The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-04-13
DiSgracelul Condition Of the Female Luz
matte Asylum on the Island.
A PICTURE OF HORROR.
Abuses and immortality Resulting
from Laxity OF Discipline.
THE REMEDIES FOR THE EVILS.

Public attention has been repeatedly directed within
the past months 10 the condition of tho several
Institutions charged with the and treatment OF
the insane which are supported from the city treas
ury and under the control OF the Commissioners OF
Charities and Correction. No subjecs appeals more
directly strongly 10 tho sympathes OF the people
Ut large than this question OF the management and
supervision OF the unfortunates who, from the
fold evils Of poverty and disease cut or completely
from their follow beings. The insane being as much
dead 10 the world II they had ceased TO exist they
ara placed absolutely In the power OF public guar
dams, who may may not justify the confidence
posed In them- In England, though the commital of
unatics was. and still Is surrounded by legal resric
tons and safeguards that were considered an almost
certain protection against abuses, at II was reserved
for that famous novelist Charles Reade, to expose in
English asyiums a system Of criminal Encouragement,
cruelty disregard tor all the rights and priv
ieges that human beings are supposed to possess in
civilized communities Once past the portals Of an
asylum the lunatc IL stripped Of even the right to
complain. No matter how slight may be the extent OF
his her disease the lunatics appeal for mercy
Justice against the abuses they may be subjected
would be taken only so many phases OF the dsor-
der uuder which they labored-n other words as hal
fluctuations. II IN European asyums, subject in.
Bpection by dsinlerestsd parties at all times,
wnere keen watch 10 kept on subordinate officials,
condition Of affairs been discovered in many that
caused a storm Of Indignation and disgust to al
most all over the world, It will not occasion surprise
that the public institutions for tho poor sup
ported by the people OF New York abuses aud i'm
proper management have existed and do exist Of
The gravest description, and that OF these
lions are Q disgrace to any civilized community.
In this article u Is not proposed to do than
touch upon the regulations governing the commital
OF insane persons This question has been SO clearly
and strongly discussed in the HERALD and in the
sixth annual report OF the Visiting Committee for
bellevue aud Other Public Hospitals'' to the State
Charities Aid Association that few extracts from
the latter report dated on the LIST OF last February
but two months ago. and which were published in
the HERALD. will 10 sufficient enable tho reader to
Judge of the scare" that OF those unfortu-
naies:-.
vosn patit nts has been aud 60 eproach 20
foul air gloomy aud da az they are patients should be
s % osd o The
cells with the parayxsd insensibe for days In
and on the l7th Of DsesmSsr she VAS still
there go
The usual iormalisies gone through for the adms-
sion Of the insane to the asyluns are iollows:-
The unatic is first sent to Bellevue Hospital and
placed OF the cells described above Ii the pa
tent very violent the examiners OF iunacy in the
Tombs are teleRraphed for but II not the doctor
not sent Tor until the orderly nurse charge Of
the cells at Bellevue thinks he has enough
simulated TO warrant sending Tor the DOCTOR" Even
whom there nave been vio:ent fanatics At
tbls place the doctor did not visit them in week.
The report above mentioned says in relation TO this
careessness and neglect:-
sonhned Ike with ainnkard should bs provided
with comfortable private quarters anu with medical
s,as Of .
the continually terryinF inc sick
When 1t 10 considered that this testimony 10 from
society composed Of the most resoected and best
known ladies la this city, II Will be AZ that
the abuses complained OF are grave and serious
BLACKwKLL's ISLAND.
Al the present tu.e The pAuper insane OF this city
are cared tor under the direction OF tho isson-
ers, IN buildings situated Backwsl's. Harts and
Wards islands. On Blackwsiis island all the iemae
coLfned rather crowded together IN tewive bund-
ngs OF the following accommodations aud present
Name Capacity. Containing
Nam building. 2dU SIS
Retreat. acknowledgements. 1v0 2lO
Lodge... ........... 10 100
Paviiions...- Observation-Disclosures. 450 $40
Totals. :. ;. SIC i.4s
From the above nsures, which nav. been procured
On the ISLANDS from the most reliable aud dii cot
sources. The capacity OF the buildings being gwen Ia
Charities and Correction, II Will be seen that Ago To-
male lunatics are kept IN constant confinement Tor
we'll known plan adopted IN every insti,u lion unoer
bLs commssion--lhaI Is, TO 'doube Ip'' the unior-
bunates In one instance This order has been refused
The aoctor on Harris Island declining TO accept more
patients than he had room Tor In the hospital under
n chI,g. s,1fa,ag 'msm 70 .n1 cy WIN their per-
fccts Of ovcrcrowding people. even IN health, has
been 50 often aud laia,iy demonstrated In the tone
ment houses oil this CITY mat - almost Incredible 10
tnnk that sucn an evil would be permitted 10 exist
unuer the eyes and with the cor sent OF medical OIL
GERS III charge OF these institutions.
As long 1908 Coinin ttee
ply examined the yum for female luna
tics BiackwclPs Island ana feported 10 the Com.
~ issioners as iolows:--
We found the various aud halls a most cieanIy
and sxesent condition 70 sr ~ care could make them
mittee 10 render u an possibility keep the patients
without exception in all the buildings ded
70 such an that Tue atmosphere At The time Of
proof ,tat few later would DO ioler~ble any
come ussnsbs q is ito but none tue less s.eepSie
% its aesterious effects. In most instances from three
i've patients pHced in intended only Tor two,
and which really In many owing 20 defcsnt ven.a
are GENERALLY pat In room not large enough for This
ss e.ss n The L1Sss ses n. wort i.
mates renter the a. 20 the last uesrss Offensive and highly
Tho above aescr ption exactly suits the present con-
diton OF Affairs, the only change being that at the
time the foregoing report was written maze and ic-
male Iunatcs were kept the same building, when
NJ present Is not ths Case
ISsryrcixSr ArTxxDAscE.
In the care aud management OF nearly fifteen hun
cred iunatics, all requiring careful medical supcrvi
sion and watching, put one medIea supcrinten dent,
Win four or nvs assistant physicians, IL allowed.
While ~ may be conceded That the physician IA
rhafgs OF the Institution IS expert 10 mental dis
sases and therefore well qualified 70 treat such cases,
bbe same Cannot ue SAID his ASSISTANTS, wuo
general rule recent graduates IN medicine and uc
rept such appointments, for whsn they receive
no compensation beyond th,ir mere support IN order
~ study this particular branch tneir profession
The consequence 10 that ~ soon the assistant
physicans acquire practical knowledge OF the treat
hent OF insanity they leave and tue Inmates OF the
city lunstic ssyiums receive but little benefit
from their Attendance. II these men were paid Just
and moderate compensation Tor tncir services II
would be an Indictment TOR them 10 devote more OF
thcir time 10 their chagss. According 10 tho rules
Of the female lunac asyiumn the resident pny scian
makes visit each DAY: HIS assistants Woodworking
anu eveLtng
Now IL taxes but little calculation TO estimate the
amount Of time that be spared 10 each when
900 have TO be looked TO, ana even supposing that
but one hall the patients required exainnativn, or
70 be looked NJ, u Gan DO seen how utterly nm
possible II would be- iVr any one nun 70 accomplish
such task--and the conclusion Is irrcsIstiDie that
Inc daily visit Of the residcn physician Is but ior
malty. II such 10 practically The case, aud the
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