Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-02-03
A New Insane Hospital - Commissioners


A New Insane Hospital - Commissioners'
| Report.
1t will be remembered by most OF our readers
that the last legislature passed resolve providing
for the appointment OF three commissioners, to
icit proposals from Cities towns or individuals as
an inducement 10 the location Of said hospital to
employ an architect TO make plans, estimate the
expense to the State, &C., and report to the present
| legislature. The Governor appointed VIM. Penn
Whitehopse Esq, of this city, Hon. n. G. Hichborn
Of STOCKTON, and Josiah G. Coburn, Esq, Of Lew.
| iston, as that comm sson w..
| Two proposals were received for the location Of
the instiut on-one from Mr.. James P. Baxter of
Portland proposing to sell to the state "at its real
value as farm" his property at "Walnut hill' in
Gorham; and one from the inhabitants Of Bluehil,
proposing to donate to the State "the homestead
farm Of the late Elnahan IIinkley in said town.,
consist & of about 200 acres OF land. The former
proposal did not at all meet the requirements of the
| resolve, and was rejected; the latter was not ac
copied for several reasons, among them that the
point was not easy of access the state has already
land enough on It's present hospital site; and the
commits sioners the decided opinion that the
time had not arrived when an independent manage.
nent for new hospital, and a division OF author
lty, would be wise either for insane patients or the
State. Itwouid be wise policy for the state to
concentrate her expenditures upon the present hos
pital grounds.
1t is evident, however that additional accommo-
dations are inperatively demanded. The present
NJ az ueslsneo W accomnodate ooo patielts,
but during the past year there have been crowded
within its walls 4lG patients and new applications
| are constantly receive 1t has been asked why
not enlarge the present building by the addition of
another wing Because the building has already
been extended far beyond the original designs, and
Tor various other reasons it would be unwise TO en-
large it.
The Commissioners will present two reports-a
majority and a minority report. w. L. White
nd (Fat Tee rff ham ai1rif
have given their views and recommendations upon
the subject in well written report. Something OF
this and other countries is given. The practical
workings OF the Ghee or Cottage SYSTEM" are
given. Bat it is thought impracttcable to attempt
70 establish such an Institution in New England.
The reasons for this are given at length among
them-the Association of Medical Superintendent
of American Institutions for the Insane have inva.
riably pronounced against it, of the most
able writers on the subject have opposed il; it is
expensve faithful care and assiduous attention is
impossbe 80 per cent. of those sent to hospitals
need disciplinary restraint OF some kind that it is
impossible to get under this system. In the tive
cottages for females now in operation at the Wor-
cester hospital the pay OF the attendants IS equal
to 50 O,G monthly for each patient. DIR. J. +. Ban
croft, superintendent of the asylum for the insane
at Concord, \. H., in letter to the commissioners,
on the cottage system, says: Indeed, doubt if it
would require more than single New England
winter to relieve The cottage system of all its fasc
nations"
The majority Of the commissioners therefore
ommend the pavilion plan" and submit the plans
of a competent and experienced architect, Mr.. f.
H. Fassett of Portland, together with the estimates
Of the cost OF erecting such building upon the
present hospital grounds i'll Augusta. The plan
designs central building with wings; the wings
or 'payions," to be at distance OF 20 feet from
the central building and from each other, and the
connections to be established by means of circular
corridors OF an average width of IL feet. The cen.
tire building has n front of "a feet and depth of "a
eet, and is four stories in height. Each OF the two
paviilens lis feet in length, by average width OF
IS feet, three stories high. The walls are high and
the rooms light and airy. The cost of two pavil-
needed wOuld is
signed to locate the new building within seventy
five rods of the present hospital, to be under the
same management
Of the commission die scents from The views OF the
majority, and presents separate report, with ar
guInents in favor of the cottage system. The pres
ent system OF treating the insane he deems detr
mental to health and comfort of the patients and
very expensive to the State. at may strike the
tax payers of Maine as q little unHeces sary," says
Mr.. Hchhorn chat 1t should cost 600 apiece to
house or domcllc the inmates of the present insane
hospital. A wing that will accommodate 50 pa
tents. costs $50 900. If we add fair proportion of
the cost OF the centre OF the building ana the
grounds, il will amount to more than $1,000 to sin
gle patient We cannot resist the convection that
large portion OF the inmates could be housed at
one third of the expense, and the well being OF pa
tients better served" The commissioner CLAIMS
that if the cottage system is adopted, the poor un
fortunates could live in families; not constant.
ate presence of stone or brick walls on four sides
OF them nor is the epllepic stumbling against the
nervous, the violent against the quiet, and each
poisoned by the odOr OF all. He therefore recon-
mcnds that a sum not exceeding $500 be appro.
prlGted furthe building, on some suitable loo alton
on the present hos pta grounds, group of cottage
houses, not to exceed IN number five, and not to
exceed in cost the money appropriated; the build
ngs to be plain, simple and substantial, and capa
BILE of accommodating fifty more patients with
their attendants