The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1871-02-09
REPORT OF THE JOINT VISITING
COMMITTEE ON THE 1CHARifE
TABLE AND BENEVO-
LENT INSTITUTIONS OF
THE STATE OF 6
WISCONSIN,.

Joint Visiting Committee on the Chair
table and Benevolent Institutions of the
State 1t gives more information of the
Charitable and Benevolent Institution
of the State than can be found elsewhere
without occupying more space. 1t is an
able report and we commend it to a care
full reading The expenditures recon-.
mended are large, but no larger than
Charity Benevoencc, and Economy re-
quire. They have not recommended an
expenditure which they were not justi-
fed in recommending, Il, some respects
we dissent from the recommendations OF
the Committee. But they acted from
thir stand point, and not from ours, and
made their recommendations in good
faith. And having done so they are en-
titled to due consideration.
We dissent from two of the recon-
mendations Of The Committee for expehd-
itures for the Hospital for the Insane at
Madison, viz, $4,000 for continuing
sewers to lake, and 100000 FOR building
two additional wings tothe present build
ing We do not object to retaining
about three acres of land destroyed by
the discharge of the sewers. MOI. to the re-
moval Of a most unhealthy nuisance
caused Cherby, but we object to the
method of doing it. The water of the
lake never should be contaminated by the.
discharge Of sewers, at least by the e1
crementitious discharges These should
rot only be kept from discharging into
the lake but be used for fertalizing pur-
poses. The use OF commodes for bring
ing these discharges into use as fertilizers
is too we'll known to allow of their going
to waste and much less of their becoming
destructive and unhealthy nuisances.
And where 800 human beings are con
gregated together at State expense, sci
ence and art should be called into requi-
sition, not only for charitable and benev-
lent purposes, but also to utilize and
economic in the bestowa of charity
and benevolence. - s @
There are now $50 inmates Of the Hos.
pital for the Insane at Madison. This
is as large a neutrality-suspicious. larger-in
our opinion, as should ever be collected
in one Hospital for the Insane. 1t is the
opinion Of those who have had the most
experience with the Insane and are the
best qualified to judge, both in Europe
and this country, that 200 to 800 are as
many as can be properly treated and
cared for in one Institution. And it is
doubtful if even economy alone would
sanction the admission of larger number
in one Institution. The paramount OBJ
ject of a Hospital for the Insane is the
Care of the Insane And when the mum
Der becomes too large for each and all to
be given proper treatment and care the
great object OF the Institution is lost
sight of, and that which was intended to
be economical becomes in reality the
most expensive. In an Asylum for the
supposed Incurable it is possible that a
larger number might be admitted with
less injustice than into Hospital for the
supposed Durable. But it is very doubt
full if more than 900 to 90 Incurables
can be properly cared for in one Asylum.
Time once was when the Insane were
thought to be outside the sympathies of
humanity and unworthy of care. To
Pinel the world is indebted for taking
a humane and scientific view of the con-
dition of the Insane and rescuing them
from cruel and barberous treatment.
And since his day there has been great
progress made in extending proper care
and treatment to the Insane. But even
now, the science of Insanity, ifscience it
can be called, is greatly at fault 1t is
doubtful if there is an Institution for the
Insane in this Country or in Europe
where Insanity from Disease can be dis
tlnguished from Insanity from Obscession;
in fact, where the existence of the latter
would not be entirely ignored. Some
one is now needed, equal to Pinel of his
day, to rescue the Insane from the igno-
rance of science so called, and to extend
the domain of true science so as to recog
uize Obscession as cause of Insanity, to
distinguish between Insanity from OBJ
session and Insanity from Disease, and
to apply the appropriate remedies in each
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