Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1873-07-18

REPORT OF THE LEGISLATIVE INVESTIGATING COM
MiTTEE.

during the trip.
Vermont Insane Asylum.
REPORT OF THE LEGISLATIVE INVESTIGATING COM
MiTTEE.
To His Ere6Heney, Hon. julius conrerse Gorunor
ofTerm0nt
The Joint Committee, to whom was referred
joint resolution of the Senate and House OF Repre-
sentatves, in relation TO the conduct and manage,
ment OF the Vermont Asylum for the Insane located
at Brattleboro, in the county of Windham, and
who were authorized by joint resolution oil the
Senate and House of Representatives to report TO
your Excellency, before the first day of July
next, after the adjournment of said two Houses oil
the legislature beg leave TO make the following
report:
The testimony introduced before your committee
on behalf Of the people and the part of the asy-
lum was very voluminous, much so, that Its pub
LEGATION would necessitate the printing OF very
considerable volume, and very much Of it would
hardly prove profitable reading. II has been care
fully examined and candidly considered b, u.s. and
deem il best 10 embrace oniy our conclusions de-
duced from that evidence. 1t was matter OF sur
prise TO some members of your committee, to learn
at the inception Of their investigation that the
asylum not the property of the state but pri-
vate corporation; we deem ii best. therefore, in
order to place the matter Understandings before
the people to give brief history OF its origin ana
a statement of the aid it has from time 10 time re
ceived from the State. In 1884, Mrs. Anna Marsh,
of Hinsdale, N. H., by will bequeathed the sam OF
ten thousand dollars in trust for the purpose OF
from the following extract from her will;
II give 10 Samuel Clark. John Holhrcok.
Epaphronitus Seymore, John Z. Hoibrook, all
Brattlehoro. iIEthe county of Nindham, and their
successors, ten thousand dollars in trust, for the
purpose OF erecting and supporting in the county
Of Mindham, near Connecticut River, hospital for
the relief of insane persons and, in case OF the de-
cease Of more Of said trustees, the survivors
shall from time to time fill all vacancies and the
said trustees four in number shall forever hereai
ter have the sole superintendent and direction OF
said Insane Hospital. And it is my will that said
trustees procure act of incorporation as soon as
may he after my decease."
In November, 1884 the Legislature passed an act
incorporating The Vermont Asylum for the In
sanei which act in words followed very nearly the
language Of Mrs Marsh's will. This act is referred
to and made part of this report. In 1885 the STATE
by an act Of their Legislature gave ten thousand
dollars to he paid in five annual instruments OF two
thousand dollars each. In 1886 the State granted
an additional two thousand dollars; in lSH four
thousand dollars; in lsi0 two annual instruments
OF two thousand dollars; in 1913 three thousand
dollars making in all twenty three thousand DOL
lars We do not find since the gin in lsiJ by the
State of three thousand dollars that any considera
BILE donation has been made 10 the institution by
the state or by any corporation or by private nd-
viduals hence tine present property Of the institu
ton has grown from the fund Of thirty-three thou
sand dollars dollars received previous to lsi4. In
lse2 the centre building and wings OF
the institution were burned. They were
Immediately rebuilt, and again occupied
in lS6i The expense Of rebuilding was about forty
thousand dollars. The whole cost OF the institu
sane in his Biennial Report OF lS72, was so o.
including twelve-hundred acres Of land. The
present value Of the property, as estimated by Gov
HolhrOok, one Of the trustees, is s5O0OOoOO. Your
committee estimate il at very considera Die excess
OF that amount The interest Of the State in this vast
property is simply that by the acts Of 1910 and sl3
If il ceases to he an Insane Asylum the State have
lien upon ii for the security Of the twenty three
thousand dollars heretofore invested. The property
Is owned by private corporation, the trustees uf
which area. keyes, \. B. Williston, Frederick
Holbrouk and Daniel Kellogg.
The trustees, while refusing TO recognize any au-
thority in your committee, ct afforded them free
access t. al parts of the buildings and grounds,
and inspection Of the records and other papers OF
the institution and treated Us with uniform court
esy. In the progress Of our lnvestlsa Deslaes
visiting the Asylums at Northampton. Mass, and
Concord n H.. (as directed by joint resolution OF
the LEGISLATURE. visited the asylum at Brattle-
boro On three different occasions, viz; Oct eth.
