Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1874-12-01

AnInsane Project.

All
The building originally designed rs
chapel on the grounds ct The insane nos
pital in this city, has been lifted up as a
place for the keeping et patients anu
turned over To the proper pal ties by a
committee OF the council as finished
and ready for occupancy but we under.
stand that the Trustees are not disposed
| to accept the structure us altogether IN n
| finished state.
In the first place il is deeply to be re.
GREETED that The building was placed at
All in its present position marring the
beauty Of the grounds and obscureing "A
portion OF The front view OF the main
buildings. The place for IL was in the
rear of The hospital in the court between
the wings, where it would have been
easily accessible to the patients. But II
the proper authorities were disinclined 10
remove it., and were determined that II
should RENAME in It's present unfortunate
! location. il ought to nave been llnished
rs "A chapel and hall OF amusements to
| take the place oi the present ilIconlrlved
and circumscriced quarters. More than
medicine. more than Il change OF treat
ment or diet, more than anything else
| the patients need pure alr,and place Tor
worship, exercise aud amusement.
Secondly, the building has been dives
| ted OF all It's interior chapel arrangements
aud turned into u place Tor keeping
patients, Tor which iIom its location, size
and original design, It is entirely unified.
/ The lower story is finished for male and
/ The upper Tor female patients. There are
/ sleeping rooms ranged on each side and
! "a hail running the length OF each story
/ In these halls the patients arc to dine
/ Ihe sleeping rooms have open spaces
| over The doors, so that the rich eifuyia
may come forth into the dining room. to
/ greet the crazv men and women ut their
morning meal, aud TO add perchancc a
relish thereto. The only escape provided
I Is three or four miniature yentliators. and
/ all the impure mir they will be able TO
carry OH will not he missed from the
/ dining halls. This feature alone Is
I enough To- curse the establishment. but IN
/ addition the water closet Tor tle general
use OF the patients Is at one end OF The
dining hal, aud this too, has Il vcntilatOT
over the door The building j. To be
warmed by steam. Ia be carried long
| distance from the boilers. and the heating
OF the building properly Is extremely
doubtful. The food must &c cooked IN
the main building and brought 10 this
and the difficulty vi medical and other
attendance OF the patients must DO Oh
vious to all As it uow Glands. the build.
ing with its fittings and appointments
costs some s20.O00-an utter and deplor
able waste OF money. No blame can OF
course be attached 10 the Executive
Council they simply carried out the pro
visions OF the act ol the last legislature
appropriating $4,000 Tor changing the
chapel into hospital; the fault lies nj
/ the doors OF those members OF the legls-
lature who voted The appropriation with
out thought oil the result to the insIiIu'
ton and the poor unlortunaIes there. We
should agree with one OF the Trustees
who remarked In our presence the other
/ day, that committee OF ten men inmate;
uf the asy lum. would have had n better
idea of tho illness OF things than favor
SO insane u project.