Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1873-05-09
The Insane Hospital.

TIE Iowa Hospital for the Insane at
this point upon the buildings for which
the State has expended so large a sum of
money during the past five years, began
its career of practical usefulness on Thurs
day of last week, May 1st,on that day be-
ing opened for the first time for the re-
ception of patients. The first unfortunate
who entered its doors was a man, an cpl
leptic patient from Alamakee county
Another patient was received the same
day, and at an early hour on Tuesday
morning 3S insane persons male and fe-
male, from the Mt Pleasant Hospital de-
barked from special car at the switch
directly north of the Hospital, on the l.
| C. r. r., and were speedily transferred
to the quarters prepared for them. This
instalment constitute majority of the
inmates of the Mt Pleasant institution
belonging to the counties of Dubuque,
Delaware, Buchanan and Blackhawk, the
larger number being from Dubuque. Two
patients have been received since, MAX
ing the number now in the Hospital AZ.
On Wednesday, accepting the courteous
invitation of the Superintendent, DIR.
Reynolds, we visited the Hospital and
spent an hour among the insane, and in
inspecting the arrangements for their
care and comfort. Owing to lack of
space such classification of the patients
as would be desirable cannot be had at
present. The more violent Of the female
inmates are located in the third story of
the north section, and those whose mala-
dy is Of mild type in the corresponding
story of the next longitudinal section of
the building. The male patients occupy
the corresponding positions on the lower
floor. A number of the insane from Mt.
Pleasant were yet somewhat excited on
account of the change, and we noticed
one woman in a straight jacket, and two
or three of the men with their arms con-
fined by straps which allowed easy play
Of the hands within certain limits, but
forbid striking out from the shoulder"
with which propensity the wearers are
credited. DR.. Reynolds anticipates dis
pensing with even these restraints before
long his theory being to rule with kind
ness and watchfulness rather than harsh
measures. The arrangements for cleanli-
ness, sleeping, ventilation and care are
admirable, and an air of neatncss and or
der pervades the whole The women pa
tients are in excess Of the men, and as is
usually the case, we believe, larger pro-
portion of the noisy and demonstrative
are females.
Ploted by the Superintendent we made
the round of the lower regions of the
Hospital, where are located the ten miles
or less Of iron pipe which serves to warm
and ventiate the building, convey hot
and cold water to the bath rooms and
water closets, and carry off the sewage.
Here also is the narrow guage railroad,
along which thrice day train loaded
with we'll cooked and wholesome food, is
propelled, stopping at the several STA
tions, and delivering its savory freight to
the dumb walters which carry it upward
to the dining rooms of the wards We
visited the kitchen and bakery also, and
although the arrangements for the per-
feet and systematic working of these de-
partments are not complete they are well
serving their purpose. The boiler and
engine room were next visited and then
the laundry, nearly ready for work. 1t
would do our fair friends good to see the
immense washing machine and wringer,
to be operated by steam, and the vat
like tubs found in this department.
Wash day is evidently a momentous oc
casion in an institution like the one we
are describing, and the worst of it is,
that it lasts all the week. DIR. Reynolds
has spacious business Office in
the second transverse section and
near it his dispensary. He receives
all visitors with natural and
easy courtesy, and seems to have well in
hand all the details Of his momentous
trust. Upon the subject of visitors we
will venture word of caution. Visits to
an institution of this kind should rarely
be made for the qualification of morbid
curiosity. The recovery of very many
of the patients depends largely upon a
condition of quiet, and freedom from ex-
element. This is not possible when
crowds Of visitors are constantly passing
through the wards, and hence the trus-
tees have established rule that no visits
shall be allowed on Sunday, and that
they shall be limited on other days, to the
! hours between 2 and p. m. DR.. Rey-
nolds homes that the public will not give
| him occasion for such enforcement of the
rule as shall appear harsh or arbitrary.
OFF FOR CHICAGO-A committee of the