the fact that none of the tes-
timony upon which it is founded is laid be-
fore the Legislature. He accordingly, in his
Memorial gives the testimony of large
number of persons who were examined,
most of them, like himself, having been at
some time inmates of the Hospital. With
the running commentary of Mr.. Lord, inter-
polated between the testimony of different
witnesses, the Memorial is calculated TO raise
a doubt as to whether the Commissioners
were justified in making use of so guarded
language in stating that they had discovered
the existence of abuses in the Asylum. He
especially objects to the expression of a
want of confidence in the testimony oi
patients who had been but recently
discharged, and who appear on the records
of the institution as recovered" especially
as they often corroborate each other and are
sustained by the evidence of a few individu-
ais who have never been patients. Indeed
it does seem that Mr.. Lord is not unreason-
able in objecting to the summary disposition
made of the testimony of all the patients by
DR.. Harlow's declaring, as an expert that
they were of unsound mind, when at the
same time he acknowledges that in some in
stances his information in regard to them is
derived solely from hearsay. A man, who
like Mr.. Lord, is able 10 obtain in support o.
his sanity the testimony of a great number
of highly respectable and prominent indivd
| uals and who is so far trusted by his neigh
bors as to be elected by them to the mos
| important office within their gift, may with
reason object to being thrust aside with the
remark that his case is "melancholia, with
| exaltation following
| We have neither time nor space to 90 full,
| into an examination of the interesting and i'm
portant subject which is again brought promi
nently topublic attention by the two document
to which we have referred. We have merel,
aimed to give what seem to be the conclu
sions of the parties holding somewhat diver
gent views respecting the management OF on
of our public institutions. The one point up
on which all parties agree is this: There hac
been and are abuses connected with the man
agement OF the Insane Hospital at Augusta
The one point upon which the public ouSn
to agree is that there should be no haif-wa.
measures. "Reform ii altogether" should b.
the motto in matter of so vital Importance
to class demanding of their more fortunate
fellow men the tenderest care and sympathy
| Cincinnati courtezan has tried 6v