The Portland daily press., 1868-01-30

INSANE ASYLUM INVESTIGATING REPORT
Toby CaDdor," writing to the Boston Journal
under date of Jan. 2j says that the special
commission appointed to investigate the man
agement of the Insane Asylum have submit
ted their report to the Governor After exam
ming nearly one hundred witnesses and max
ing careful analysis Of the testimony, the
commissioners have come to the following con-
clusions: ...a...
First. No evidence is found of personal i'll
treatment of patients by Dr. Harlow, Superin-
tendent, or by any of his subordinate officers,
nor of any misconduct or i'll treatment of pa
TENTS by attendants authorized by the Super
intendent or UNPUBLISHED by him when made
kn0l0n to him.
Second. They do not find beyond reason
able doubt that in reviewing and including a
period Of ten years past, there have been in
stances in which patients have been abused
and ill-treated by that class of employees call
ed attendants. To the honor of womanhood
few, and those comparatively unimportant,
charges have been preferred against the female
attendants The report says: While we are
compelled to admit the general fact that some
fragrant abuses have been committed we are
also of the opinion that the instances of such
abuse have been occasional rather than general,
and that such occurrences have been made
less frequent within the last two years, and
that with the adoption of more stringent rules
vi tue part Oh trustees, ana q more de-
cded manifestation on their part to sustain
the Superintendent in suppressing this evil,
the public may rest very well assured that
such cases of i'll trea tment or abuse viii not
be apt to occur in the future.
After making few suggestions in relation
TO the reorganization of the board of trustees
and to amending the law making provision
tor the insane, the report says:
For twenty years, from the time when
Maine became independent State, in 1920,
to 1910, we had no asylum for the insane. or
any provision by the State for that unfortu-
nate class of our fellow-ctizens for whose es-
pecial benefit such institutions are now so
generously provided. During the period in
eladed from 1920 to 1910, the condition of the
insane of our State, SO far as physical comfort
was concerned, Ito say nothing of their mem
tai conditoD) was deplorable. Some were
chained, some Gagged like wild beasts others
were permitted to roam at large, the terror of
women and children, the scott and ridicule of
boys, often suffering the pangs of cold and
hunger, and presenting picture too revolving
for contemplation. About 1889 the attention
of several philanthropic and liberal-ninded
gentlemen in this State began to be directed
to the unhappy condition of this unfortunate
class, and to devising ways and means for pro-
yldlng them an asylum. Foremost in this no.
bic enterprise was Hon. Reuel Williams of
Augusta;~and Hon Benz. Brown, of Vassal-
boro. These gentlemen each pledged them
selves to contribute 100000 on condition that
the State should at once proceed to adopt
measures to accomplish the project The State
responded to this liberal offer and measures
were adopted and carried forward, which re-
sultod in the erection and completion of the
main or central structure, and two wings in
the tall OF 1910, when it was opened for the re-
ception of patients.