New-York tribune., 1874-03-19
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
ARrsES IN INSANE HOSPITALS.

ABUSES IN INSANE HOSPITALS.
THE CHARGES AGAINST THE HARRISBURG HOSPITAL
pENIED-No PREFERENCES SHOWN TO RICH
PATIENTS
To the Editor Of The Tribune.
SIR: The writer of the letter from Pmladel-
pha published in your issue of the 9TH, has fallen into
very in regard to the management OF the
Hospital for the Insane OF the State Of Pennsylvania
IL is not Intentional, suppUrc from hts read
ing OF the report OF the Board OF Public Charities In
which statements and charges have been made against
those institutions without any foundation in fact aleg
ng that the poor OF the State had been refused admis
sion, while the rich patients who could afford to pay
were admitted and making particular reference to the
hospital Harrisburg. He states that TINS ana shi-
lar institutions erected and maintained at great
expense to the state and great wrong mas been dohe
and is still doing by the refusal TO receive the poor,
while large been yearly paid by the people to
maintain them costly salaries to the officers, who no
doubt, find it pleasant to receive respectable
patents that "these institutions are now fun OF lch
and well-to dopatients while the poor have been re-
manded to alms-houses and jails."
All this is simply untrue regards the Harrisburg
hospital aud it's superintendent would be glad II the
writer would visit the institution and Judge for himself
lie would find but few he would call rich that the
salaries quite moderate; that rich and poor are
treated alike and with great kindness and that there
has been instance where the poor has been
remanded his cell in the almshouse and jail to make
room for the RICH" Your correspondent saws that
about twelve years AGO Miss Dix made thorough
examination OF the condition of the amshouses and ais
OF the State and in consequence OF her appeal state
Asynm for the Insane was built at Harrisburg III
he had said about twenty-five years ago, he wOud be
near the truth. That hospital owing 10 her Efforts
was built and received its first patients In 1852 Ihe
law by which n built. and by which were denneh
the duties its and officers said that IN the
admission OF patients for treatment, the poor shall
have precedence OF the rch" meaning by the latter
those who supported from their own means OrH
their friends. This rule has always been strictly carried
out No poor patient, set forth in the law VIZ pau
per- sent by the commissioners or directors OF the poor
OF the counties by OveTseers OF the poor OF town.
ships or by the courts has been refused ad
mission. The laws provide that said Commissioners,
Directors, &c, shall pay stated sum, not 10 eXceed
s. per week.; for their support Those supported by
themselves their friends are charged IRON tha sun
pay. very large proportion Of those do not pay more
than charged for pauper patients Some are charged
g. and a few IS, and but two 81. Ihe parsim0nOus
character Of those who have charge of the poor IN the
them from committing them to the which would be
given them the hospital and the superintendent mas
authority 10 compel them TO do IL would there
fore be very inhuman TO reject paying patients when
there to receive Them aud by which the state
would be relieved III part for its support.
The Harrisburg Hospital has never received in any
one year than $4,000 for its support from the St0te
Other appropriations have been made for Improvements
and repairs different times The condition or the
poor of the amshOUses aud 1as OF the state Is
very depOrabe and there is need for legislation for
their relief therefore again that there is not the
least foundation the charges made by vOur
sDondent or the Board OF Charities. am 1alar Win
the working of the hospital at Harrisburg IRON s nrSt
opening have always taken deep interest In lts well
fare, and know that what have statedi TRUTH.
HdYTtsbuTQ March IL, 1874.