Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1873-02-07

She gets worse all the time for the want OF
proper nourishment and medicine. She is
wasting away all the time and I don't know
what to do for her. She will die if she stays
where she is much longer"
1t is impossible to doubt that complicated
distress, such as is depicted in these letter 8,
would touch the heart of every man in the
Legislature, and the only question would be-,
what can be done ?
WHAT CAN BE DONE.
1t has been proposed to buy an old COL
lege, or something, and fit it up as an Asy.
lum. Of this project all that need be said
is that no one conversant with the working
of an Asylum would countenance it for q
moment, as such concern would cost, in
thu long run, nearly as much as suitable
new building, and, after all, would be Who'll.
ly unsuitable. Others propose to build a
new Asylum. By all means let it be built.
But does the reader know how long it takes
to build an Asylum. 1t rarely happens
that an Asylum admits its first patient with
in less than 4 years after the passing of the
act to establish it. Take as an example
the Central Asylum Of Oaio Four years
ago it was burned to the ground. it was de-
tsrmined at once to rebuild, but not the first
section of it is yet completed.
There is special reason in the inau cial
condition of Virginia, why costly institu-
ton can not he completed ia a short time.
Small annual appropriations are all that can
be expected, and small appropriations go
but little way in bu'ldiag az Asylum.
1t is then clear that new Asylum gives
no promise Of speedy relief. But speed y
relief is what we wa The insane are
suffering at this moment They are dying
or becoming incurable they can rot wait
three or four years
WHAT OUGHT TO BE DONE.
There is an evident necessity to enlarge
one of the present Asy lums. The Superin.
tendent of the Western has given good rea.
sons why it is inexpedient to enlarge it.
These reasons do not seem to epply to
the Eastern. For this course there arc two
cogent reasons. Firtt, It will give the
speediest possible relief 30 the suffering.
The extension can be completed this year if
asutflciens appropriation be made Second
The cost will be comparatively small While
new asylum never costs less than 81. 900
per patient, additions To old ones can be
made at cost Of 1 to > hundred dollars ner
patient. La the year 1871, st the Govern.
ment Asylum near Washington City, build.
ing was erected for l29 patients, superior
in all special arrangements for the safety
health and comfort OF lis inmates, at cost
of $461.10 per pa'n including furnish.
ing and fitting up. Is there any reason
why $46, ITO should not provide accommo.
dation for one hundred patients at Williams,
burg ? Such an extension, added to that
recently made, would Increase the capacity
of that institution from 249 to $40 beds,
aud enable it to receive all applicants for q
time. Ii in the mean while new asylum
Is commenced OF correct principles and al
once, two Or more sections Of the building
may be got ready to admit patients by the
time the Eastern Asylum is filled up, and
by adding section after section it may be
practicable to keep up with the demand for
room
1t is to be earnestly hoped that an extern
sion Of the asylum will not be considered a
reason for postponing the establishment Of
the new Besides those turned away from
the doors Of the Western Asylum and the
many-how many we are not informed -
who meet the same ception at the Eastern,
it is well known to the off .ers of both, that
number of iusans persons are to be found
in Va, for whom no application has been
made. Let none then doubt that, if new
asylum is commenced at thu earliest posi-
BILE time and the work prosecuted with the
utm ost diligence, it will be wanted as soon
as, if not before, it is ready.