The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-03-14
BEDLAM.

NEW YoRK's INSANE coLoNY-sYNoPsIs OF
MEDICAL SUPERINTENDENT PARSONS TWELFTH
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE CONDITION OF THE
NEW YORK CITY LUNArIC AsYLUM--A Hon-
BIBLE pIcrUIE-INrEREsTING STATISTICS.
During the past year many important changes and
improvements have been made the New York City
Lunatic Asylum. Backwclrs Island, as is shown by
twelfth annual report Of tho Medical Superinten-
dent the hands OF the Commissioners Of Public
Charities and Correction the LIST day Of January.
1876, the asylum contained 233 PATIENTS all OF whom
were females. The admissions during the year num-
bcred ATS. making the total number under treatment
LII; $50 wcro discharged and 81 died during the
year. OF those discharged l59 had recovered IS were
improved, 80 unimproved and were considered
as improper subjects Tho recovercs wcrc So rs per
cent on the number treated. The ratio OF deaths IN
the average number admitted and treated was LAS per
cent. Tho percentage OF increase In the admissions
was 10 %. OF those admitted 1856 received treatment
for tho FIRST time 81 the second, II Tor the third,
10 for tho fourth for the Gih, for the sixth, Tor
the eighth and for the tenth time
NATIVITY PATIENTS
or the l72 patients admitted during the year 90 were
from the United States 237 from Ireland OF were
from Germany, is from England, from Canada,
from Scotland from France, from Sweden, from
Norway, 2 IRON Denmark, from Holland, from
Spain, 2 from Italy, from Wales, from Poland,
from Russia, 2 from Malta, from China. IRON b.
hemia and whose natIonalites were unknown.
INSANITY.
Two hundred and six suffered from MANIA OF which
IL cases were chronic, partial 10 were puer-
pcrai OF lactaton, II alcoholic, from brain
disease, and IL from epilepc mania There were l23
cases Of insanity from meancholia, divided as FOL
ows:-l from hysterical, from puerperal, from lac
"a % Thosa
coming under the head Of "dcmcntia wore div ided
follows:--6 from brain disease from alcoholic, 10
from cpileptc, 10 from senilc, and were primary.
One treated for mbecility Tor general paress,
and were improper subjects
PATIENTS, AGES HABITS, PROFESSIONS &C.
At the time OF thor admission ~ were under ~
wears OF age 127 were between 20 and 80 years; 1+2
were between 80 aud 40 years. A between 90 and
60 yenrs 20 wero between so and 10 years. wero be-
tween ~ and so years and were between so and 30
or this number 1877 had brown hair and l@3 had brown
eyes, 81 had black eyes and hair 40 had dark brown
hair and 49, had blue eyes, 40 had gray eyes, and l20
had gray hair and the others were ABOUT evenly
| divided, including dark brown, light. auburn, red,
blonde hair, ana blue, gray and hazel eycs. The
record shows that 325 were temperate, 81
! perato and that the habits OF u were unknown. Tho
number possessing good education Is registered as
81: those having but a fair education numbered 800
l27 could read and write and but 40 could read only
"a had no education. and the ability OF ~ was un-
! known: 1872 were red, lS7 single, and SO
widowed
Tho now dietary introduced in the asylum last year
has proved highly satisfactory, US Is SHOWN ny the de-
IN the death rate and the increased number OF
recoveries. The supply OF clothing has been Increased
! and the amusement hall has been in constant use,
tending the comfort ana amusement 0f tho patients
Three new paviions have been completed each having
an estimated capacity for sixty PATIENTS and the filling
In the marsh at the northern portion o tho island
has been entirely completed, conducting materially to
the health and comfort OF tho insane. The construc
ton OF macadamizcd roads has been continued, and
the bath been finished and was used last season.
An additional matron has been appointed, who with
the Others that the rules ana regulations for tho
government OF attendants are carried out Additional
attendants have also been appointed thereby securing
better care for the inmates. Telegraph communion
ton by OF bell signals has been established be-
tween tho main building ana tne resiaencs OF me
Workhouse and the Storehouse BY this means,
in case OF any sudden emergency requiring
assistance ut the Lodge or the Retreat, where
many OF the violent patients are admitted,
telegraph message can now be sent without delay Tor
aid Gongs have been placed In the Lodge and the Re-
treat in such way that attendants may be summoned
to any particular from I'LL parts Of either building
The office OF warden has been abolished and the ply.
stefan 10 charge is now Medical superintendent do
iacto as wei! de jure. The number OF Workhousc
helpers has been diminished, the urea OF the COOK
house has been increased, steam lire engine has
| been supplied in place OF the chemical engine pre-
v,ousy use, and competent man is in constant at
the cook house. and everything Is Kept In
readiness for service at u moments notice.
HORRIBLE DEN.
Tho Superintendent says concerning the Lodge
.sThis place, IN which the most excited, noisy and
violent OF the patients domiced built Tor the
and il is very poorly adapted us domice tor even
this number necessary to place no less than $50
patients within its walls by day tney annoy ana
excite each other, and al ninht single noisy
patient dsturbs many others and may disturb
! all the rest During the night Of tho LIST,
| the 18th and the Both OF November which had been
selected random Tor illustration, there was only
single halt hour OF quictude within the building. AT
all other hours enough was made by ono or more
patients to disturb the OF others. or the 226 pa
tents at the Retreat less than 100 sleep beds
made the floor In the corridor Of the 4l6 patients
In tho main building, lS6 sleep ON beds made up on
the floor With proper Accommodations for only 926
PATIENTS the institution actually contains $40, exclu
IA laava nj NH In
this connection to expaatc on tho evils attending this
state OF affairs II is enough say that 1t would be
inhumanty to crowd persons VINO are not deprived of
the of thor together In this wholesale man
ncr And yet the helpless insane are thus crowded
together The result that their chances OF recovery
are diminished; those who are incurable become
stupid through neglect and those VINO arc excited aud
noisy disturb each other until the excited wards
sometimes become a vcritabe bedam The most ex-
IRENE and constant vigilance In sanitary measures is
required to preserve the general health Ii this vigil
lance were relaxed for q few weeks only Irghtful
epidemic would surely ensue. Even with such vigil
lance fatal epidemic is At any time liable TO occur
The Doctor Urges the proper authorities TO make bet
ter provisions Tor the insane, and shows by figures
that at The present rate OF increase tho asylum in a
short Will be totally inadequate 10 contain all that
sent to II.
All the homework is done by the patients and they
are placed at other useful occupations.
EXPENDITURES
The cost of maintaining the asylum during the year
has been follows
Expended for provisions. $61, 445 60
Expended for clothing ana bedd ing. 12.3l3 rs
Expended salaries and wagcs........ Is, l54 50
Expended Tor drugs and liquors ........... 1855 33
Expended Tor nre. V,0tO %
Miscellaneous. s,443 ~
Total Sic, 1882 "a
The Medical Superintendent in charge is Dr. Ralph
L. Parsons who has been resident physician for many
years He Is looked upon OF the most expert
enced and trustworthy servants Of the department.
He is assisted by excellent staff OF i've physicians
ANOTHER LOTTERY RAID,