Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1875-08-18
BRUTAL TREATMENT OF THE
INSANE AT WASHINGTON.

The knavcry of the Grant admins
tration, it appears is not confined ex-
clusivcly to the sane people of this
country, but the barbarism of the
agents of the administration is demon
strated in their treatment Of the in
sane. The New York Sun in alluding
to this last brutal outrage committed
by Grants minions, says:
@Twenty years ago Congress passed
an act providing for an institution to
be known as "The Government Hos
pital of the Insane" for "the most hui
name care and enlightened curative
treatment OF the insane OF the army
and navy of the United States and OF
the District of Columbia" By the
liberality of Congress this institution
has grown into large proportions, with
fine buildings, n farm, grounds, and all
the improvements which experience
and science have developed as necessa.
ry or desirable for the humane object
TO which il is devoted.
The last report OF the Board of Wis
itors states, ''therc remained under
treatment on the Both of June, 1874
526 males and 1876 females. OF these
403 (400 males and 3 females) be
longed, or had belonged, to the army
or navy, and 279 (126 males and 1853
females) were from civil life II also
appears that of the total 6s2 patients
$50 paid the average cost of their sup
port, leaving 632 who were wholly
supported by the government" The
maximum capacity of the institution
is stated TO be 700 patients, including
an average Of 60 who pay from four
to twenty dollars per week.
An idea may be formed of the ex-
tensivc scale on which this hospital is
conducted from the fact that the va
rious appropriations for its support
and for improvements at the last ses-
sion of Congress, aggregated sl9O,OOO
for the current fiscal year, indcpcn.
dent of some $4,000 year derived
from the farm and garden and about
$4,000 year paid by private pa
ticnts.
DIR. G. II. Nichols is the supcrinten-
dent, and devotes himself mainly "a
the management of the vast business
of the hospital. There are three as
sistant physicians, who during the
past year averaged two hundred and
twcnty-scvcn patients each, by divid
ing the aggregate into three parts. II
has become a serious question FOL
Congress to consider, whether this ag
grcgation of insane persons under the
same roof is not positively harmful in
all its effects, and calculated to ex
clude hopes of recovery that might be
encouraged under different condi
ton of things. Grave doubts are alsC
entertained by competent medical
men, if three physicians are equa
with the best skill and strength to the
proper treatment of SO large mum
! her Of patients.
Like all other institutions maintain
ed and fostcrcd by the government
this has suffered of late years in the
public estimation from different causes
Suspicion has fastened upon its man
agement, and the Financial Committee
consisting Of Surgcon-General Barnes
Henry d. Cooke, and Moses Kelly
two Of whom were notoriously asso
ciatcd with the Washington Ring
while the third gave IL and Boss Shep
herd all the aid and comfort he could
have necessarily withdrawn confidence
from il.
A shocking outrage recently pcrpc
trated at this asylum, which in cruelty
and inhumanityi surpasses anything
yet known connected with II will Ger
tainly lead to searching Investigation
by Congress, and may bring TO light
other iniquitics which for long time
have been the cause Of great scandal
The naked facts, as disclosed by sworn
testimony and ly admission of the
parties incriminated, need no dressing
Il On the night of June 28 two ofIiccrs