Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1874-10-16
THE VERMONT ASYL UNI.

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many respects document Of unusual in
terest. The report oi The Commissioner, in
particular, touches indirectly uron many
Of those points which, during the Iast two
years, have been the subject OF Laish aud
unfuunded criticism, and we think proper
to copy its opening pages, which are ~ fol
iows:-
Daring the Two years lave held the IF
flee Of Commissioner ri Insane, | have
made frequent inspections Ot the Asylum
at BHltrLUrD. With but two exceptions
thee inspections have been made without
any Knowledge on the part OF the Superin.
teudrul or any other officer oi the Asylum
that such visits were To he made. They
| have a 80 been made ut different hours of
| the day. 80 the Institution could be exam
| ined under its various daily conditions,
| and the inmates seen morning aud evening,
or when ut their meals.
| have always tndeav0rcd Ia make these
| inspections thorough and minute. never
| negleclng any department of the establish
| ment. In all that pertains to lis hygienic
| arrangements have never found any de-
| fects to criiiciSe. or aught in regard to which
| | could suggest any improvement. Both
| rs regards the persons of the most pitlab.e
| Grass of inmates. A. well M the rooms they
occupy, ii has always been II matter OF no
| little surprise 10 me. how 80 thorough u
| state of cleanliness could be maintained (;
while among the better portion Of the pa
| ticntS the tnuSt acceptable state Of order
! neatnCss, aud quiet has always prevailed.
| Evidently very great attention II given to
securing the best possible degree Of ceauli
ness of the patients clothing and bis bed
| ding, while fresh paint and whitewash are
applied to the rooms and the halls as often
AS their need is indicated.
The food served to the patients has al
ways seemed to inc to he both sufficient in
| quantity, of good quality and nlways we'll
| coOked. / have never found any sour bread
| IN the pantry or unsaN DRY meats on the Ia
| bic. have often examined the tables when
| ready for meals, and have never found any
! dirty dishes there.
There is an abundant supply Of water in
| the Asylum and dIaiiiage il rapid and com
| pletc.
The physicians and the attendants treat
| the patients with consideration aud kind
ness. | have never heard a short or care
less answer given To any of the almost end
| less questions that are sure to be ask ed
| whenever the physicians pass through the
! wards.
In the judgment of the Commissioner,
! the present Superintendent is eminenlly
| qualified for the Important place he Occu-
pies. Thoroughly vcrsed in all that per-
| tains to the subject Of lunacy in its widest
| scope,-tO a marked degree kind and hu-
| name in his feelings, the people of the State
may I've assured that he will always extend
| to such uf their friends AS may be placed in
this Asylum the most intelligent treat me mt
and the most sympathizing and tender care
The assistant physicians enjoy the full con-
| hdeuce of the SUI eriutendent. and are ac-
tive aud vigilsnt in carrying out his wishes
All the subutdnates in the Asvlum-aud
| some OF them have held their places for
| ni1nv vears-are selected with strict refer
ence to their fitness for the places for which
| they apply. and are believed to I've as faith
| iul and Kind in The discharge Of their du-
ties rs any similar corps Of employees in any
| like institution in the country.
As will be- seen by the Superintendents
| report, the Asylum has been enlarged dur
ing the two past years, by the addition Of
| two new wings. making 1t unnecessary any
| longer 10 occupy the basPmant story of the
| Buildings. The new wings are so construc-
| ted that each room has an independent
| heating and veptlating arrangement, 50
| that in cise~ of sickness the temperature of
| the rooms may be regulated according TO
| the needs OF The patient.
| In addition to these extensive and impOr-
| tant engagements in the capacity al the In
| slituiiOn, great expense has been incurred
| by the Trustees in removal ny the old build
| ings aud making them more comfortable
and attractive. The old water-closels have
| been entirely removed, aud spacious bath
| rooms with all modern appliances aud con-
Nenlences have taken their places. From
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projections twenty feet In width and six in
depth, and reaching from the ground floor
10 the topmost story, have been thrown out.
Then upon each floor, by sacrificing two
rooms corresponding to these projections,
there has been constructed for each OF these
wards n spacious sitting-r room, with a bay
window of the entire width Of the room
and opening on three sides 10 the sunlight
These apartments are neatly carpeled, aud
here are found pianos or organs for the use
Of the patients, while throughout all the
wards of the whole hutpiial The walls have
been adorned with pictures and a number
OF Libraries are accessible to all patients
who desire Ia rca,.
On SUNDAY, religious services are con.
Quoted in the chapel bv the diiierent cler-
gymen in the vicinity, ana in the winter
season the attendants usually give theatri-
cal entertainments every Two weeks which
all the inmates attend VITO NAV he able
Thus during these iva wears much has
been done to relieve The nonOtony of Asy-
lum life, aud make more attractive and
home-like the residence of this unfortunate
class Of human beings.
| find that il has always been the
policy of the Trustees OF This Asylum 10
carry cut the benevolent design of the
Christian heaiied lady by whose charity il
WAS founded, and so make 1t in truth aud
in TACT "hune' Tor the unfortunate insane
OF the State. Hence, learn that no State
applicant has ever been refused admission
to this Asylum,
And one other fact | have noticed that
deserves mention in this connection and
that l. this: Those patients that have be-
come hope lessly insane are not turned a.
way 10 he lodged in poor houses or farm
ed out IN the lowest bidder by cold hearted
and unfeeling friends and town officials,
They are kept and well cared for here in
their legitimate home while life remains.
II IL due 10 the officers of the BrattIeboro
A tl...N a.. Il
mind by those who compare the number of
insane persons reported ~ cured In this In
stltution, AZ compared with the same class
in other like institutions in New England.
where II is customary TO send away the in
curahle cases TO he provided for elsew here
thus making room for durable patients
SO far as this report may reach the peO-
pie OF the state, wish through ii to cor
reel, us lar rs possible, the false impression
that this Asylum is in some way managed
Tor the pecuniary benefit of the Trustees or
olher othcerS connected herewith, aud that
the products of the labor of such of the in
mates as are able 10 work ga into the pock-
els OF Interested parties. This Impression
Is entirely without fuuL datiOn. The books
OIL The Asylum are always Open TO any one
VINO wishes to examine them; and not a
single dollar that accrues TO the Institution
from any source can be devialed from its
legitimate channel. Established by a pri-
vate charity, which has been supplemented
by the benehcence of the State, the ASYLUM
has been carefully watched over hy its trus.
tees, and all its accommodating funds have
been from year To year invested In such
improvements as should render the Insti-
tuition home for its inmates, which, wear
by year, should become more comfortable
and attraC live, and where each newcomer
may find himself a share holder in all the
dement's that have accumulated in a long
series of years.
am satisfied that no part Of the public
money finds its way into official pockets.
ana That no man or woman is here made to
WORK Tor The peculiarly benefit of those who
have no care of them.
"In view of the unfortunate stota of nnh