The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1876-01-27
the INSANE ASYLUM.
An Indignant Anna Man Replies 70
the Charges OC shc Cairo tiaIette.

Al mad ~
v Ed. BULLETIN: Your contemporary
n the Cairo Gazette seems to be ''mad
e about the Southern Illinois Insane As,
lum, but there is neither the eloquence
Paul, the truth Of George W. nor Il
d method of Hamlet, In his madness.
h few weeks ago he suspended matters
: interest to make room for the story of
: pair Of suspenders. He claimed that g
: lunatic In the asylum at Jonesboro (thcr
D are no climatic asylums" in Jonesbor
: except private ones) had been supple
; with "a dollar pail of suspenders" an,
4. straightway read homily on extrava
gancc. He went upon the rampage an,
stripped coats aud vests from his promi
nent acquaintance and pointed to tn
marks on their suspendcrs "35c
iOc, Soc" with true Republican
} pride and even took on his own straight
jacket to show that he ''hcid up his jeans
with hickory bark in the primitive styl,
OF our forefathers-all of which accounted
for extravaganza in the insane asylum
al least negatively. The article was un.
called for and hot founded upon truth,
the only thing that can make such para
graphs respectable. And now the Gazette
man comes to the front again, with eyes
In fine frenzy rolling, and brain excited
by recent perusal OF rather bombas,ic
article in the Anna Union. Hear him:
And why those splendorss Why pro
vide soft, yielding Brussels carpets; and
magnificent French plate mirrors? For
the comfort and enjoyment of the crazed
inmate, are these things brought to-
gether Docs the babbling lunatic, clad
may not tear his flesh or expose his
nakedness, require the massive gilt
framed pictures, the silverplated ware,
the marble mantels--all the elegant fur
nishings for his enjoyment mot q bit
OF It." HIS apartment presents bare
walls, unexpected floors coarse bedding,
and nothing that bears the semblance Of
elegance.
Most of these splcndors exist only in
the poctical imagination of the Gazette.
The Offices at the asylum are large, hand
some, we'll finished rooms for the cle-
gance Of finish and ornamentation of
which, the officials are In no way respon-
sible, and they are furnished in n plain,
substantial, tasteful manner; neat but
not gaudy, rich as the mcager approprla-
ton could buy, but no better than they
should be. What would our economist
have. "bsrc walls aud uncarpotcd floors"
In the offices and reception rooms? These
rooms are for the use OF the people of the
state OF Illinois, when business or curl.
osity lead them hithcr, aud not merely
for the "luxury loving Official" Ills in.
timalion that the patients rooms
have been stintcd TO furnish
forth this ideal splendor of office
and hall has no foundation in fact. Evil
IDENTIFY the editor has never visit ed the
asylum at Anna, since he pcrsistenty 10.
Gates 1t in Joncsboro. A visit and per.
sonal inspection would soothe some of
his rampant notions about oriental splen
doris, that throw glamour over "coarsc
bedding and Observation-Disclosures.
blaIice-of-elegance in the lunatlcs'
rooms"
a few days since had the pleasure
Ut Is pleasure, in spite OF the presence
OF crazy folks OF visiting every part of
the Southern Illinois lnsance Asylum,
and enjoyed the privilege OF having as
cicerone, not ''tllc elegant doctor SO and
So but:a quiet and polite gentleman, DR.. |
Mercer, assistant superintendent, whose
luxury consists of hard work
'nd constant attention to his oncrous du-
les and whose "suspcnders only costs
fifty cents
cannot indulge here in anything an.
preaching description OF the massive
md splendid structure. / can only
peak OF what saw inside of the differ
mt wards. 1t was my first visit to an
insane asylum, and, feeling nervous in
he presence OF absent-mindcd people, /
anticipated unpleasant sights and sound,
tut was soon relieved of such tears. In
very hall aud In every ward perfect
luiet and order reigned. One could see
hat In every part of the building clean.
mess, which is next and pretty close to
'odliness, was considered one of the lux.
irics to which the lunatic is entitled.
The hoors were white and clean, the beds
were all tidily made up and clad In clean
I'hhe'i. and there was an entire eosy nee
oi Instruments OF restraint or punish
ment. In the dining rooms the tables
were laid In style to salt the mental
status OF the patient--in the "worst
wards" with bright tin platters, tin cups
md other things unbreakable, and in the
vest ward with table gear that made il
ook like coy dining room In some
omfortable private house. "In the grand
anquet hall Of the ''luxurious officials
saw no silver plate or Bohemian COB.
et' nor gold napkin rinYs--only the {