Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-10-13


The report of DR.. H. II. Atwater, Com
missioner of the Insane, just laid before the
Legislature, ought to, and doubtless will, re-
o.ire more attention than is commonly be-
slowed on the Commissioner report. Inc
Commissioner Is Burlington physician OIL
bigb professional and personal standing. lie
has heretofore had exceptional facilities Tor
aconaiptipc himself with the inside manage
meDt Of the Institution, and during his OH
cial connection with it, for two years past
lie has given much time and thought to It's
condition las visited it once month; and
has eomra.ed it net only with itself in for
,ner years. but also, and by personal obsery-
ation with numerous other New England
i,.sor.e asyluns. lie has had the means OF
forming a fair and correct opinion Of the
concern, and, as his report shows, has had
the independence to state it without fear or
favor.
The up,hot Of LIS conclusions Is most
damaging to tie institution. 1t is too large
b
To admit of proper management, and IN
mint # fact is badly managed. Its build
mos are unsaitable for their purpose, and
insufeiently provided with facilities Tor
the eomiort ard care Of its inmates. 1t has
become no longer hospital Tor the care OF
the insane bot dark and forbidding
pfison ior their detention. The inevitable
results 10 its inmates have followed. HE
percentage Of rccoyeIies has steadily de-
creased and Of deatis increased, TIL now
twice and half as many out Of every hun
dred ratients die. as died in the first decade
Of the Asylum ard but one-half as many
recover. This Is a terrible disclosure, and
il Is ait. ccther in accordance with the in
formation which has heretofore reached toe
public from other sources. The rotteDneSs
in tie management Of TIE institution re
voaled by the proceedings in court, and the
Investigations # legislative committee
several years since, viii be remembered by
many. They showed that the Asylum had
been allowed to be the means of iueareera-
ton Of sane persons. for tie pleasure or
profit Of relatives interested in depr1los
them OF liberty rothing worse can be
said Of such an Institution. The impression
ba. since prevailed that under different su-
rerintcndeuce there had been decided I'M
rroyeuoUt IN tie internal management.
Bot how much that improvement has
amounted to, is a question. We have
had pretty direct and reliable IN
formation of case, which occurred We
think, within two years, Of an intelligent
and respectable lady, subject to periodical
insanity. taken to the Brattleboro asylum
with her own fee consent in her sane mo-
meats. placed ncedlcssly and against her
earnest and intelligent protest in strait
Jacket. and, il spite Of her Obvious delicacy
AID Of her representatives. that she had not
been used toa cold room and could not endure
il. coLfaed in a cold nom. in the heart Of
winter. from all which Ter death by lung
fever resulted within short time from her
entrance into the Asylum.
We cannot conceive how such 4 case could
occur under competent medical supelinter-
deuce. But there Is no need to seek learsaY
testimony on the sui Jet Of the mismanage-
nent Of the institution. This report fur
ni,hc, evidence enough, and our Legislators
VIII do less thnn Their duty if they do not
give thoughtful heed to its conclusions
Clearly, the State ought, at the earliest
possible moment, to withdraw its insane
poor and it, appropriations from the Asy-
lam. Tie managers care little for a small
bicnuial fuss about the institution, as long
as the State continues to send thither large
share Of their PATIENTS and to contribute a
large portion of the annual income, on which
the corporation Las grown great and wealthy.
There is, in our humble opinion, little hope
Of any substantial improvement, as long Is
tie State maintains its present peculiar and
abnormal relations with the concern. If the
State viii cut loose from it, and pat it
under laws. sueh a. the commissioner sug-
gets, Vermont vii be relieved from a great
shame and disgrace.