The New York herald., 1877-03-17
THE CITY'S INSANE.
Ovcrcrowded Condition OF the 6Iackwe's s
Island Female Asylum.
AT DINNER IN THE LODGE.
The Main Buildias and the Psyiliens--Possi.
biIiiy Of an Epidemic.

ths fsmAie L1natic ANg um on hlsfk<eiis isisno.
shown by the Medical saperintsnassts report 10 tho
Commissioners % Charities and corrccti"r. coupled
with the short, but seksssns story ., shs Of
the inmates Of sbs Lodge ssssliary 10 she msin
irstitssion, Published "a Wednesday, HEEALp. has
attracted the asnton of hoasasds Of thoaehtfa peo
pie throughout the metropolis fhst aeplorsble
state Of Affairs should be pornsied exist ana that
too under The eyes Of ,ks propsr safhertcs and In
the shsdow Of QUE Of thv wrsthiest and enght-
encd cities Of The globe has tended make peoPe
feet. and ask " ~e not retrosradinE OF philan-
thropis,s and noble charues cay bas as fun
share. Societies tor the Prevention % Craeity to
Animals tor the Prevention Of cruelty 10 Children.
Tor suceosns the poor boxing The welfare
OF convc,s; bat h apparcnt ths, having for l's
object the proper and systematic visitation and o
the Guys insane wards exists, the Black wells
Island plague spot would have been pointed out long
ago. aud the authorities would have been permitted
TO rest day night until ecsier bualnrs aud more
suitable accommodations Tor this class provided
The Female Lunatic Asylum and sdiancss no~ con-
tans l.3e2 patents. or nearly 500 more than u VAS
originally intended to contain AL Of ns wards The
Pavilions the Lodge AMI the Retrea allied
with unoriunatcs, and of this number 2ss CON-
PEELED TO sleep beds made the nosrs Of the cor
ridors.
wmAr IN. PARSONS SAYS
When spoken TO yesterday concerning the present
condition OF the institution Dr. Parsons who has been
resident physician Tor twelve years, said
IL depiore our present situation much a. any
can, as have taken q deep intcresi la the asyum
and It's inmatox We have done about everything that
could, as you sec, to ameIora,e tho condition OF
those placed 10 charge and success under the
circumstances has been OF the na,ierps ssisrc
Our expenses havo been kept within bounds, and
think II has loss run the institution than has
MAINTAIN similar institutions IN other cities; Lnt
this, instead Of being help. seems 10 bc detrimcns
In moro than ono way, they say, " the Insane
Asylum bo managed Ia such economical
manner what Is the Of expendiny
more money Il or building s,hers" Tho
Commis ssioncrs OF Charities and Correction
have done all that lies within thcir power
the space for tho inmates to afford ircsh AR, vents-
ton, food and clothing, bus they have their bounds.
and 90 further Since the Tweed regime II has
been the stock in trade OF the politicians cry
form and 'retrenchmcnI' The cry has been
repeated elsewhere and where you In
my report say that II proper dcmcihary accommo-
dations provided tho cost for caro- and main
tenance would necessarily DO increased "a large
number Of buildings would have to be kept In repair,
persons would DO required for the SERVICE
the ratio OF attendants charge OF tho patients
would be Increased to tho proper standard"
ALL PATIENTS NOT rArrERs
The majority oil the patients DO not belong 10 the
paupcr class Eghty-two per cent OF those admitted
during 1875 and about tho same number during the
past year were OF this description, within any
proper meaning OF tho term. They had never been q
public burden previously on tho contrary many of
these patients belong to tho most industrious and pro-
ductivc OF citizcns, and not c~ of them
had formerly lived IN auence. Instead OF the low
o expenditure at city asyivms beng
is source of positive aud universal reproach on tho
part of those who are acquainted with the facts
know anything of what tho proper care Of the insane
should be. The nero statement OF the per capita Of cx
do get all they ought TO have whether o food, OF
domicary, o allowance, or OF all those requirements
together
KvILs.
Space Is required, and proper number Of intelli-
gent attendants absolutely necessary Ot the lat
ter, the asylum at present has good stan who have
quircd the second place 10 suitable buildings
Tor the accommodation Of the present number under
treatment, and for those who como alter them
II largo building should be put up wing separ.
ate building should be put up Tor tho special benefit OF
tho excablc and dangerous class that occupy tho
Retreat and the Lodge. It should be largo enough
be SO constructed that the windows Of the cells and
rooms should be In the wallis fronting tho
outside thus giving the patients fresh arr,
and carrying the away IRON The
building instead OF ng tho sound Of voices 10
be heard In the interior, now the case IN the Lodge
and the other buildings The coils should be wide and
airy. partial remedy lies IN the erection OF add.
tional pavions. They will do well enough, but tho
regular and steady such that hat would DO
sufficient modatc all the inmates for
would be insufficient Tor the year following Two new
which, together with mansard roof on the north
wing aflording more room, will materially help US.
the following table OF the increase in the number nd
mitted and the estimated number that will DO ad-
! mitted 70 the institution
PERCENTAGE INCREASE OF ADMISSIONS.
1 DSrrrn nf Iurps In IN.