ISL: Nov. 10th. ls72; and June 24th, 1873. At the
time Of first visit, we found the number OF pa
teuts at the Asy lum to be four hundred and eighty
hve-a number, as the committee beAeve, anu As
the officers Of the institution admit in their test
mouy, far too large for tho capacity OF the
buildings comfortably to provide; in this
view, your committee is sustained by the test-
mony of Commissioner Billiard, who fixes three
hundred patients as the maximum number which
tthe) asylum could accommodate. About seventy
five Of the patients were, at the time o. our tls,
confined in underground apartments which were
DAMP unwholesome, and entirely unit Tor occupa-
ton bv human beings. The sleeping apartments
in thi, underground portion, were small. lily ven
OF the males being altogether too small "hle
some of those in the female ward we've only nine
in depth by four in width and eight in he sht
opening into a narrow hall and ventilated only by
eight two inch au@ur holes bored through the door,
About midway oftne length OF one OF these lower
wards and ut the end Ofanother ward and at the
side are sinks which receive the urine and Stops
from the wards above, and at all seasons OF the year
must mpart unwholesome odors. On the occasion
ofour first visit, although disiniectants had neeh
freely used, your committee found the odors eX-
tremely unpleasant. The officers or the institution
offer as an excuse for conhnins patients in tins I'M
wholesome manner that, at the time the Asylum
was built, il was common 10 use underground apart
ments for confinement Of pat ents, and DR.. Bancroft
Of the New Hampshire Asylum, informed Us that
had not been used for any such purpose
for many years past. We believe the con
nement Of any person, sane OF insane, IN these IN
derground apartments 10 be cruel, and thdt the OIL
Gers and employees Of the institution should be pro-
hbited under heavy penalties from hereafter plae-
inE any insane person in the sc apartments.
Your committee find the fact that the whole OF
said Asylum at the time Of their first visit, in
adequately warmed and ventilated; we also noticed
at this and subsequent visits, the almost entire ab-
sence OF anything to relieve the harshness OF res
trant yery few pictures brole the hard outlines Of
the hall walls; while at Northampton and Concord
We find the walls embellished with picturesi not
costly. but pleasant TO the eye and senseand which
we believe must tend to draw these uniortunates
from content laton Of them>elves,and form means
toward their cure. in Northampton, We also found
a large yard decorated with shrubs, and yet scarce
" enc osed where the more dangerous class of pa
tents nigh exercise; and in the central part OF
this yard an artificial mound had been made, en-
ablng these unfortunates TO enjoy the beautiful
landscape. A. BrattlebOro we found nothing Of this
kinI except some small yards, enclosed with high
and close board fences without tree, SHRUB or even
grass relieve their untdiness. We were told,it Is
true that other classes OF patients had exercise in
labor upon the farm or in walks taken under the d.
rgction OF their keepers, but Tor TINS class no effort
looking toward Opportunity for outdoor exercise or
seems 10 have been made. The cost Of
such yards as the one at Northampton can be but
triAins, and We recommend that suitable yards
should be built We also find that at Northampton
nearly every evening the patients, or at least as
many of them able, are collected together IN
the Chapel Of the Asy Jun, and some of the officers o
the institution read, TO be read 10 them,
poetry or prose. and entertain them with music or
lecture and that patients minds are thus, icr the
me turned from themselves or the particular sub
iect OF their mania into other channels, and in the
language OF DIR. Earl. the superintendent, are re-
lieved much more rapidly, and their minds regula-
lated and much sooner restored than they would be
without this diversion" No such exercises are
practsed at the Vermont As ylum, Though we learn
that DR.. Draper the new superinten-
dent, has introduced them somewhat.
While at Northampton, We were present al one 81 |
these evening meetings and DIR. Minis, the assistant
superintendent, read selections from Dickens and |
there wasl music nterspersed. the chapel being |
furnished with piano and an Esty Cottage Organ. |
We jud &c that about three hundred Of the patients
were present and they were orderly and seemed in |
terested Dr. Earl kindly furnished us with copies |
IF the annual reports from one Of which-that Of |
s6s-we copy the following list ofexercises had in
The year previous
Days sy:
. Exercises n chapel on the Sabbath
Divine worship IN the afternoon. .-.-.--.--- p
,. Exercises in chapel on secular evenings
Scripture reading and sacred music
Sacred music ana reading Of pOetry.....-..-. .
Sacred music and reading Of prose. y
Lectures II
Other entertainments. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. !
I. Evening entertainments in the patients hall
Exhibition with magic lantern. -..----....--