Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1874-12-18
u INSANE

M 81 ssZ- = -
Fhere is anuan disclsss 3ing on in
Inc Committee on Pubilc institutions of
,iie Legislature On the subject of new
asylum TOT the insane. or in default of that
! an extension of the old ones Superinten-
Gent BRoWER Of the Eastern Asylum,
with view to economy, urges the erection
OF an addition to his institution, by which
some 40 more patients might be accom-
>inodated there. Senator BLAND advocates
the extension Of both asylums, by which
ahout $50 more patients might be received.
L. is q very evident fact that the State of
Virginia is unable to build new asylum,
though il is very likely the pressure of
neighborhoods who want it may push the
legislature into the attempt, and it is the
duty of legislators to look to some other
way out of the difficulty. If, as Senator
BLANDscontends, additions to the present
asylums will give room, accommodating $50
more patients, it is also likely that sys-
TEN of wedding out IN the present institu-
tions will give room for as many more
Both the Eastern and Western Asylums
have number of patients who might
safely and properly be returned to the
keeping of their friends. There are num-
bers in both who have been inmates for
years, hopelessly incurable, perfectly harm
less aud whose return TO their friends
World be only objectionable in the light of
#ls peiiig iGlcangenient to those who would
nave the care Of them. Such cases as these
the superintendent cannot discharge
tcured,'' and no application is made to
remove them, which puts the matter en-
tirely out of their reach. While the rooms
are thus filled the jails of the State con-
tain many raying maniacs, of whose suf-
= ferings the report made to the legislative
committee gave ''the most horrifying ana
lleartrending details" 1t is impossible for
any system, however good. to run half
century without becoming barnacled, and
it is so with the institutions for the insane
in this State. They were started as insti-
3 buttons to care insanity and, failing in that.
to keep safely dangerous patients. Grad
lally there have been accumulated III
them persons who are neither durable nor
dangerous. Many of these cases are with
out friends who could receive them again,
but where that is the case they should be
supported at the expense of the county
Iofrom which they came, and to which they
Mould be returned. A majority OF the
|Fcases in the asylums, as the reports made
to the legislature year after year show, are
incurable, and of this majority a large
/ proportion are harmless to themselves and
TO others and might be managed at their
homes, as easily as children. In Germany,
we believe cases of this kind are boarded
with the peasantry around the asylums
h at a cheap tate. This is critical time in
the financial affairs Of Virginia, and one
in which we must leave many Of the time
worn ruts we have been travelling in, and
this is one Of them. The legislative com
mittee should examine the Superintendent
& of all the State Asylums, the colored in
cluded, on this point as they have DR..
BRoWER on the propriety of extension,
and we are quite hopeful that room can be
made for many Of the sufferers who now
lie in extreme suffering in the jails of the
State.
The proposition Of Mr.. PRIDEMoRE to
Asthe coIlsf4itttee to admit patients by priority
of application would, we fear, introduce
anarchy into every asylum in the State
These institutions are as strictly graded
/ las it is possible for human wisdom and
power to do. A patient who arrives a
raving maniac is placed where maniacai
y patients are confined Were he placed
where convalescent patients are, his rawlings
+ would create reign Of terror and drive
( them to madness again, and yet that would
be the practical working Of Mr.. PRIDE
MORRIS plan, for under it the very worst
case, if having priority, would have to b.
admitted to the conyalescent wards. 1t is
to be hoped that MI. PRIDENoRE himself
has, upon investigation, been convinced oi
the impracticability Of his plan.
The Richmond "Euquirer' supports the
plan of MI PRIDEMoRE on the SUPPOSE
ton that "to pick out the recent cases
may enable the doctors to shoWa good curt
list in their annual reports" Doubtless,
like all other doctors. these asylum physi
CLANS would like to make Il good reputation;
but only taking the recent cases is not
the surest plan by any means. Ii Is the
cause tong existing perhaps, that produces
insanity that give the physician the means
OF determining whether it is likely to be
speedily durable, and not the recent devel
oDment of insanity. In the matter OF iAr
yoritism.' we had occasion, only few
| DAYS silme, to speak well of the rigid rules
/ adopted by the Superintendent Of the
Asylum at Stdunton to prevent the intro
duction of patients being influenced i'll any
way by that, and we have no doubt Super
intendent BRowER is as careful.
Let the legislature pass Il law authorizing
the Superintendent to return the incura-
bles and there will be room for the hun
,treds of suffering men and women now in
the county iails.
| VALLEY RAILROAD QUESTION
The discussion in the City Council
I Tuesday night, reported elsewhere, gives
/ rise to the suspicion, which seems already
i 1l, ~