, 1873-05-31
THE INSANE OF ILLINOIS.



tho honrd of Public Charittoa,
~ 1ne;quostion, how many inBnuo persons gro
tooro IN tno State Of Illinois, important in itsoT
H@aeGGsasy t;nn asssaetea more than usual atton-
non, IN consequence Of aono published ntr;c-.
turos upon tho enumeration made BY Bio Hoarf1
Or PQblio Charities. T1loao structures apnoarcd
AIst IN the romsrks proxod to the statfstioa OF
tho United States ' f'~'' 'A''''suo"s
i n Rey bo wo IL aq9ng to tho subject to
| some writer's for tho daily Newspapers. that ti1o
Discrepancy between tho enumeration Of The in-
bano BY tho United Btaton aovornmont and that
mede ~ tue Board OF Public Charities indicates
intont is possible tor the reason thai, whatever
| the number OF insane may bo, none Of them are
public charge, except those cared for IN State
fsyms aan a1d in county mBhouse + tho
In Illinois, tho statement made by thom would
| not ancroaao tho number Of iusauo beuod-
oiaries OF tho stato aud counties, by 4 single
lum or hospital In tho Stnto except BY verdict Of
jury Of his Or her owp noighbors, Aousohola-
ers, and hoada Of families. Still further, this
Ro9sa hss not ono penny Of th public
purpose "hatevor The funde appropriated BY
the State for tho relief Of misfortune arc n tho
hands Of the trustoes Of the various State inBti-
furthor notice; It Is simply a miaconcoption Of
tho relations Of tho Board to tho subject.
Tho explanation OF tho existing discrepancy fa,
very simple. Tho two enumerations wore nude.
by different methods, Of which ono was moro
ofacient than the other, but neither enume1a-
tion ia accurate or complete.
The enumeration made by tho Censua Bureau;
Tas BY personal inquiry t1on hSuse to house, by
enumeration by tho Board Of Oharitios waa made
by correspondence With 81! tho Physicians In tho
State who could he induced to teply to tho oircu-
! ton,
The whole number Of insane persons In any
community can never DO absolutely ascortained.
from insanity iB indefinite, and with regard Is
doubtful Or latont cases, there always must exist
know the suspected Individual. In tho
tut1os Of persons 40 disgrace, and the fact ia
! carefully concealed from tho public as long as
coneoalraont IL possible. Again, there aro many
difference gnoraace indoionce, and inoapsotT @ snS ier
| Of the agents to whom tho task is entrusted
No one but statatician by profession can know
or appreciate tho magnitude OF the Undertaking.
and tho impossibility Of attaining mora thu al
| approximately accurate result.
| But between tie two methods indicated above.
thoro can bo no question as to which IL tho most
! trustworthy and otficient.
/ Tho failure to Becuro q roturn OF alI insana
| persons In the State by the censue department
arisos from two causos. Many consua takers
neglect Or rofuso to put tho question to the head
fam1 sgno a ofyo 2? th ho s Of this
SO abrupt and apparently impertinont an in
quiry, and content themselves With asking fho
neighbors in 2 caaual way whether there are any
| insane or tdiotio persons in that vicinity, 1
know this to DO 30, because an unusually intolli-
gent anu compotent Marshal told mo in private
conversation that this was hls practice, But, il
the inquiry la put, there arc yery many who will
the existence OF such inmates Of the houso NAV
| be notorious,
Physicians, on tho other hand hero no tempt-
alton to conceal tho truth, it assured TINT thoir
CO.. confidential !, communications viii be respected,
sanity Or idiocy than the friends are. II they
can be induced to speak, 1t is evident
that their Testimony. will bo moro valuable
very much more valuable than that Of any Or
dinary tal1or, mating Ills round Of visite
Tor pey, without ~; out scientific or phlanthropla in
Tie experience Of this State and Of magsachu.
.aotta both confirm the statement Just made.
Tho hrat enumeration BY correspondence with
phyaieianR was made npdor authority Of the
4aaaachusottB Legislature in 1854, by DR. Edward
atatistlcinus, and revealed tho same impesfec-
| tion in the ccnsuB returns, IN imperfoction In
horent ip tho systom. 1udoed, Gen. Walker,
the superintendent Of tho Constts, admitted to
New Havon. tie importance in tho ollango In the
method Of onnmorating the unfortunate classes,
W4on tno no1t catlsuB lB taken.
Tho truth Ia, that q comparison and consolida-
| tion OF the two lists shows that there are over
| 5000 insane persons in Illinois. Tho census
| takers reported 1000 and failed to tind about
1,400 Of tlis number The physlciana reported
1900 and failed to report about 100 to the Board
Of Charities. But tho testimony Of tho cansua
tekors to tho exiHtenco Of those unroported by
physicians is perfectly reliable, and tho tosti-
1nony Of phyaioianH to tho o1stonce OF those un-
| reported by the. consna takers is equally
| worthy ot confidence, I DO not conte1ld
! that my list is comp!oto-I know 1t is not;
and Con. Walker, IT, ho is wise, will add
| NIT tho ,mporfcction Of Ills own. It is duo to
him, to aay TINT the last oensus under bis supor
vision, is in MI respncts superior to nny which
| has boon takon heretofore. aud that nothing
! could DO moro unjuat than to hold him accounta-
bio for tho negligence or errorn Of hiB Bubordin-
| aloa. NY personal rolatione with him arc OF tue
! most friendly nature, and no motive prompts
| this reply other tlan deHre that tho tntoresta
| Of tho ingano as clasa may not Buftor by base
lp4a allegations of fraud, on tho QUO hand or by
mistsken ostimate Of tho extent OF this cala1n-
| lty, upon tho other. FRED II, W1sEa.
May 20, 1873.
HIurtlorUd for Idts Money.
CLEVELAND, May 30.--stoven sawyor. aoed
GO, living noar bellevue, O., loft homo last Mou.
I day for Ellnoro, O.. having HGtlfl a., ha noruon