The New York herald., 1877-03-17
PERCENTAGE INCREASE OF ADMISSIONS.
Percentage Of Increase. Estimated according TO In.

Should these figures bc verified. OF which event
there To be no doubt judging from tue past, The
asylum will contain many inmates In five years as
contained in all the State asylums.
THE LODGE.
or all the buildings devoted TO the shelter aud
treatment of the female insane or the metropolis
the Lodge, adjoining tho main structure, is tho
most repusive TO tho eye archtccturaIy aud other.
wise. II stands alone short distance IRON the East
River, tho facing Astoria. II Is three stories
high is of stonc peculiar TO tho island and bears
general resemblance to tho other buildings IL has
been standing many years. and, despite the addition Of
paint and repairs looks what It Is, vcrtab'c bedam
tcrday II contained $50 patients, or just cighty.iour
more than It was built to contain IL
is IN this gloomy structure that pandcmonium
seems To be let loose at all hours,
night and day OF yels and uncarthy screams
rent the air before the door was opened, but they
seemed mild compared to those that greeted tho
OF the visitor upon cnterng Oh the irst floor Of
the Lodge number of women with hidcous countcn-
anccs stood gazing out OF tho grated windows, while
others roamcd up and down the cOrri1or bowling and
tearing their hair lew. probably tired out IRON
their previous cxctions sat on the floor swaying their
bodies to and fro
When the dinner table was in readiness, the attend
ants, OF which there two fcmac) on each foor,
took the manacs by the arm and led hem TO their
seats Before them were tin bowls each OF which con.
taned stcamng soup. tin platter stood beside them,
but knives or forks were visible When questioned
the attendant repied:-
''lf knife or fork ever got into OF their hands
thorc would bo a murder NO, that wouldn't do "
Tho patients ate their food ravcnousIy, mutcrng In
cohcrently while boIting 1t down. Now and then one
woud cast ncrce SlanCes at the attcnuan VINO stOou
dpper in hand at the head Of the table, but n look
from her sufficient, and no outbreak followed An
other attendant was within calling distance. IN readi.
seize the first who proved refractory. In all
such cases tho delinquent Is caught firmly by the arms
and Is borne to a cell and locked IN until her passion
has subsidized Not word Is uttered to them nor Is q
display Of anger on tho part OF those whose duty IS
with them allowed.
The patients quick at perception, aud the ieast
evidence OF fear or altering taken advantage OIL and
Is only by quickness and rmncss on tho part vf the
attendants that deadly omeutes have been prevented
Az tho conclusion of the repast which embraced roast
meat, potatoes and bread besides soup, the strange
dinner party broke up and the partcipans adjourned
10 the corridor, where they began anew TO make day
hcous by their discordant yells. Along tho corridor
a row OF thirteen cells each about four foct IN
width by eight IN length. In the rear aud little
higher than a mans head wns ventilator, about
eighteen inches IN length by three inches IN width
leading into open space that begins somewhere 10
the cellar has outlet ut the root Th,s channc
takes of the offensive odors from the cells OF caci
OF The three floors and acts as medium
for conveying sound throughout the building Thus
restless patient, when locked IN hcr csll annoy
all the night. and II sometimes happens tha
when one breaks out In screams or yells tho Key
taken by the whole, and the helish noise waited out
ward on tho still air has even been heard In
~ Astoria, which is nearly mile away over VI