The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-10-09


various county jails until places can be
provided for them, and are often COM
pelled to remain in that worst of all
places for an insane person during the
most critical period of their disease. l
believe, however, that the average Of
persons cured in Hospitals for the In
sane and restored to society and friends
will reach nearly forty per cent. of the
whole number of admissions.
HISTORY AND EARLY TREATMENT.
Insanity has manifested itself among
men during all ages. The Bible men,
tons numerous cases of lunacy, among
whom may be remembered Saul, Nebu-
chednezzar, and those possessed with
DEVILS" who were brought to Christ to
be cured. The ancient Egyptians and
the Greeks had something like our mod.
ern asylums for the treatment of the
insane, and in fact our modern system
of medical practice is much indebted to
the scientific researches Of the ancients
for its present stage of excellence. In
sanity was more common among the
more civilized people, and was more IN
diligently dealt with. During what
are called "the dark ages" Of European
history, lunacy could not have been
more harshly treated had it been re-
garded as a crime, for lunatics were
chained in dungeons, subjected to daily
beatings, and, in some cases, starved
to death. The first asylum set apart
for the treatment of the insane was the
Bethlehem Hospital in London, which
came in time to be called "Bedlam,
and thus gavarise to the name by which
all similar institutions are some
times popularity known. Hospl-
tails for the insane were soon
after established in France, and as the
nations progressed in civilization and
men began to recognize more and more
the claims OF common humanity, i'm
proved methods OF treatment and more
enlightened systems were introduced.
Noble-hearted men and women devoted
their lives to the alienation of the mis-
cries of insanity, and the hearts Of the
whole people OF great States were NOV
ed to compassion upon the unfortunate.
In the United States the plumber OF IN
sane persons is about one in every sew
en- hundred and fifty of the population.
| All Of the States have erected asylums
tor their care, land seem to vie with each
other in a noble emulation to give to
those who have been deprived OF the
right use of reason that watchful and
consta Mt care that their sad condition
demands.
THE WEST VIRGINIA HOSPITAL FOR THE
INSANE.
On the ODD of March, 1858, the Legis
lature of Virginia appropriated the sum
Of Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars as
the first installment of the fund neces.
sary for the erection ofa Lunatic Asy-
lum west of the Allegheny Mountains.
The Asylums at Williamsburg and at
Staunton, though large and commoa-
ious, were crowded to their utmost ca
pacity, and there were many insane per-
SONS in the State unable to gain admit
lance. A new Asylum was a necessity.
Accordingly the appropriation mention
ed above was made and a committee
consisting of Thomas S. Wallace, OF
Petersburg; Doctor Clement l.. Harris,
of Culpepper; and Samuel T. Walker,
of Rockingham, was appointed by
Governor Henry A. Wise to visit that
portion of Virginia lying west of the
Allegheny Mountains, and select a
site for the building. The committee
visited and inspected number Of local
tiles in what is now West Virginia, and
finally selected Weston, in Lewis coun-
ty, as the most eligible spot. 1t is joe
ularly related Of Hon. j. NJ. Bennett,
then Auditor of Virginia, that he hast
ened home to Weston prior to the visit
of the Commissioners, had the stones
all gathered out of the streets, the fences
and trees whitewashed, the outside Of
the houses put in good repair, and
everything made to assume an appear
ance of thrift, health and comfort. The
Commissioners were favorably impress
ed by the beauty of the place and thor
oughly charmed by the hospitality of
the people, and made the location &C.
cordingly. Be this as it may, it is very
doubtful whether any better place for
the Asylum, barring its present mac
feasibility, could be found in the State,
and there is a strong probability that it
will, before many years, be placed in
railroad connection with the outside
world.
LANDS AND BUILDING.
The lands belonging to the Asylum
embrace two hundred and seventy.three
acres, lying on the west side Of the
West Fork Of the Monongahela river,
Immediately opposite the town of Yves.
ton. The lands cost Sl2, 409.l2, and
were paid for out of the first appropria-
ton, the remainder of the money being
expended in preparations for building,
excavating, laying foundations, etc.
The plan of the building was prepared
by R. Snowden Andrews, Esq, an archi-
tect, now in the employ of the Chesa-
peake and Ohio railroad company, at
Huntingdon, w. Va. 1t was intended
to provide accommodations for $50 pa
tients, and was estimated to cost, when
complete, $305,000. 1t was proposed
to be built in three years from the time
of commencement Of the work. On the
9th of January, 1860, the Legislature
of Virginia appropriated 100000 to-
ward the erection OF the buildings. With
a good deal of shrewdness on the part Of
those having the matter in charge. the
foundation for the whole building, &C.
cording to the plan, was first laid go as
to destroy the probability of the abau-
donment of any portion of the original
plan, if it was found that the expense
overran the estimate. The effects Of
this foresight are manifest now, for it
could scarcely be hoped that West Vir.
ginia would think of constructing such
a maonificent huildino had not the