Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-02-23
THE STATES INSANE.
Suggestions by DR.. w. P. Jones to the
General Assembly.

I
General Assembly.
Gentlemen: PENNSYLVANIA has been fur
! nishing hospital treatment for her insane
for I22 years. Since 1910, however, she
/ has made additional provision for 2,l50 pa
! tients, for example: Pennsylvania Hospital,
male department, $50; female department
$50. Addition 20 Friends Asylum 80,
DixmOnt 400, Harrisburg 400, Danville
| 400, Warren, now in process Of erection,
| 400. Pennsylvania has not three times the
! population of Tennessee, but she has six
| times the hospital provision for her insane.
| One Of those Institutions, the Pennsylva-
! MIA Hospital, at Philadelphia, has, within
| thirty-fOur years, treated I, 1899 tpatieuts; of
this number 3,2I2 have been restored; 1,6I1
have been improved, and 2,010 including
ZIG, now remaining have had home, pro-
lection and treatment for greater or less
periods, but without restoration. DR..
kirkbrIde, in his last report, referring TO
this onward movement Of the State, says:
"And there are indications that those in
authority and her citizens generally, We're
never before so fully impressed with the
conviction that Pennsylvania cannot avoid,
if she wished to do so, the duty Of making
provision for all her insane in the best class
Of hospitals, LOCATED IN DIFFERENT SIC
TONS OF TIE STATE" and he adds: "This
is the only mode that will do Justice 10 the
afflicted, satisfy an enlightened humanity,
and relieve the State Of one Of her most
sacred responsibilities
But further, more important and explicit
still, Pennsylvania eXpeTts-than whom,
there are none wiser, or having larger ex-
Per.ence-consisting OF Thos. 5. Kirkbride,
Nj. D., J. II. Worhington, NJ. D., Isaac
Ray, NJ D., John Curwen. NJ. D., Joseph
4. Reed, VI. D., and S. 5. Schultz, N. D..
presented a memorial to the last Legisla-
ture using the following language:
The undersigned citizens Of Pennsyl-
Vania, who are, or have Dccn, actively en-
gaged in the care Of the insane, respectfully
represent-that there now exists a lament
able deficiency Of accommodations for this
unfortunate class, in nearly every section
Cfthe State. For all these.
We ask of the public authorities prompt
and enlightened relief, which we believe
can be given only by the provision Of just
as many properly organized hospitals, AND
LOCATED IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE
STATE, as may be necessary to the accom-
plishmeut Of the object
trust l may be paTdOned for letting my
native State speak FOR herself, even though
il be through private letter from one Of
her hOnOred Superintendent.
SECOND kENTUCY LUEATIC ASYLUM.
Feb. !. 1STj.-My Dear Sir: l received
your note on Saturday. ! am very sorry
that any attempt has been made to repeal
the act apprCpriatinC money to increase
hospital facilities in Tennessee. Of course
/ know little or nothing Of the ability Of
your State financially 10 carry out the puT-
poses of the bill passed two years AGO, but
am certain that any action looking to its
repeal ought to be Gerry thoroughly cOnsid-
cred before conclusions are arrived at, if
these conclusions involve even the SllSpcl-
sion Of your building operations. To those
who have given thought to tie matters
which have engaged your time and mine
for years past, it would be useless to make
an argument. No proposition has been
more clearly demonstrated than that no
government can afford TO allow persons
who become insane to lapse into chronic
and consequently almost incUrable disease
for want of facilities for their relief when
cure is possible.
l should think that a mere statement
from man Of your experience and chaIac-
ter would govern the action Of those who
have never investigated for themselves the
ftCts which should control them as public
men who are acting for the best interests
Of their constituents. The financial en-
baTrasments of Tennessee may call for
the most stringent economy IN the man
agement of its resources, but she can lily
afford 10 ignore a duty TO her insane when
the prompt discharge Of that duty results
finally in saving large sums yearly TO the
Commonwealth. Considered solely from
a standpoint looking only to tine prevention
of a constant drain upon the public treas
uTy, ample and Immediate provision should |
be made by your Legislature for the treat |
ment Of the insane in well-Ordered hOspi- !
tails. The statistics Of all asylums 10 this |
country and abroad have been for |
half a century, and are now, demon
strating the fact that hospitals for !
the insane are the most valuable |
agents inthe protection Ofthe public money.
Whilst lunatic asylums are among the |
highest evidences of a christian civilization |
they are at the same time among the best |
of the common treasury. No |
we'll informed economist will doubt the |
truth Of this proposition.
Ny estimate of the insane population Of |
Kentucky is thirteen hundred and fifty. |
For their accommodation we have three |
well appointed asvlums-the First, the Sec !
OUd and the Central-at Lexington, at Hop |
kinsyille and near Louisville. The First |
has room for $40, the second for 325 and |
the Central-n0t yet completed, though oc- |
cupied-fOT $50, making an aggregate Of |
! ,2!5 beds in the three establishments. In |
addition to this we have at Frankfort an |
institution for idiots and Predetermined /
children in which there are now d hundred |
inmates. many Of whom would lind resi-
dences in hospitals for the insane if not |
provided for in this separate aSylum-a /
splendid showing certainly Of the ealigbt- |
eneI and fdr-SeeiRg iiberality of our grand /
old Commonwealth. May Tennessee fol- !
low her worthy example-safe TO follow, |
as evidence of Christian liberalily; safe to |
follow as proof Of progress; safe TO follow /
as a financial measure safe 10 follow in all |
that makes a man proud Of the State Of |
his birth, or adoption. Hoping, Doctor, |
that your Legislature may not destroy a
good work well begun,
/ am your friend, JAS. RODMAN.
DR.. VIM. 2. Jones, Nashville, Tenn.
Thus il is shown that Kentucky. with a
Of 10000 more than Tenues-
see, has provided first-clasS hospital ac-
like Pennsylvania IN
parts Of the State for more than
three times as many Of her insane as are
treatment here; in addition TO
which, she is treating a hundred idiOtic |
and feeble-minded children in another gOr-
ton OF the State. l am happy, gentlemen,
10 say that in philanthrOpic and humane !