Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1873-07-11
HEPORT O,v' THR V'ER.NO.V'z
E.vS.s.vE ASYLUM.

We publish this week the report Of the
legislative investigating committee on the
Vermont Insane Asylum. The committee
visited the institution on three several oc-
casions in the course of their investigation.
For purposes of comparison and study
they also visited the Massachusetts, asylum
ut Northampton, and the New Hampshire
asylum at Concord, and the points of criti-
cism which they make are therefore enti-
tied TO some weight, Notwithstanding the
evident prejudice with which their investi-
CATION was commenced. The suggestions
in regard to pictures and ornaments, the
providing of frequent lectures, entertain
ments, etc., are well made. From what is
said in regard to punshments, it would
appear that the committee had accorded
some weight to testimony which was not
wholly reliable. That bathing as dpunish-
ne1t is or ever has been, administered to
patients, or that punishment in any form
is an established feature of this institution,
will hardly be credited ON the strength of
the te stimony adduced. In the item of
food the committee express themselves
wholly satisfied ana the improvements
now in progress (Which would have been
made in 1862 had not the fire of that year
destroyed the means), the committee be-
lieve, will remove all complaint in regard
TO room, heat and ventilation. A sugges-
tive commentary on the charge of I'M
healthfulness is, however, supplied by the
committee when they state the fact that the
death rate among the patients in this asy-
lum has been less land the proportion of
recoveries, they might have added, greater),
for ten years past than at any other inslitu-
tion of the kind in New England, save that
at Concord, N. H., and out small per
cent. above that.
The committee advise radical change in
the laws regulating the admission of pa.
tients. They say the "statute (of 1855 pro-
vides that medical examiner should be
appointed by the Court of Chancery of
Windham County, whose certificate of in
sanity of any person proposed for admis-
sion should be conclusive proof of the fact.
Under this statute the court appointed DIR.
Rockwell, Sr., the superintendent of the
asylum, medical examiner, and continued
him in that Office during the remainder of
his superintendency. This appointment,
rs might naturally be expected, opened
the door for fraud and chicanery, upon the
part of some of the officers of the institu-
ton" AS evidence OF this, the committee
refer TO the case of Stockton. In connec-
tion with this talk about fraud, 1t may be
well to recollect that neither DIR. Rockwell
nor the trustees of the asylum were in any
degree TO be pecuniarily benefited thereby.
The trustees derive no compensation for
their services whatever, and the superinten-
dent receives a stipulated salary, and a
small one at that. As matter OF fact, the
pay received from the 800 Vermont pa
tients in the asylum for some years past,
has fallen short of the actual cost of their
maintenance, and the loss has been made up
from the larger compensation received for
patients from other states. Yet in the con-
scientious discharge of their trust, the Off
GERS have never refused to receive patients
from Vermont, while hundreds of applica-
lions from people outside the state have
been refused because of insufficient accom-
modations.
The committee strongly recommend the
establishment of an asylum to be exclu-
sively under State control, volunteer the
remark that "there is very much in the
conduct of the asylum which your COM
mittee can recommend" and close by an
expression of confidence in The present
superintendent of The asylum, DIR. Draper