Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1878-10-11
Report Of the Commissioner of the
Insane,
For the two years ending July ~, ISIS.

through you, the following report
Since the date of my commission have
visited the Vermont Asylum for the Insane.
at Braitleboro, fourteen times. not as many
as the law requires, but all that it provides
pay for The law requires tho Commissioner
to visit the Asylum once month, and often
err, if need be, and says that he shall receive
eight cents per mile for travel and three dol
lars per day for time actually spent, the whole
not to exceed one hundred and fifty dollars
per year. 1t is impossible to fulfill the re-
quirements of the law without you pay your
own expenses. One feels hardly able TO do
this when he is working for one SO able to
pay rs the State of Vermont.
My visits have been made at irregular in
tervals, and never but once has the Supern-
tendent, or any officer connected with the
Asylum, known of an intended visit These
visits, in some cases, have been made as oft
en- as every two weeks, and in others it has
been two months giving them a chance to
get matters ut loose ends if they were dispos-
ed, but l have never succeeded in finding
anything but perfect order and cleanliness
Everything seems TO be managed in a system
which gives no cause for wrangling and dis
cord. They are constantly making improve
ments by way of paint and new buildings,
as well as changing the old, the better to ac-
commodate the patients.
If these buildings were all down and new
ones to be built, some improvements might
be suggested. but We must bear in mind that
we have these buildings Oh hand and must do
the best we can with them. l do not wish to
be understood to say that these buildings are
unfit for use far from it. They are in good
repair and all the modern improvements are
being put in rs fast as their means will allow.
On the 49,. of February, 1877, the stable,
lgi h.tt
destroyed by fire, destroying their vegetables
which were in the cellar; also one ton of but
ter, carriages and harnesses, leaving them in
mid-winter with provisions destroyed The
Old wood She situated about twenty rods
from the Asylum, was fixed over into sta
BILE. On the site of the old stable fre-proof
building has been erected 19OxlO feet, two
stories in height; there is n nice cellar under
the whole of this One hundred feet in
length, on the first floor, is used as q tent
alley and gymnasium. Across one end. above
the gymnasium, is a billiard room with nice
table, present from Mr.. Chappell. a former
patient. In the billiard room is large read
ing table with papers from different sections
OF the State. The remaining 90 feet is occu-
pied as a store room for gas, water and heat
ing pipe. The second story is finished into
sleeping rooms for the farm laborors. with
closets, bath rooms aud steam heaters, with a
reading table and sitting room: these rooms
are made as pleasant and homclikc as posi-
Bile. The Old wooden building connected
with the Marsh building, has been torn down
and the yard enlarged to cover the ground.
In the yard are two large flower mounds. an
arDor with seats and next the fence are n mum
Der of rustic seats: also a crouuet ground.
This makes good airing ground for the pa
tients where they are protected from the gaze
Of passers by. The balls in the Marsh build
ing have been painted, and the arch-way
from hall to wing has been torn out and the
walls built up square This gives better light
to the wing and makes the halls larger Doub-
lie doors have been put into the ter of large
sleeping rooms on the front side of the Marsh
building, the upper half of the doors. glass:
this gives more light to the halls. and, in case
the patients should decrease in numbers.
these rooms would make nice sitting rooms
for the patients. Eleyatiug cupboards have
been made in each dining room which save a
great many steps to the attendants. The
main building has been constantly under re-
pair in some part of the building. Some Of
the halls have been painted and great many
sleeping rooms have been both plastered and
painted. No wall paper is used, pure lead
paint being the only thing used on the walls.
Traps are placed III all the closets and waste
PiPSSi PitNthAiAb IL ItluTu OI I'll lOul gases.
These keep the air free from all smell aud all
the closets throughout the house are clean
and free from smell New pictures have been
added and the old ones moved to other wards.
making them new all round. The system of
cooking has been entirely changed. All the
vegetables are now cooked by steam. This
keeps all fire out of the building except one
cooking stove and the oven for baking bread.
This stove is used for cooking extra dishes
for the sick. such rice, toast, chicken or
beef broth, &c These are all served from
this one stove, and one person has the entire
charge of It, so there can be no mistake
These are all served by the doctors order and
are under his direct inspection. Each hall
has one or more attendants, MS the case may
require, and oRch attendant is personally re.
sponsible for the care and management Of his
own hall. Each has q room opening directly
into the hall, and into a small sleeping room
used ms sick room. In this room the attend
ant can take charge of patient and watch
without disturbing the other patients Some
of the patients take charge of their own
rooms, and it is surprising to see what taste
some men will have about such things. in
many cases eNcelling the women. Each at
tendant is responsible for the care of his din
ing room. He has TO cat his meals in the
same dining room rs the patients this makes
a stimulus for each to keep things clean. The
old wooden bedsteads are being removed and
their places filled with iron ones. In many
pieces where the patients are neat the excel
sior mattress is thrown away and the woven
wire substituted, giving them the best bed
known. Some of the rooms are too small for
two beds, not allowing air enough This
would not happen if the State would nav n
living price for the board of her patients.
These rooms are well ventilated so there is no
real danger or suffering by this crowding.
CARE or THE SICK.
The arrangements for taking care Of the
sick are excellent and are well carried out.
The attendants take turns in watching. and
all the dishes that are pleasing to their taste
are provided, if they do not interfere with
the disease or treatment, giving them better
care and more constant attendance than is
provided in the ma ority of homes Wine.
and all kinds Of stimulants, if required. are
provided, and in fact nothing is left undone
which can increase their comfort and hasten
recovery. Kindness in all cases is demand
ed of the attendants, and everything is done
to make them feel at home
ACCIDENTS.
Mr.. Gibson, a man seventy-one years of
age, being very much excited, was placed in
a room by himself Some time in the night
he got up, and making a misstep, lie fell and
broke his right femur or thigh bone. at the
junction of the middle and upper third. He
was very much excited and his age, with con
dition being taken into account, the case was
considered bad one by us all. q was there
at the time.) This patient did well at the
end of two months the bone was firmly united
with but little shortening He had but one
small bed sore, but that yielded readily to
treatment. This patient gained flesh during
his confinement. Taking the age of the pa
tient and his condition at the time of frecture.
as well as the result obtained from the care
and treatment all into account, it speaks a
good word for the Superintendent and assist
ants
WORK OF PATIENTS.
All the patients that are not Frustrated by
their insanity, Except those that cannot be
trusted are allowed to work none are COM
PEELED; it must all be done freely Those
that are allowed TO work deem it privilege.
and some, that for good reasons, are not al
lowed to work, beg and tease to be allowed