Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-07-30

physician, attendant, or in some other subordi-
nate place, it would give man a dozen years
of consecutive life in an insane hospital, and
that is enough. Those who maintain the hazard
GUS experiment longer, do so at the risk of sac
rificing health or reputation, and the additional
experience thus gained is of no real advantage
TO them.
DR. Bemis' successor is Dr. Bernard Eastman
of New Hampshire, who began his career in the
specially at the state asylum i'll Concord, we
believe but has been for several years an assist
ant of DR.. Nichols in the government hospital
mt Washington. He is well spoken of, has
learned his profession under good masters, and
has had that variety of hospital practice which
is important, if not essential, TO the best success
as a superintendent. He also will have the good
wishes of everybody in his new position, and
such have been his relations with DR.. Earle OF
Northampton and Dr. Godding Of Taunton, the
other state SuperintendenS, that he is sure in
advance OF their cordial cooperation lie comes
to his work in Massachusetts at a time when he
will need all this, and he will also find employ
ment Tor all his energies and experience in the
work of managing and rebuilding the Worcester
hospital. Unfortunate delays have taken place
in carrying out the design of the state in per-
hitting such a reconstruction OF lis oldest nos
pital, ,and the work seems to be stopped for the
present, though it has never been more neces-
Sarv than now; for he state hospitals have never
been so full as they are this summer The hot
season always brings in many patients, espe-
cially when unScaSonably hot, as 1t has been
this year, and by the both of July the three hos
pitfalls contained about 1910 patients; namely,
464 at Worcester, AL at Northampton, and 432
at Taunton.
As originally built these hospitals were in
tended for less than 900 patients, and they are,
even now, with all their additions and modifca-
tons OF plan, ill-adapted for more than 1000
patients. Nor is it wise for any single Superln-
tendent to undertake the care OF more than oUO
patients, unless very large proportion OF them
are chronic insane. This is the case at North
ampton, but not at the other two hospitals.
ANY plan of rebuilding the worcester hospital,
however, would probably now involve accom-
mOdalions for 500 patients, at least temporarily,
or while portions of the old and the new struc-
lures continued to be used simultaneously. Tue
question of building a new hospital in or near
Boston has also become complicated with the
matter of reconstruction at Worcester, so that
one scheme depends to some extent on the other.
If the advocates of great hospital at Winthrop,
on the old plan of an ornamental prison, sue
coed after so many failures in carrying their
point, the same policy will be pressed upon the
Worcester authorities, and will have some
chance of adoption by them. But if DIR Howe
| and the other Boston advocates of what seems
| to us Il more rational disposition of the subject
succeed in effecting the construction of
| Il smaller hospital on a simpler and
more frugal scale, the reconstruction at
Worcester could proceed without embarrass-
ment from that quarter. We are convinced
that the interests of the people and the best
| judgment of the most competent persons alike
| favor modification of the old hospital plan OF
| building and system of management at WOr'
| cester. DIR. Bemis' plan is objected to as too
| costly, and has been practically abandoned by
| the trustees. This is well enough, perhaps, but
| they must not suppose, nor ought DR.. Eastman
| to make such mistake at the outset of his new
work, that there is no alternative between Dr.
| Bemis' plan and that of the Winthrop hospital
projectors. Public opinion seems to demand,
| and we think wisely, that rs near an approach
| to the family system as possible shall be made,
and that economy shall be regarded, and the
proper classification of patients shall be made,
| whether or not the scheme adopted meets the
| approval of the medical superintendent" of
| North America. Massachusetts builds hospitals
for the needs of Massachusetts, not for the ca
| prices of all North America. And what MaSsa-
| chuSetts now needs is ampler hospital room for
the poor rather than for the rich, and an ac-
cOmmodatOn of cur system of management TO
| the actual facts of the situation. Something
| has been done toward this by the establishment
| of an asylum for the chronic insane poor of the
| state at Tewksbury; what is now most needed
| is similar or better asylum for the insane poor
of the towns and cities, especially those of Bos-
| ton and its immediate vicinity.
| The towns and cities, under the new laws OF
| settlement are compelled to support many more
| of the chronic insane than formerly, and more
| than the state now supports. AT the latest
dates there were in the three state hospitals 575
town and city patients, and only 1874 patients
supported by the state; while the number Of
| the state patients at Tewksbury (abOut 3OO) was
not much greater than the aggregate at South
| boston and Ipswich of the other class. A new
hospital, built either by the state or the city of
Boston, near that city, would soon be filled, as
| the present South Boston hospital is, mainly
with the chronic insane of the cities on the east
en coast it should, therefore, be built, we
think. chiefly for the reception of that class,
leaving the insane OF other classes TO be received
in the new buildings of Worcester and those of
| the Mclean asylum when they shall be erected.
| And the sooner they are built the less inconye-
nience and suffering there will be among all
| classes of our insane.