Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1873-07-18

Tue year must lnlpaTL LunWnolesOWe doors
On the occasion of our first visit, al
though disinfectants had been freely used
your committee found the odors extreme
ly unpleasant. The officers If tae insti
tuition offer an excuse for confining pa
tients in this unwholesome mafner, that,
at the time the asylum was built, it was
common to use underground apartments
for confinement of patients; and DIR.
Bancroft, of the New Hampshire Asy-
lum, informed US that portion of that
asylum was so built, but had not been
used for any such purpose for many
years past. We believe the confinement
of any person, sane or insane, in these
underground apartments to be cruel, and
that the officers and employees of the
institution should be prohibited under
heavy penalties from hereafter placing
any insane person in these apartments.
Your committee find the fact that the
whole of said asylum was at the time OF
the first visit, inadequately warmed and
ventilated; we also noticed at this and
subsequent visits, the almost entire alb
sence of anything TO relieve the harsh
ness of restraint; very few pictures
broke the hard outlines Of the hall walls
while at Northampton and Concord we
found the walls embeleshed with pic
lures; not costly, but pleasant to the eye
and sense, and which we believe must
tend to draw those unfortunates from
contemplation of themselves, and form
means toward their cure. At North
ampton, we also found large yard dec
Grated with shrubs, and Jet scarcely en-
closed, where the more dangerous C ass
of patients might exercise; and in the
central part Of this yard an artificial
mound had been made, enabling these
untortunates to enjoy the beautiful land.
scaPe. AT Brattleboro we found nothing
of this kind, except some small yards,
enclosed with high and close board
fences, without tree, shrub or even grass,
to relieve their untidiness. We we're
told, 1t is true, that other classes of pa
tients had exercise in labor upon the
farm, or in walks taken under the direc-
ton Of their keepers, but for this class
no effort looking toward opportunity for
out door exercise or amusement seems to
have been made. The cost of such wards
as the one at Northampton caa be but
trihing, 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
as are able, are collected together in the
chapel of the asylum, and some of the
officers of the institution read, or caused
to be read to them, poetry or prose, and
entertain them with music, or a lecture !:
and that patients minds are thus, for the
time, turned from themselves or the par
tIcular subject of their mania into other
channels, and, in the language of DIR.
Earl, the superintendent, "are relieved
much more rapidly, and their minds reg
ulated and mnch sooner restored, than
they would be without this diversion. :"
NO such exercises are practiced in the
Vermont Asylum, though we learn in
cidentaliy that DR.. Draper, the new su-
perintendent, has introduced them some
what.
While at Northampton, we were pres
ent at one of these evening meetings,
and DIR. Minis, the assistant superinten-
dent, read selections from Dickens, and
there was music interspersed, and the
chapel being furnished with piano and
Estey organ. We judge that about three
hundred OF the patients were present,
and they were orderly and seemed inter-
ested. DIR. Earl kindly furnished us
with copies of the annual reports, from
one of which, that of 1868, we copy the
following list of exercises had in the
year previous:
2. Exercises in the chapel on the Sabbath.
No. days.
Divine worship in the after Don, 81.
z. Exercises in chapel on secular even
ings,
Scripture reading and sacred mu-
sic, III
Sacred music and reading of poetry, SO
Sacred music and reading of prose, 81
Lectures. 81
Other entertainments,
3. Evening entertainments in the pa
tents hall,
Exhibition with a magic lantern. Q
A. Entertainments in the rotunda,
Dance in the evening, 27
D. NO gathering, "a
Total, 366
We find that punishments are some
times inflicted at the Vermont Asylum,
and that the punishment known as bath
ing has been inflicted upon the patients
by the attendents, and by the order of
the superintendent, in the manner fol-
lowing The patient for some off1nse, or
supposed offeDse, is taken to the bath
room, his hands tied, laid upon his back
In the bath tub, and the faucet turned,
stream of cold water to run
upon the head and face, while the body
is immersed in tepid water, and is SO kept
until relieved by the attendant. While
we are satisfied that restraints are neces-
sary to prevent the delrious from ipiur-
ing themselves and others, we cannot find
language strong enough to express our
Indignation that punishment of any kind
as such should be resorted to by the Off
GERS or employees of said asylum, or be
in any manner inflicted upon these un-
fortunate and irresponsible beings; and
would recommend the passage by the
next Legislature of some law with Sc
we're penalties attached, that these abuses
may be corrected. Your committee in
quired os the superintendents, at North
ampton and Concord, whether punish-