The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-08-20
SHOCKING REVELATIONS.
RESULTS OF DR. CHARLES W. CHANcELLoR's
INSPECTION OF MARYLAND's CHARITABLE
SsrrruTIoNs-PILTH AND DEpRAvITY OF
THE INMATEs--oFFIcTAL NEGLIGENCE

iSsPkcfIoS OF MAnYLASDS CHARITABLE
ISsrITUTIoNs-PILTH AND DEpRAvITy OF
THE iSMATRs-oFFIcrAL NEGLIGENCE
BALTIMORE, Nd, August 10, 1871
Dr. Charles W. Chancellor, a member Of tho City
Council, Secretary OF the State Board Of Health who
vas requested by Governor Carroll visit and inspect
all aims Institutions in tho stale, particularly with
reference 90 their sanitary CONDITION, the treatment
Of the inmates and the NUMBER of pauper insane
who are confined therein at the public expense, has
done 20. ana submitted his report to tho Governor
in Introducing u the Doctor ssys:-"It Is painful
report the shocking condition In which many OF the
public Institutions found, aud Il Is difficult to
conceive that anything existed In civilized
country" "1here are now he says 'wihn the
aims houses aud ias Of our State five hundred
insane aud diotic people, for whom there exists no
proper provision and who are utterly cast
down and neglected, half fed and CHASTITY
IN their wrcichcdness" Tho report first takes
ap the condition and management OF state
institutions IN the city and elsewhere. with one or
exceptions he House of Refuge the Bay View
Asylum which are overcrowdcd the State institutions
are represented well conducted discplncd aud
tho Asylum Tor tho Deaf and Dumb located at Frcds
REX. s pronounced a monument OF public bene0-
cence 4" In the aims hoasss In some of the counties
entirely d'rercut state OF Affairs exists. aud Dr.
deus &c aith and prostitution, too shocking sening
In Aiieg,ny Coal County Aimshouse, the sane and
insane were Unfortunately mixed. without proper
means cf separating the sexes. Most OF the insane
werc harmless one ooiored girl cpilcpte OF feeble
been born the Almshousc Tho you nscst an infant
sax months OLD. was undoubtedly the child Of white
UNRESTRICTED coxcrnrsAan
Ia Anne Arundel county tho alnshouse Is an abode
an ~, ss s sma or os n a ny Are comfortably
white inmates dwell together IN unrestricted concu.
bisage ON the second foor. Ono woman. aged about
rty has borne three children tho house. all bcgot-
ten b, the innate. These innoccntg had fortunately
bcen sent To an orphan asylum. There not in any
room OF this amsbouse bed pillow a, Tor USE aud
sueh as we're found were ilssustingly nithy.
The pssro quarters " possible, were even
Every Wa IN dirty condition, the beds nl,hy.
withoat sheets OF pillows. ana several rooms no
beds rho common lall OF tins county is as aHhy and
objectionable as The anshousc promiscuous assoca-
uon OF all classes existing.
is Bal.Iaorc County Almsaouse the male depart.
80 ovcfcrOwdcd that the dining room bath
and even the water closets used for odg-
ins rooms. The jail IN tina county rs pronounced one
of the test constructed best managed and cicanest ia
the Win bot exceptions Of defects in con.
straeuon th's Is a model prson
sHo,kISoLy FILTHY.
The Caroline County Aiushsuso 10 a mockery Of
charity and nursery u pollution, not tho slightest
attention being PAID W The moral OF physical condition
at the pauper and insane inmates One woman was
the mother Of tao cnildrcn another six all sad
10 have been bcgo,ien aud born within the alnshouse
II the colorsd department should compared nhy
pissgye. 10 would be injustice 10 the pisstye la
ono small room were found four men, I'VE women, two
ehildrcn any quantity Of eats and dogs ahd other Nv
ing things too humorous 10 mention on tho five
women one wa eontonaran, Two were mothers with
infants IA Their arms aud two were young grs aged
respectively fourteen and sixteen years One old
was SICK with scarcely the scmbancc OF bed
which o. rest his aching bones Another. though
sitting upright TO paftakc Oi tho and badly
cooked dinner Just served him. too weak TO de-
tend his scinty meal against tho ncursion OF dog
that quickly gulped u down. such aggregate Of
human misery ~ rarely seen, aud disreputable
place can SCARCELY be imagined
ISsAsE sormEss IDlorc CHILDREN.
In the Cscil County Almshouso IA both buildings tho
departments Tor males and females separated only
by narrow passage and the evil result Of tho iree
communication between the manifested the
number oi iisgitimaIe children born In tue house
There are two instances IN tins aiu,shousc IA
which tho mother and children were born
in Dastardy unaer It's root one an ,d,oiic
white woman, forty years OF age. herself born
IN the amshouse has given birth 10 sx children Ia THIS
Institution. Another, an insane white woman, aged
thiriy-uvc years whose mother still resides in tho
house, has born ,wo children here and SIN another
insane white woman Is tue mother OF hall negro
chiid. bsgotlen and born IN the institution.
nnsoLIINo bkrAils.
In Washington county the almshousc situated the
suburbs o. hstefs.own, should DO presented as
common nuisance. The details OF ~ condition are n
possible, more rs,ong than 81 Cec'l aud baltimore
ing and disgusting state Of Affairs docs not exist,
which order and deoency and civilization prevail
highly conmondable condition of cleanliness aui
comfort The usual aimshousc odor was altogether
absent. Tho whole cement presented the appear
anco OF care tor the inmates.
In Charles county the house was IN admirable order
with good management aud disci pine prevailing
throughout The ventilation Is excellent, aud have
pleasure la recording that the Charles County Aims
house Stands 10 point of nesness and comfort Of is
inmates, second to mono In the state.
Tho total number OF INDECENT insane In the state IN
county alnsnouses, Js'is ana hospitals gwen fol-
lows
Kgie. femai,s
Whites. .........................Si J go
Colored. Observation-Disclosures. 80 -
Tho State institutions are managed by boards Of
trustees, also Tho aDshoukcs several coun.
ties Charles and others but IN most counties thcy
are under the control OF the county commissioners
who appoint the keepers. No doubt this exposure ~
Dr. Chancellor. backed with gnant public 0pin.
ion. VIII lead o. immediate and sweeping reformation