Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1869-05-05

farm of 500 acres. There are three
| large buildings which accommodate
200 patients. One of the buildings
is hospital or asylum, occupied by
those who for any reason require re-
straint. the second is devoted to
those for whom especial restraint is
unnecessary, and the third is a SINH
lar class of paupers.
"There are cOmmOdiOus out houses,
workshops of various kinds, and di-
versified means and facilities of
amusement, entertainment and en-
plOyment of patients. The extensive
farm is cultivated chiefly by the pa
uents, and the grain is ground upon
the premises. There is a constant in
terchange going on between the de-
partments. If IA person becomes rest
less or boisterOus or unmanageable in
the colony, he is taken to the asylum.
When one in the asylum becomes
quiet and can be entrusted with his
own lib9rty and is capable of labor,
he IS at once transferred to the colony,
and this is felt to be an incentive to
self-cOntrol by the inmates of the asy-
lum."
Your committee are aware that a
a diversity of opinion prevails in refer
ence to the amount of labor the ehrOn-
ic and other insane, should be requir-
ed to perform, and many believe that
it is utterly impracticable and unrea-
sonable to expect anything in that
| line from them. The experience,
however, of late years has proved
that, by proper management, much
can be accomplished by the labor of
lunatics. At many of the asylums,
/ in this and other countries, they are
required to perform certain kinds of
work, and the experiments have prov
ed highly satisfactory, by lessening
the expense of supporting them, and
aiding greatly in their cure. Abund-
ance of testimony on this point could
be adduced, of which the following
are but specimens
DIR. Hughes, Superintendent of tile
/ Missouri Lunatic Asylum, says: ~
regard a judieious system of organ
I iZed labor for patients as one of the
most efficient means we can employ
I toward effecting their restoration. It
is both prophylactie and curative.
/ PrOphylactic in maintaining and inn
, proving the tone of the physical or
gans, and curative in the occupation
| it gives the mind. Iwould
make labor, in a certain sense, COM
! pulsOry. / would lead the patient
out to work by system of rewards
and special privileges for any manual
labor he might perform, and deprive
him OF those rewards in case Of refu-
SAL ,-,.- l.s. W.. F.
DIR. Earle, of the Northampton
Asylum, Says Work with the hands
is considered here, as it is elsewhere,
the most powerful Of those hygienic
cltrdtire agents and influences which
are elassed under the general head of.
Ilor1f treatment. The prin-
ciple part of the labOrers are the IN
ciird5ie State patients, and among
these there are some who are as much
I. interested in the farm and its belong
ings, and who work as faithfully as if
the establishment were their own.
1t is estimated that not less
than three-fourths of the work done
on the premises is done by the pa
tients."
The report of the Northampton
Asylum for 1866, gives an aggregate
of II so days work performed by pa
tients during ths year, and the aver
age cost for support, per capita, two
hundred and seven dollars, or some
sixty dollars less than in the Asylums
in Ohio. With sufficient amount of
land we believe that some well devised
system of labor for the chronic insane
could be instituted in this State, and
inure greatly to the benefit of all con-
eerned.
In view of the uncertainty which
exists in regard to the precise number
and condition of the insane in the
State, your committee would rocom-
mend that the Board of State Chari-
ties, or the township and ward asses
sOrd, be authorized to obtain all need
ed information on this subject.
In conclusion we would respectful
ly offer for adoption the following res
Olutions:
H. r. No. 2s9-By Mr.. Kemp. from
q select committee:
Resolved, That, in order to provide /
for the wants of that class of insane /
persons, commonly considered incur
able, it is absolutely necessary that I
the Central Asylum should be rebuilt I
Immediately, and that the one in pro- !
cess at Athens, Ohio, should be COM
pleted at the earliest practicable pc
riod. I.--Ha .-..as
ResolUed, That in the selection of a
location for the Central Asylum, it is
essential that larger tract of land be
secured than is contained within the
limits of the present site; that in its
selection due regard should be had to
healthfulness, as well as to its isola-
ton from the confusion and excite
ment of the city.
Resolred, Than in order to secure
to all classes of insane persons the
benefits and advantages to be derived
from these Institutions, such additions
should be made, from time to time, as
the wants of the community may de
mand, such Improvements to be of
the ordinary kind, or after. the more
modern style of cottage additions, as
may seem most likely to answer the
purpose, due regard being had TO con-
venienee, durability and economy. K
J. ID. KEMP.
l - sa.r WlI. NJ. EASIES,
r.. JONES,
.,.- G.. w. BROOKE,
.a a.- WAI. FIELDING. I
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