Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-12-01

From the st. Adams Messenger.
The Asylum for the Insane.

The Asylum for the Insane.
The defeat, yesterday, of DR.. II. Ii. At
water, of Burlington, for reelection as
Commissioner of the Insane, was, in our
judgment, with all due respect for his sue
cessor and the Legislature. misfortune to
Vermont. lie had served two years with
an attention and fidelity to his duties which
had never been surpassed, and not content
with mere Indifferent discharge OF his
official obligations, he had been to great
labor and expense to make himself the
master of all the best knowledge of his pro-
fession in relation to the treatment OF the
insane, and of all the best results of ex-
perience in other States and countries In re-
gard to the erection and control of hospitals
for their reception and cure, and be had the
rare courage and honesty 20 embody state
ment Of his researches and conclusions in
repori TO the Legislature, which reflects
severely upon the private corporation that
owns the Asylum at Brattleboro.
lie showed, in brief, that the State has
for many years past been paying too much
for the support of its beneficiaries there;
that its contributions for various enlarge
ments and improvements were not neces-
sary for the accommodation of Vermont
patients that the corporation has grown
wealthy by availing itself Of these adyan-
tages and taking patients from other States
and countries that this has resulted in
great injury to the Vermont insane, which
had the first and best right, because it has
filed the institution beyond its capacity and
resulted in a steadily increasing percentage
of mortality and incurability. This state
ments he demonstrated by an array of stats
| bat-a ri ed
and whoever will take tie trouble to read
the latest treaties Oh insanity and its treat
ment, and especially the very able paper on
- Government Supervision of the Insane
read at the last meeting Of the American
Social Science Association at Saratoga on the
9th of last September, by ii. b. Wilbur,
N. D., Superintendent of the Asylum for
Idiots at Syracuse. will see that be was right,
and not only that he was right, but that the
subject Is one of such Importance that the
State cannot Afford to treat it with neg
lect.
However, tie only present effect, 50 far as
We can see, of his praise worthy effort, has
been to cause the Asylum to send a strong
lobby to Montpelier to protect its interests,
and this they have done, mainly by the
"still hunt and by the usual forming of
combinations with other ring interests which
needed protection, TO such an extent that
Dr. Atwater has been deprived Of the oppor-
tunity Of making any more official reports.
As he regarded the relations of the State to
the asylum in the light Of a partnership, in
which one partner has thus far taken all the
profits, and as there Is grave doubt whether
a severance OF the relation could be made to
result in any recovery Of adyancements or
Accommodations, thus leaving 1t clear that the
| onlv remedy must be a radical one-that is,
q new asylum, to be owned exclusively by
the S;ate-It is evident that the Legislature
is not yet up 10 the exeeptanee Of his eOrOl
laries, whatever they may think Of his prop
| osit;ons.
But the Legislature need not hesitate it
| has no right to hesitate when the lives and
| health Of citizens are at hazard. II mem
| beIs become satisfied that the Brattleboro
| Asylum Is not the best place for the insane
of the State, and that under its charter. in
terpreted in the light Of the law Of the
yarmouth College caSe-vhich was ably
contended for in the Senate two years ag0
by Hon. George Howe Of Battleboro-the
State has no power Of visitation save by q
chancellor (Which amounts TO nothing) |
and Of correcting the various abuses which |
are known to exist, then they had better |
leave the Asylum alone and instruct their |
Commissioner 10 make the best arrangement |
he can with the better hospitals in adj DIN
ing States, for the future reception and care |
Of our insane until Vermont shall choose TO
set up an institution Of her own. There i
little doubt but that a more advantageous
arrangement can be made with several Of
them than the present one with the Brat
tleboro sylum, not only a regards the price
OF board and treatment, but, more important
still, a. relates to tie rights and cure Of the
insane and the exercise Of civil power for
their protection. P0ssibly-perhaps We
should my probably nothing viii be done
about this At the present session, and maybe
not for years to come but Of one thing We
feel well assured, and that is that Mr.. At
water noble stand will command iucreas-
ing attention ard approval and that Yer
mont will see the day when her people will
regret that he was retired &c private life
simply for brave.y and intelligently attack
ing great. wrong and performing hi Of
hcial duties like conscientious physician
and honest man.
Gry. WADE HAmIo> 5 house, three miles !
from Columbia. ). c., was burned on Friday
night. Flames bust from all parts Of the
house, ard the general, two sisters and two
young sous had only tine to escape with
their live The ladies saved only their ,
dressing gowns, ami Gen. Hampton has not {
a single article Of clothing except those be /
had on. The only thing saved was bust
Of Gen. Wade Hampton of Revolutionary {
lame The fire is declared to have been in :