New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-02-20
DIR STATE INSTITUTIONS.
NEW.yORK STATE INEBRIATE ASYLUM
,vRoM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT

SuGnuQnlnn1
hin overlooking the Susquehanna, and q woe
tent of mountain country and valley, stands the
s,ote Asv E,m for Inebriates The front is 80 feet
long and three stories and there are wings OF about
The same extent 1t is built of the Onondaga lime
stone and il has the general appearance OF Euro
roo, castle The cost exceeded s5000O0. BY oil ac-
counts the original Superintendent defrauded the
state ont of large sum, and although he had some
potients. his management was such that the nstltu
tion gradually declined, and finally was closed by
the Trustees. Then one Of the wings took fire, ana
was burned. and notwithstanding there was an IN
surance of $4,000, the State dld not recelVe tTo
money. Dr. Day. who had been superintendent Vi =
similar institution at Boston, was now appolnuou'
end os n result of less than two years management,
there are now Sc patients well cared for and aithough
much Is new and some things imperfect there Is co
nlete order in every department. Upon announclns
10 DIR. Day the object of my visit he offered every
opportunity for an investigation, and sPch' WV
DAYS within the walls.
1he rooms for the patients are IN almost every re-
spect similar to the rooms appropriated to guests III
n hotel being well furnished. heated by 1urnac9g
and lighted with gas and they are suppnou VIII
water coming from mountain springs. An olos;nis
parlor containing piano. is open TO all; there Is a
library of LOO volumes, reading-roon WheIe icau
ing newspapers are file; there are bath roons Di-
lizard tables and ball alloy. Inc ceiilng5 arc ~
the finish OF the rooms solid and even costly pet
ter idea would be conveyed if the WORD cure weIe
used instead of the word Asylum for the general IN,
The patients are not confined STILL there are regu-
latons which are submitted 70, because 1ney ato
90 In and out nor there locks sentnels or snr-
walls But if wishes to go into the city
permission is asked, and If granted pass Ii given.
pass because they are known to be unfaihful, that
is they will get drunk if they can. although dealer
is liable in heavy penalty for supplying them Whtn
comes back or is found in the city drunk, he IS con-
fined in cell two or three days when ne IS laOoreu
with shown how weak he is, and that he cannot DO
permitted to leave the grounds Tor pc
One will suppose that the inmates look like drunk
ards While was there new patient was Iet t'
having come with an attendant who was MS iriend,
and FLEW wero from great distance. lie was about
80 wears old and by profession teacher ana lIoIn
what his friend said gathered that MS iaIner VIZ
dead, and that he had come much in compliance WIN
the wishes of his mother. Ills face was Uoateu unu
purple and it was evident that he had Deen uiinklng
hard his Journeys indeed he confessed that ne nau
taken farewell glasses at the hotel lie was 10 nave
room for himself and the charge was ~ week. III,
cludjng medicine and all attention. After his friend
had paid for three months in advance, or 80 they
twined over aud around his shoulder ana kissed
him. sobs heaved their breasts; and tears wet Their
checks. At last the friend wiped away his tears, and
Kidding final adieu he fastened ont into the storm
which filled tho deep valley of the Sus9uehanna.
In the large dining hall one will see al the inmates
There are many tables The stylish ard clean crock.
erv. tho high silver-plated casters, tho pumes OF
celery and the white napkins each in it's ring; give
an AIR of elegance and refinement: When al arc
seated theTo is pause, then bell IS toucned, When
the voice of the chaplain is heard invoking the DIVINE
blessing From the place where sat fnii view was
obtained. The youngest were about ~ years o1 INC
eldest probably 90, but the average dd 0l luch eA
coed 90 Here and there are traces oil ineDrety put
the greater part appear TO bo proper men; Ihey
were every way well and even fashionably dressed,
and their behavior and general conduct were such as
characterze gentlemen. The truth IL. they belong
to the best class in our country they are used TO good
society and. generally they are Wen educated inao
that the intellectual and moral struggle Tor predOm
nance. There about 10 free patients; others pay
from 81 to Sl2 week, according TO thelr inehis on9
no distinctions are made and il is not to be supposed
that they who are rich aud pay most, know which
paw least There are literary and professional men
among which are farmers merchants bankers eIClhs,
and three clcrgymen. To treat patient success
fully IL is necessary that no hayo certain quaIihca,
tons lie must be n man OF feeling that an appeal
NAV be made: he must be intelligent, that he may
he taugbt and he must havo honor. that lac may be
trusted. II is conceded that tho institution would
be failure il the patients were ignorant brutal ana
depraved. Little good Is expected from patient
who does not come voluntarily.
Time is passed in walks, reading. and in various
nmusements On the evening was there, Tho
Lady of Lyons was played by dramatic company
composed of the members, and they played so well
that IL matter Of regret that the lady OF the
play was too evidently a Young man There are rclig-
ious services twice Sunday literary societies meet
on Monday and Saturday, and on Wednesday Is q
temperance lecture, which sometimes closes with
ppllcuCB meetings. Inc DNUlDcI OF patients since
May 1861 has been 3l0 OF these IA were periodical
drinkers l6S constant ones: 1i6 were married, and
1C4 were single. The number known to have re,
formed after tho first trial was ll3 after the second
trial H. after n third A. OF 25 there is hope. Ow-
ing 10 distance or other causes, Us have not been
heard from. Six used opium.
A patient is not warranted a cure. From the first
lie is told that he must nerve himself up for the
work What frequently has been advertised as a
for drunkenness Is an imposition, for 1t is an
emetic TIE medicine which il considered Of great
pSLV bromide Ii
utcd doses Of from 20 20 30 grains every folr five
hours, OF, In cases OF great nervous exhaustion, the
doses may be increased. 10 has been known
that this salt acts directly upon tho
nervous centeTs, but il IL recent discovery that il
has specific action upon tho brain and spinal mar
row. In an incipicnt stage Of mania it is Of great
value. The average time required for cure is four
months, while some stay year. Little or no manual
labor is performed, although it seems that the ongi
nal plan that the patients should engage in agi
cultural industry for there are 400 acres of land but
il has been fonnd that the powers Of the patients
so impaired that they are not fitted for work The
land therefore, can be Of 20 to this institution,
beyond sufficient portion for gardening pastnrage,
and ornamental grounds; DTunkenness is called
disease but more properly II lays the foundation for
eral nervous disOrders Inflammation Of tho brain.
epilepsy. enlargement of the heart. liver and kidney
lastly by impoverishng the blood, consumption. 1t
also prepares the system for tho reception of the
virus of cholera, yellow fever and pestenco gener-
orally. while it has most powerful tendency in de-
veloping hereditary diseases which otherwise would
be dormant. The first step III treatment is, of course
total abstinence and next to restore the degeneraed
vital powers.
Dr. Day has discovered by microscopic eKamina-
tOn that alcohol opens series of cells in the brain
which never afterward wholly collapse. and thus,
while life lasts they remain always ready to receive
the spirit of the invisible demon For this reason,
there can be no permanent cure for drunkenness and
in carrying out the work Of reformation this fact is
impressed upon the patient. Sometimes it is en-
forced in q most terrible manner. A young man was
discharged. On leaving he thanked the SupaIn-
tendent he bid all his friends goodby. he exuted in
his reformation and declared that power above or
below could degrade him again. While at the sta
tion waiting for the train, he congratulated himself
on the power he had acquired over his old habit and
he believed that he could take glass and not want
ano tried md hpfora nj pht yas returned