New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-05-26
A HOME FOR THE INSANE.

.frrrr uASIA-OuTIAys THAT ARE PERMANENT |
INvEsTMENTs-PURR WATER FRESH AiR' oCCo-
PATTON, AND COMPARATIVE FREEDOM FROM NE
sTRAINT.
The Hudson River State Hospital for the IN
.on. I'm pouyhkeepse Is attracting considerable aen
fion both from medical profession and the public on
a.oount of the which has attended the treatment
OF large number OF patients suffering from acute mania
Only portion Of the hospital has been completed The
~ counties situated upon the Hudson River have an
average 800 insane persons within their boundaries
people he cared for, and in those cases IN
which chances OF great care is necessary
aud the most approved treatment is demanded The City
Of Poughkeepse recognized that there was section or
territory that peculiarly fitted for hygenc IN
sttton the and three hundred acres OF
land 10 the condition that hospital for the
insane the counties should be erected there
The requisite OF any hospital for the insane, accord
ing 10 the expressed opinions OF the most learned medca
authorities IN this country and in Europe is an unnted
supply OF pure water. To insure this necessity the
trustees planned and erected system OF waterworhs
that has been acknowledged by experts to answer per-
fccty requirements OF such great State institution
this be. The water is taken from the Hudson
River. Pipes have been run out 10 a point where the
deep, and hence the purest water can al
ways pumped into the reservoir. Powerful engines
have been placed where they can work to the best ad
vantage pipes have been laid deep under ground at
considerable expense primarily but the trustees say that
has gained because they have repairs
to account OF frost, winch THIS past year
been very heavy summit OF the high ground the
reservoirs have been constructed, with capacity OF
1900 gallons. The reservoirs divided from one
another by wall, and arranged that one n be
drawn off while the hospital is supplied by another The
from these reservoirs is During
high in the river occasoned by heavy rains the
water became urbid that the residents of the city
we're unable drink it, The inmates Of the hospital did
suffer however the reservoirs furnished an ample
suppy Of the purest water The reservoirs are on such
high ground that the from the hydrants at the hos
pa pOurs through the attached hose with great force
and PLAYS strongly all of the buildings Hence
in case fire their protection is ample These water
works cost over 100000
Only portion OF the wing of the hospital has
yet completed, though the foundations and base
have been erected for the remainder of that pavilion
II proposed in the plan TO build two pavions facing
and running north and south In the central
portion is To be administrative building, where the
officers of the Institution TO live The part already
occupied is acknowledged by experts TO be one
of the most thoroughly built and carefully arranged
structures for the of the insane in this country
or oven in Europe The trustees OF similar institutions
from other States have visited this hospital IN order
model their projected structures after IT, The as
peet building pleasing it is approached by
long drive. There is nothing forbidding, and
n appears more like "A large pleasure resort than
an institution for the confinement OF It's IN
mates Physicians have declared that the less APP
parent restraint that with safety be placed upon
Persons afflicted with acute MANIA who may be reason
ably expected TO recover under proper treatment
very often extremely dangerous 10 themselves and
others yet physicians declare that the old Bedam sys
treating the insane altogether wrong and fosters
rather than the disease In Kie where the In
sane have village their and permitted the
greatest possible freedom consistently with safety, many
remarkable have been effected whereas under the OLD
system of regarding maniac rabid animal the re-
suit would have been death permanent destruction OF
the mind In the Hudson River Hospital the parts allotted
10 patients are divided by long corridors which run along
the entire length the portion Of the structure now com
peed Upon each side Of these corridors are rooms Tor
the inmates Everything scrupulously neat The ven
tation OF the apartments is excellent Al the DottOn
and also at the top leading TO the corridors,
are Open gratngs Through these era tings cold air is
forced in SUMMER and hot air iii Winter. Thus an equl-
nnrium OF temperature can be constantly kept up Inc
windows e1eotuaiy secured, 10 prevent aocieh's
or homcidal attempts, but the gratings are
20 arranged to appear rather ornamental
than full There is nothing that appears at all prison
Ike and yet the inmates securely confined as III
State prison. Sometimes patient takes freak wmch
induces asten his door upon the inside ana thus
prevent the entry Of attendant In ordinary nsutn
tons il has been found necessary such cases TO break
in the door which thus is injured or perhaps nearly de-
stroyed Tn institution, however the casing s 40
arranged that by taxing On s se o of so and the
door is easily opened the other way Al. ,..,; .o
admirably arranged and well ventilated The dining
looked especially inviting Ihe KNIVES anu Ios
are made Of iron. nckelplated, ana Wlle tney re-
seInbe good silver plate yet are VI the strongest ana
durable quality. The tables are Of old mahogany Inc
wood was a refuse lot which purchased cheapy by
one the trustees and the caDncWorK was uohc III
the hospital These tables add much to the inviting al
ptarlnce OF the dining and are much more dIa
biS than pine though they did nor cost any more
The bathrooms and sinks are supplied win plenty
of hot and cold water Inns Is d u.snuoa".u n,,
Even In the rooms where the worst patients were CON
tned there were no odors and the atmosphere
seemed pure and sweet as ia any OF the otner apart
ments With these Appliances Tor tAe teduLeht "a 'e
insane person who could hardly DE- kept AT h9ihe MtIe
he rch can here be attended WIN ht'e uisooh
fort 80 .., -. ~ ,,,eor,n, r,oro or
less from mani and hopes are enieItaHed Oh 'he
eventual cure The building completedis not nan
large enough accommodate the appieanIs I9r an.s
SION, those interested hope hat the res. % 1ne
posed building will be erected Us speedily as possible
As is 900 persons are constantly under
and large proportion OF those a1nlIteu nay yen IN
~ay cured OF greatly relieved. Every hospital Tor the
ins lne necessarily in some measure Raike o ene
nature um but Win the piessl @ @
oations this hospital is made as niue Ike Que s Pos
sibe As it is determined that person can d
he benefited by treatment other arrangements arr
for his maintenance: Tie inmates art enipio 90
in various WAYS The MATTRESSES "ere o,n ser anart
fed upholsering has been done u Ioo s ro,d ~
Tor taf uurose the attic large piece OF gIoun II
carenlv cultivated and those OF the men W no ar iDe
and can trusted are set al "orh tnsre. W. -
,be of the building there is Enclosed Yard ana mere
anose % sent out for exercise When the men come in
from work they change neiI Voots "a
and put clean slippers oeoIe Iey az 49, ,cd inter
enter the building. some OF the inmates nav o. ,
va1s and those on road TO recovery TAX anu act
raIionay great part Of the tune some Ol .e dH f
ersons Of great culture, whose minds nave Drohen
Under OverwOrk, and who VIII probably oe hmdps,tT
restored to health by treane. I'M nalitupion a
former time have been cured but have sHn sumo,
relapse They returned 10 i that there they would
receive the best treatment and have the best ehance VI
Te1STsfy w0fk This fakes up their minds
and diyerfs their attention from tlhir miIau!.
Inv that is known the present time for the
rational treatment Of acute uanla' ana e h,ir