The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-05-06
Further Discussion Of Their Pres.
ent Treatment.
DR.. HAMMoND'S VIEWS
Shortcomings and Abuses Of the Blackwell's
Island Institution.

this vcxcd question Is OF Importance In order that the
condition Of affairs OF this institution may be
known The Commissioners in their answer 70 the CON-
plants made against their management OF the ests-
lshmens undcr their care, but more particularly the
asylum for women Blackwelps Island, stated that
all was being done for the insane hat possible
with the limited means their disposal and that II
would be impossible to change materially the present
management Of affairs without more monoy. AS this
more or less directly places the responsibility
of the abuses arising for want OF means on tho Board
Of Apportionmsnt, who. the Commissioners claim,
cut down their estimates for salaries Sl30O0 and for
supplies $4,000. the views OF the different members
Of the Board OF Apportonmens were obtained on the
subject, and are given below
MAYOR ELy's VIEWS.
'Mr. Ely. the Commissioners Of Charities and Cor
rection state that much OF the trouble in relation TO
tho insane Blackweh'e Island is due TO want Of
money, and that tho Board Of Apportonmcnt reduced
their estimates the lowest possible figure; what Is
your opinion ~ was asked Of the Mayor.
"The estimates OF the Department OF Charities and
Correction reduced, well as those Of all the
other departments. Thor estimate was cut down
more than favor o." AS
s.Can the Commissioners obtain any moro funds
from the Board Of Apportonmenta"
"Undor the laws We cannot give any more money
after the yearly estimates are once adopted. Some
unexpcnded balances might be got during the summer
a temporary place for the keeping Of insane
patents al Bellevue Hospital who arc await ng ex I'M
ination and transfer 20 the Island"
"what Is your opinion TO the present condition
affairs the lsand?"
81 think that the Commissioners doing all they
possibly with the limited means At their disposal.
visit tho Islands frequently with foreigners OF dis
tinction, and they surprised how vol tho inmates
OF these institutions kept az such low Agure."
Has the Board Of Apportion ment considered any
plan emedyng the present overcrowded condition
OF the female unatic asylum" [
eyes; 1t was nrst contemplated by the Board TO pro
cure farm in tho country for certain class OF tho
insane but In tho present financial condition OF the
city the taxpayers would not stand the expense"
sDo you consider that any change In tho present
system can be accomplished within q reasonable
tlms2n
.As far as any general alteration in tho present sys
tom is concerned nothing be dono This year."
sHave you read tho charges published in the
HERALD against the present management Of the 70.
male lunatc asylum ~
~ have not II any charges como officially 10 my
knowledge that tho Commissioners not giving the
Insane tho amount OF food they state 10 their dot
scale shall cito them before and investigate into
the matter.''
COMMISSIONERS WHEELER.
Tax Commissioner Wheeler Is q member and ecre-
tary OF the Board Of Apportionmcnt In answer 10
inquiries gave the writer the Official transactions OF
the Board relation TO the estimates OF the Commits
sion Pubic Charities and Correction for the
rent year. which were az foliows:-
Salaries. .......... -. :. ss67 0a6 90 s2e5, 600
Supplies. 7,8'42 90 500 ooo
their estimate III: commss,onors asked for spe
c,a appropriations 10 the amount OF SlO2 900 for CO
for the outdoor poor and support Of the same $2o
OF chdren transferred from Kandalps Island
and $1,000 lor an extension 70 bellevue
each Of these applications they increased tho
amount asked supplies from $776 SO TO $500 900
and included IN It the expenses Tor the outdoor poor
fund aud Tor the support OF the children from RAN
dall's Island The estimate for salaries Tor the de.
parment $50 900 that for the year
1877 OF the statements OF tho officials OF
The department that u was absolutely necessary 10
amounts amount Seins, for Is7 s2es ISIS sos but
even with this increase the estimate OF the Commls-
sioners OF Charities and Correction reduced about
80 900 The aggregate reduction IN all items for 1873
1877 was about $50. 900. This total amount Of
81 900 was sonsdorei By the Board Of Apporton.
sufficient Tor the maintenance OF all the insttu-
lions under tho department
now APPROPRIATION WAS APPLIED.
One OF the most Interesting facts shown by tho
above figures Is that the Commissioners received
$40 900 Tor salaries moro this year than they did last
year. II now remains 70 be seen how far this appro-
prat,on has been used rccva the great and press
ing need OF nurses and attendants at the Female
Luuatc Asylum on Bisckwclrs Island. While u IL
that several nurses have beer added 10 the stan
OF attendants al this asylum, still the object Tor
which this extra amount gwen mas not been fully
carried out. namc appoint sufficient number OF
women TO properly caro- Tor tho insane and in this
way 10 do with ono OF tho greatest evils of the
present management. for owing TO the insuilicient
DO given the unfortunate inmates Of this insiIu.
Ton.
expressed the OPINION that the Comm ssioDcrs ere
dong all that lay ~ their power with the limited
means, and that steady Improvement was being
made in inc caro- and attention paid to the patents ia
the asylum ana that the alterations now beng made
would greatly tend 80 remedy many Of tho troubles
complained OF. II was also his impression that Tor
the money spent the asylum on Backwcs Island
compared favoraoly with many like institutions
by mo Comptroller 10 relation 10 the csiimates
OF tho department. were the as
TSs sSn nS c .sySn o;
the insane are the most responsible duties thrown
h e,epv placed therein should reeevs
kind and proper treatment, but also that tho highest
possible percentage Of recovcros should DO obtained
oil the burden OF cost.
DIR. ". A. mAaaoxps STATEMENTS.
The following are the statements made by DR.. W. a.
Hammond, professor OF diseases OF the mind and
nervous system, on the present condition ana Inn
provcmen,s necessary at the female unatic asyum:-
"Whas Is the lowest estimate per capita that is
proper fcr maintaining asylum for the insane ="
III do not think insane persons should be kept at a
less expense than any other hospital patients On the
contrary, the character Of thclr disease such
necessarily TO require greater care. assIduons
nursing and an increased allowance OF what the Eng
lisn very properly call medical comiorts.' In add-
ZION many OF them require carriage exercise, all OF
which entail exnonsc.n
.'Wha IN your opinion, should DO tho lowest al
lowauco for food per day for cach inmatcf"
Il do not SEQ how insane patient can be fed for
any less sum than auy otner hospital patient. Tho
insane are. must OF them able bodied persons and
qurc as much food az well persona IN ordcr that re-
covcry may be more readily assured the system must
be welt nourishcd. do not think that the require
mcnis ia the way Of food be provided Tor less than
thirty cents day."
VIVA, you think Of icodng insane patients at a
cost OF twelve cents day"
III think that keeping the insane nj an expense OF
twelve cents a day only rs mUn5troue cruelty 10
them and an outrage against society,"
What Is the Proper ratio OF nurses Tor the In
sanefo
"rhe proper ratio Of to patients In insane
asvum should not DO less than one 70 ten, with pro-
vision tor increasing this Ia special cases. There are
Insane patients evory Que ol wnom should have a
uurse ana others who merely require no moro than
slight Watching"
"What is the proper system for procuring good
nurses, aud what Is about proper remuneration Tor
bc mr. nj