The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-04-22
INSANE PATIENTS.
Treatment in the Blackwell'S Island
Female Asylum.
ALL E ED ABUS Sc S.
Charges of Cruel Practices by the In
competent Nurses.

IN o recent article published n tee HERALD alien
ton was directed to the condition and manage
ment OF the asylum for insane females
Blacgwells Island, one OF the institutions IN
der the control OF tue Department OF Charities
and Correction. In this asylum, the largest In the
Stale, the dreadful effects Of ovcrcrowding were
pointed out and the maby grave evils resulting from
such condition referred to. One OF the principal dl
cuities OF arriving at correct knowledge OF the
tua and everyday state Of Institutions for the
Is that as general ru!c tie officers, rcm the highest
Official down 10 the helpers directly Interested
In keeping from the public any Information that
would in any way reflect the management 1t Is
to tho disinterested visitors then Who having moth
ing in view but the welfare Of tho unfortunate
inmates OF those places. that tho public must look
to Tor exposing the abuses and disorders that undoub
edly exist.
STRANGE DoINGs
Tho reporter Of the HERALD in conversation with
one OF the lazy visitors of the institutions Black
wells Island, obtained this statement OF things thai
occurred 10 her knowledge and in her presence
well as OF other lady visitors: -"Whlle visiting
OF the main halls at the Female Lunatic Asylum wa
heard loud noise In OF the rooms, and in a
moment alter one Of the fortunate lunatics sud-
denly ran out OF The room screaming, entirely naked
and was chased by the tho length OF the
ward and finally captured ana taken into OF tho
rooms On our inquiring into the we found that
the nurses werc douching this insane woman with
cold water This during the winter months, aud
the weather very cold"
This Is the statement OF a lady who has Tor years
been constant visitor to the island and who la
bored very hard to improve the CONDITION OF the in
mot OF all the institutions. This lady strongly
complained OF another system that has been and was
last winter in force this asylum. She states that
"during the coolest weather, and when the ground
covered with snow, the insane women confined in the
Retreat, which IS tho most distant building from tho
cooking rooms. are Obliged 70 take food 10 and from
the two buildings, and that these had othor
covering on than thin uniform dress, and were
without stockings underclothng. Such customs and
utter neglect like this have sent large number OF
these untorsunates to their graves"
VISITORS COMPLAINTS.
In q paper handed to the reporter, entitled. ga
Communication to the Mayor OF New York IN Re-
gard Official Charities OF the city" made by the
Commissioners OF the state Board OF Cnariiie s. mo
following extracts are given from the report OF the
Resident Physician OF tho asylum tor 1877
The Institution much below the average standard
Of IN In p,Syo. made tor The care and ca
Ing the ist 10Th 3oth which
h.ys ossn selected a. random Sr a.
Nil other hours noise enongh made BY
in this connection expaate attending this
,s Of to % TO I ha Tor x. n
together In this Wholesale manner. Ana yet the
that their chances for recovery are those who
who excited and noisy disturb each other until
sa WARDS a sss9%s "a The
is required to the general heah II this
Would surely Even With such va"es sp
denic Is At any time liable to occur.
The above extract taken from OF the reports OF
tho department shows that tine terrible evils existing
at present arc not unknown TO the authori,ios rho
charged with inspecting this as well as the other in
stitutions under tho charge OF the department
plain that every effort on their rt has proved rut
taking place under their eyes.
BRUTAL ATTENDANTS
i Tho following uccvunt OF u case OF cruelty ana
criminal abuse OF Que Of the wrctched patients 10 this
rnsItutiou from tho lips OF person who has been
the Female Lupatic Asylum :-"Eig6tern months
| ago." says Tho informant, IA woman In
well enough TO DO discharged from tho
quarters III no main building and placed In tho
paviIons She was ordered 20 20 incrc by on. OF mo
| nurses duty. and OF her room WITH.
| out all her clothes. Tho woman told tho nurse she
wanted her clothes, aud the nurse refused to give
them 20 her On the patient insisting that she sho uId
get her clothes the nurses forced her along the
not beng abe to get The patient the attendants
| along When the stairs were reached they showed
her down. In this operation they either jammcd tncIr
knees into her back or, es the visitor sad. likely
kicked her. The unfortunate patient, who was ro-
covering. after tins trcatment connned bed
Tor several weeks and never got over tins brutal
treatment IRON ELECTS OF wncn sho Is now slowly
dying In tue hospital ward oil the This pa
lient laDoring tho time only under tendency
TO suicide, the history OF her case being that sho
was engaged TO be married. aud her lover died, amer
which sae twice attempted to kun herself Sac was
meancnoc but In all other respects But Tor
treatment she received she would nave been dis
charged cured IN short time, aud place OF being
now slowly dying In madhousc. would be, IN all
1 probaointy. comfortably settled with iric .dss
The story OF the Treatment OF tDls unfortunate is
| enough TO chill ones very blood How much better
ishi II have been II her Trends had left her 10
take chances IN the great world outside oil this build
ing sue now lies dying in Sent there by those who
her oil No Aor an
were la store Tor one they vainiy hoped would soon
| be we'll, she will soon pass away anu nor name and
history be forgotten. How many more un Nor
have tho iato IL Is hard to tell Should shc
have no friends her name will be only Of the many
that are lost forever IN pauper's grave
WATER cuREn
Without exception In all pubic lstitu buttons water ia
looked upou excellent means OF keeping the w..
| mates a clean and healthy condition Ia correc-
tional establishments the usual sysiom is to bat no
tnem on their entrance In tho Asylum Tor tue re-
adopted, but In tho after OF the patients by
water the nurses, according 10 the testimony OF
sponsibe persons, have quite peculiar views on this
subject, holding thai Is Just well to pathe ire.
quentlv man, as ilIteen OF tho inmates. many OF
tnem very nitby, IN the same water until IL becomes
unlike over diluted pea soup To this rather Pc
culiar system the unfortunate patients arc forced
submits Tor unless they very powerful the attend
mako them obey. This disgusting aud disgrace.
| fuI treatment OF women. many II whom nave been
taken from comfortable ana respectable homes OF
course In done unknown to tue physicaDs ana at
times when they are hot Masking their visits. Ono
times covered with thick green scum; aud. IN
oDc instance, negroes refused To 20 into bath oi
this descr pton snd roasted tho attempts OF The at.
PENDANTS to orcc her to do the beng CON-
promised by promising no colorcd woman tho last
bath aud clean water While suon treatment IS alb.
horrent TO every idea oil dcccncy and cleanliness
stili worse abuse 10 directly connected with this
TEN OF bathing the insane. IL IL, according to yIs-
tor the common practice OF the nurses OF punishiug
their patients by holding tncr heads under water
while tney were being washed. Bathing IN nltny
water Is Dad enough, but for tho brutal attendants
abuse aud punish the unortunates under thor aDso
lutte control and care VA this way Is repusivo and
= disgrace TO those over them.
IssuPficiKSr rood.
Repeated complaints have been made from time 10
time Ms 10 the quantity anu quaty OF tue food sup
Piled to tho inmates 0t the Female Lunatic Asylum.
the State Comm ssoncr IA Lunacy, IN letter 10 tho
President OF tho Department OF Charities and Correc
ton in 1875, calls attention TO the food and that
II dclcnnt both quantity aud quality. .'Ihe ony
hope OF recovery lies IN rebuilding the foundation
upon winch all mental power depends Tor expression
and this only be obtained through generous aiet
long and regularly adinnistcrcd. Uniess II be done
they (unatIcs) soon drilt into chronic state whose
/ dur Al "A ms INV " ~.