Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-05-23
HE wIrLEss ONES.
Closing Session Of the superintendent
OF American Insane Asylums.


Further Animated Talk About the
Use OF ChiOral-A 81 Louis Doctors
Wrongs-siate and County OGiciaIs
Hauled Over the Ceals-Everybody
thanked and Adjournment for
Home.
The Association was called to order at 10
o'clock A. NJ. yesterday, Vice President
Walker in the chair. The minutes of the
previous days session were read and ap-
proved.
CONCERNING THE USE OF CHLORAL
DIR. Curwen offered the following:
''ResOlved, it is the decided opinion of
this Association that choral hydrate is a
remedy so peculiar in its effects and so de-
cided in its therapeutial action that it
should be employed with great caution and
only on tue prescription Of a reputable
physician"
The reading of this resolution was fol-
lowed by lively discussion.
DE-. Stevens thought there was great diff
dence among the people with regard TO the
use of chloral. In Insane AsyluIns choral
is used chiefly upon healthy patients, and
can therefore be used with less risk than
with the class of patients physicians usually
prescribe for.
DIR. Curwen held that it was the duty of
this Association to warn people TO exercise
great caution in using choral. Many peo-
pie are in the habit of sending to drug
stores and procuring this dangerous drug
| without prescription, and take it for its
pleasant effects.
DR.. Hughes was of the opinion that any
action taken by this body should be unani-
nous, and as great many members of the
/ Association lad gone home a full express
sion of opinion could not be had upon this
question, and this was a subject upon
which there was great difference of opin-
ion. He moved To strike out the word
| great in the resolution,
| DR.. Rannie said that he had occasion,
less than a year ago, to caution q patient
with regard to the use Of chloral, when he
responded, "Why, 1 read in the proceedings
Of your Association, that one member said
lie had used hundred pounds of choral"
He was in favor of something going out
with the authority Ofthis Association, warn
ing the public against the indiscrimiDate
use of this drug.
| DIR. Smith hoped the resolution would
pass. He had seen enough in his practice
to cause him to use great caution in admin
istering chloral.
/ DIR. Peck said he could relate, if he
thought proper to do so, some late expert
ences Of his own, where choral had done
great damage, To those using it. He could
see no harm in adopting the resolution, aud
thought it was better to be on the safe
side.
President Walker observed that the wo-
men in all our large cities were contracting
habit Of using choral without a pres
criptioD, to an alarming extent. He thought
the resolution should be adopted. If the
effect of this Association declaring that
chloral should be used with great caution,
would be to deter physicians from using it
in cases where il should be used, those
physicians ought to retire from practice.
DR.. Calender moved to refer the subject
to special committee Of three, with in
structiOns TO report at the next meeting Of
the Association, which motion was agreed
to, and DIS. Hughes, Curwen and Nichols
were appointed.
UTERINE AND MENTAL DISEASES.
On motion of DR.. Smith, DIR. Bryant was
appointed to read paper, at the next meet
ing Of the Association, upon the connec-
ton of uterine with mental diseases
A BLAST AT ST. LOUIS ASYLUM.
| DR.. Fisher called for the reading Of DR..
Hazards communication in relation TO the
management of the st. Louis MOI COun-
ty Asylum, and after the communication
had been read, said it was the duty Of this
Association TO denOuncs the action OF the
management Of that Institution; that it
was duty due the displaced superinten-
dent CDR. Hazard), due the good name Of
ST. Louis, and due the victims of the blind
course pursued by the management Of that
4 81, f,fI
s.Resolved, that this body learns with re-
gret of the retrOgrade steps taken by the
managers Of the ST. Louis County Insane
Asylum. in regard to the management of
that institution course which, in view
Of the uniform experience of the past, can
not fail to result disastrOusly 10 the well
fare of the insane Of st. Louis county.
'sThe division Of authority and response
bility, virtually creating thee heads for an
institution Of such peculiar character as
an insane asylum, the small amount Of per-
sOnal attention required to be given the pa
tients by the visiting superintendent, and
the short term of Office must, of necessity,
lead to weak and inefficient administration,
and is as inconsistent with good govern
ment as would be the appointment of three
generals to the command of one army
IL
and hoped it would be adopted.
| DR.. Curwen said the resolution contem-
plated mixing the Association into smaller
matters than il has heretofore gone into.
The Association would be descending in
adopting the resolution. he would move
that the matter be referred to committee
of three, to present report at the next
meeting Of the Association.
| DIR. Fisher said that he would not be sat
| isfied with any such disposition of the res
| olution, and, if he had the consent of his
second, he would prefer to withdraw the
resolution, which consent being obtained
| the resolution was withdrawn.
The Association then adjourned until
| 5 o'clock P. NJ.
| NIGHT SESSION.
Association met pursuant to adjourn
ment.
| THE MANAGEMENT OF AsYLUMs.
DIR Jones offered the following:
Whereas. it has been brought formally TO
the notice of the Association that the State
and county authorities, having supreme d.
rection constitutions for the insane, have by
law departed from the spirit aud tenor of the
principles and general regulations for their
| government, which, after observation, ex-
| perience, and mature deliberation, have
| been promulgated and recommended BY
this body as judicious and humane; there
| fore,
Resolved, that we reaffirm former ut
| terances of the Association as fully ex-
pressiye of our views as to the proper man
ner of conducting hospitals for the insane,
and that we earnestly commend those ut
terances to the favorable consideration and
regard the managers Of asylums through
out the country.
The resolution was adopted.
| THANKS.
The Committee on Resolutions present.
! ed the following report
"The Association Of Medical Superin
tendenis of American Institutions for the
Insane, being about to close its twenty
eighth annual meeting, (and its first in
| Naslville,) would not do so without ex
pressing the Qualification of all its mem
| bers with their visit to this State and mu-
nicipality, and their grateful acknowledge
ment of the cordiality with which they
have been received. Therefore,
@Resolved, 1. That we shall all remem-
Der with pleasure and great satisfaction the
generous welcome to her borders given us
| bv the Governor of the Commonwealth,
Il u l. FL