The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-12-05
TREATMENT OF THE INSANE
Why THINGS HIVE COVE WRONG
ON BLICKWELL'S ISLAND.
The Certificate on which Mrs. Gleason was
sent TO the Aryium-An Unprofessionai
aud Illegal Documcut-Inside Views.


The Certificate on which Mrs Gleason was
sent TO the AHylum-An Unprofessionai
aud Illegal Documcnt-Inside Views.
The Commissioners of Charities and Cor
rection will ask the State Commissioner OF
Lunacy to examine the testimony in the case Of
Mrs. Gleason, and to recommend any revision Of
the rules OF their asylum for the insane that he
may deem necessary. The Medical Superin-
tendent Of the Dlackwcll's Island Asylum for
the Insane says:
"The Impression seems to have been trans
mitted from one set Of governing officers to an
other that tho asylum for the Insane IL only
kind OF poorhouse. Eichty-two per cent. OF
the patients admitted TO this asylum have never
been the recipients VI charity from any source
whatever. The vast majority OF the insane are
from the honest industrious. taxpayine classes.
It IA estimated that one person in four hundred
In the CITY Of New York Is insane. Dividing the
population into families Of four persons each,
this would make an average Of one insane per-
son 10 every hundred families. on the very
moderate hypothesis that each family Is con-
nected by rclationship or other intimate tes
with three other families, 1t follows tnat one
citizen In every TWENTY-FIVE. on an average. has
a warm personal interest IN the welfare OF some
one VINO Is insane, aud TINS a. any gwen mo-
ment Of time. 1t X probable that there are W
Of our citizens who do not at some time have
personal interest I'm some person who becomes
insane The number of attendants now en-
ulove for TIE care Of the patients Is too small.
IndividuHl l. are. Of necessity. lost sight Of In
great degree. each attendant supervising the
patients under her charge In the aggregate or as
crowd. ! am not ptouefly SUPPORTED. ne
II Of physicians II made M OF recent or 1du-
ates. who know little of the practical npplic =
ton of the science ~ medicine. and still less ~
the ab-'rusc spcci lty In which they have en-
gagged and for which thcy nave no training
whatever. There Is a positive imprOprieN In the
night service as now performed. Naichmen,
VINO also have an outdoor service To perform,
are req ired to pass through the halls occupied
hv women. Many of these are open wards.
The presence II men IN such wards i cause
uf irritation to the patients The night SER
vice should he performed entirely hy ten
women. For We - past the poor accommodt -
ton for the noisy and excited patients IN this
n.ylum has been a subject OF adverse criticism;
Twenty or twenty-five patients have occupied
"uros that were constructed ~ accommodate
Cnmmi.soner Bailey said 10 reporter for
The SUN: " i We never seen the papers ia the
cnse u Mrs. Gloa.on."
"Wnat authority had tho nurse Margaret
NcArdle Tor putting a straight jacket on Mis-.
d. !. %"ne,
ION what authority did the men net who put
| the Jacket on Mrs Gle SOM"
"Narg ret ncArdie's. presume"
" Is IL usual for person without authority To
| command other attendants to punish patients
| IN bellevue liOSuitalg
"well. the trouble is that most Of the at
PENDANTS in Bellevue Hospital are ignorant per,
sons who are en- lOyed at n small salary, aud
who are not capable Of understanding the law
under which they hold position. Margaret
| McArdle, should think Il one Of this class
| In Bellevue Hos pital there is no record Of Mrs.
! Gleason's having been put into straight jacket
DR.. Parsons says: " The straight jacket Is GER
| taiuly punishment. and Il allowed under the
law to he applied on the authority Of a Musician
only. Even then ~ l. required that careful
record should he kept and the length OF time
| specified Of the confinement Of the patient"
| The following = verbatim copy Of the GER
| tlGcate on which Mrs. Gleason was sent to the
| asylum:
l. David Breges a resident OF New York city in the
cal College aud having prHctlSed A. PHYSICIAN hereby
under oath that. the lat day ~ November
per onslly eNamiEtd Waite Annie Gleason OF Bellevue
Hospital ~ year, widow, no occupation, sui That the
son for and treatment under the provisions q
chapter 4fd Of the laws OF 1874. further rery that
have formed this opinion upon the Ton wing GROUNDS,
w; Patient wa violent had to be restrained Wi a
straight iacNe incrh'r rambling Gves mo- rational
| answer to uurttiOrs g.. And further declare
inst my qualifications A. ned al examiner Ia iunaCv
have been affected auu ccrded Nv Judge NJ 4. .rnss,
| Marine Court. DAVID BRfkks, A H., VI. ID
Approved sworn TO- aud subscribed before me, this
| 4th uay OF November 1874 DAVID MCAnAN,
| Justice Marine curt. ~ Y.
| THE wording Of that certificate is entirely
SAID a ply stefan. Yesterday. " To say that per-
| son Is insane Is too vague for medical certiu-
| cate. 1he peculiar branch OF Insanity should
be stated whether mania. dement, or mono
| mania. just what a physician who has power
| 10 incarcerate person IN lunatic asVlum
| means hN 'Ac.,' IL strikes me, would puzzle the
| wisost legal mind. ana am NOT astonished that
| Jucge DAILY refuses to approve such certificates
| Now. YOU viii notice tuis certificate you Will
| see at once how carelessil PERSONS are commit
| ted 10 the iuuatic asylum,