The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-02-19
AN ABODE or HORRORS.

Retrcat. ........................... lOO IU
Total. $40 977
AN ABODE or HORRORS.
= Now, the official records OF the commission show
that the buildings pr0pcrly-the commissioners
own expressi0n-ho,d only $40 patents and at
tendants, yet there are at present IN the insttu-
ton 977 inmates or, in other words dO7 more per-
sons than there should he II any regard for the
Welfare ana safety o. me cor 1esv 1
can be had OF the fearful state OF things
which exists. In the asylum when It Is
great an extent that numbers Of the patients are
compelled TO sleep on the floors and In the Railways
OF the main building and the Retreat Under these
circumstances is 1t at all TO be wondered at that the
friends OF insane people should tremble with fear
u n~ mauacs who hoy are allowed 10 roam about the
corridors IN the day time and are packed away.
like herrngs In barrel, Of mgnts few days
announcement Of the terrible murder which was
committed IN the lodge" the murderess and
were inmates Of the ..Iodgen and that ought to be
sufficient proof OF the extent OF their maady It was
shown on tho inquest that the n,urderess and her
victim slept in the and that or late 1t has
been the habit OF the authorities OF the island to have
more than one occupant in each room OF the build
ing This revelation was doubt, quite as startling
to the community as was the murder ITSELF But Is ID
matter OF just surprise tnat murder should crop
out In such placer True the authorities ray that
the deed chr0nicled q lew days ago was the first
crime Of the kind ever committed In the
asylum aud that q murder ls not likely TO occur
there again: but can they guarantee non
recurrence Of q crime equally as appallDgY They
might ~ well argue that because q man now living
has never been drowned he never can be. The
crowdlng in the buildings Is, however, not the only
horrible feature OF the institution, although the
other evils to be remedied may be Justly considered a.
Its legitimate results does II require tho report Of
any special committee OF experienced physicians to
add weight to the argument against the manner In
winch the inflicted inmates are compelled to finger
away their wretched lives.
AN ATMOSPHERIC OF DEATH.
The various rooms and halls are always, IL must be
conceded kept In an excellent condition OF cleanli-
nessat least as far as they can be kept clean with
aud dong pretty much as they please; but they are
every one OF them crowded to render II an im-
either as 10 health Or aecency All the rooms with
out exception In all the buildings are filed to such
an excess st 9S Ten O'Clock q
a few hours later would be intolera-
Die to any but those who, by being in
but none the less susceptible 10 It's deeterious
effects In most instances from three to i've patients
are placed IN a room intended but for two, and
cient ventilation, Is not % proper accom-
eS put IN room r enough afe for one
This, as has already been noticed Is especially the
case In the "Lodge' where tue worst cases are con
fined, aud where the 1lthy habits or many OF tho
inmates render the air to the last degree
offensive and highly detrimental to health
ance OF 800 cubic feet OF air space instead
OF the proper 1000, and in fact many OF them have
considerably le5s-that rs. the patient sleeps IN
but three wide, ten feet long and ten HIGH
and this in an atmosphere contaminated with ex
Lalatons or a most nosOme character Tina
special committee OF physicians VINO, last December
made thorough investigation into all the evils OF
the institution, recommended that additional accom-
cdaton should be provided for least 40 patents.
and 70 provide Tor the Increase at the rate,
up to the probable time Of the completion
Sa,on ns os so S1das ac sSa,,"a
to the three buildings already spoken or there are
other patients IN the Pavilion Hospitals, built Tor par
ais tics and epilepcs, each Of which Is slngc ward,
and wholly unsuited for the nsane--thc proper ca
pacity OF each being nifty, and each containing ut
present seventy-nye inmates. The Commissioners
state thai the annual Increase OF this class OF patients
Is ten per cent, and n this ratio should continue
during the next ten years they would have under
their charge ut Que time over $500 patients.
Oi course The only remedy for the terrible state
OF che lunatcs on the island Is to be found
In proper legislation for their better welfare;
aud although the law-making power has for long
time turned deaf ear 20 the appeals that have been
made from various quarters in bcnalf OF the insane.
1t would seem that the day OF relief viii soon come
Us bill was passed by both houses on Tuesday au-
tborntng an addition 70 the Asylum. What the
merits OF the bill really are cannot yet be
tanned, but, II does not grant the additional
mediation that Is absolutely required, II had better
nave been LEFT to 3lnmbcr with the documents that
ore laid on the table never to be taken up again.
REFORM NEEDED.
ADDITIONAL accommodation for the Iunatcs n not,
however, the only thing needed to anne iorate the
condition OF the unfortunate beings placed In the
Asylum. There are other evils winch require up
roofing equally az well as the packing system In
vogue and prominent among these are tho subor-
dinate officials OF the institution, who draw big pay
and do very little for T. There are physlcans war
scrptions In the Asylum and all tho hard work that
Is done IN the place Is left TO those VINO know the
least how TO don't well and who care at the utmost
very little whether they know how to do Il well or
otherwise. In fact, the manner OF employing attend
ants about and In the Asylum ut present Is bad to
start with. Tney are selected more from political
considerations than from any particular aptitude
they may have for the special labors they called
upon TO perform. The care of lunattcs n sort OF
act In Itself and cannot DO undertaken without dctri-
ment 70 the patents by any mere ward politician or
ward politicians friend for the simple ambition oc
getting afat salarn The matron has been employed
VA the Asylum s0Sl0ng that she has become adept
In the art Of attending upon the unatics, but the
same cannot he said Of the other employees. Tho
present system Of appointing the attendants snoud
he changed, aud persons should be examined as 70
their fitness for their positions before being placed