The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-02-06

THAT A1 y FfHeAuRlDnhNH mAAbWF9s tiHs
naetit should be attended to- but there ere still
| greater dangers.
We alluds e the i,nperfeetioDs In the locking
Of the cells, each Of them having speeisl aud
differently constructed lock and key.
| The committee are Of opinion that, In order TO
prevent alI possibility OF accident, the safae key
should open all the cells, In case the latter be
retaiued
The rnsle department Ia distributed and ar
| ranged in the same manner az the female, but
| We shall not dwell omit al present, as we intend
treating specially each department. In Its proper
| place.
Ia the yard adjoining The store-room we we're
| shown small house without front windows or
doors.
CELLS AND sonprAy CONFINEMENT.
We cannot attempt TO conceal the painful i'm
| gr ession we experienced when having reaGhed
| the furthermost extremity we found ourselves
| facing twelve black doors closing correspond
| ing number of bare cells eight feet la length by
only three in width and painted In black from
| tnp to bottom; devoid M these are oil all means
of ventilation, sBd receiving only the small cup
ply of air which passes through the railing above
| The doors and small railing windaW, they are
constantly filed With urinary exhalations, which
no amount OF cleansing can possibly remove.
| We wieh TO make no cotnuents but We eannat
| refrain from dwelling upon the suiferings which
might be entsiled upon the wretched ones i'm
prisened there In the cold days Of winter and
n the saitfy days OF sammsr.
! II is true the superintendent informs us they
remain there but few hours, but how about the
mapiaaIs who cannot be safely allowed to remain
In the ansin building. and who would thus be
compelled 10 spend the whele night there7 II
4 we now add that part Of the ground in front Of
/ the cells IL saturated with the water used for
| washing purposes, and which largely contributes
/ TO vitiate the surrounding atmosphere, we shall
have completed The painful picture Of q sad
reality which can be removed only by reform at
your hands.
The men also have their cells, which are similar
| TO the Others and whieh differ from them only
| By the fact of having gutter which carries off
| the water used for washing purposes.
| We most positively and uneqmvecay condemn
The use Of oeIls as contrary to the laws of hy-
| giene, ard az a punishment not proportonate 10
| the nature Of the offenses committed by the
invalids even were they to remain there but a
few hours. The committee would desire TO see
| solitary confinement system abolished, and that
| some ether depas tment Of the asylum be devoted
| f., rsyisg maniaes. who could readily be eonroll-
| ed by the straight jacket an effective means OF
| numpuleion used In all insane asylums.
| As compulsion s subject OF great import
| shce, and as the maaner OF applying ii he's given
| rise to much discussion, IL may not be amiss to
make few observations calculated to throw
1 some light upon the matter.
| According to the indisputable opinion OF the
best aeniets, il is agreed that thorough aud
effective org anzatinn ebviatss to great extent
the uee of oompusion, and that the latter de-
| ponds more especially upon the nature OF the iii
| ternai regulations they have also observed that
| from the day the number af cells diminished the
| use VI bne etEatEUt J6eHot FF0pofHOHHtiy 0e-
| creased and was only occasionally applied.
| The oommitte are OF opinion that this system
should be employed In preference to all others,
because 1t is neither painful nor dangerous, and
because when intelligently carried out In certain
| cases single keeper can control the most dan
| gerous mailman, who can then be allowed TO
move about the yard without any danger TO HIM
| self or to others.
| Moreover, the straight jacket has been gener-
ally adopted and used throughout Italy, Ger
| many, France and America. In England only
the ''to restrain" system Is In use, from which
letters aud the jacket are both banshed: it's adj
vantsges, to say the least, are doubtful, and is,
| at ali events, impraeteable in the present state
| of our asylum, since II requires too numerous
and expensive All attendance. Under the guise
| OF philanthropy 1t imposes q greater, more in
| jurious, and consequently more compulsory
| restraint.
As TO rooms lined with mattresses and rubber.
they are not to be thought OF for our asylum, ne
the construction OF the building will not allow
| them One more word: Useless and dangerous
| shower baths, handouts, belts, fetter OF all
kinds have been abosbe !, aud chains, the last
vesigs of ancient barbarsm, have everywhere
| disappeared.
| During the last visit the committee were panied
to gee two chained ipvslids-s man considered
| dangerous, and yet allowed TO circulate freely,
| and mad woman chained to window. This
sad state OF affairs should cease and the straight
| jacket be adopted,
Mild means, humane aud kind treatment, rem
|
! proved In the majority OF cases the uselessness
| and dangers OF solitary confinement.
| A part Of the fret story, occupied by the men
and the women, Ia converted into small dormi.
| tory. The second story s entirely devoted TO
the large dormtories.
| We shall make few remarks relative TO .he
cells in the FIRST story. One OF these a very
small one in fact, contains three beds, ii is
gloomy, and light and air penetrate into ii only
| through window which opens immediately in
front OF the privy. II should be condemned ns
hedMfd. aud the inmates lodged elsewhere.
This remarks also applies to the cells situated
near the dining room tables. II ia source Of
Inconvenience TO patients during their illness,
and, at the same time, a resi- nuisance TO those
| who are taking their meals.
DoRMlToRIEs.
| few words OF description are necessary In
order to q thorough understanding OF the nature
of the dormitores and Of their disadvantages.
The whole space covered by the dormitory ia
divided into compartments, which stretch in
equal lines on both sides. having al alley in the
middle; these compartments are made of wooden
beams aud plsnks nsiled to the floor and ceiling,
and are about three inches apart. At regular in
tervals are doors leading into cells containing
some Eve or six beds. Nothing can be more
gloomy nor more beartrending than these cells, 80
much resembling the cages OF wild beasts; 3 real
forest Of planks and pieces Of wood; they OBJ
struct the free circulation of air and light which
otherwise could be easily supplied by the numer-
ous0and large windows The lower portion Of
the whitewashed wall Is painted in black, and
this greatly adds to the sombre appearance Of
the dormitory.
It ia difficult for US to realize what led to the
adoption OF the system Of cells on such an ex-
| tensive scale, and even how it's necessity became
at all evident; nor can We understand the reason
why black paint has been 80 freely lavished on
all sides. II economy led to Its selection. it is
rather poor one; IL for hygienic purpose, Its
success is still doubtful.
Such large number of patients should not be
crowded in one place. regardless Of the danger
which might arise therefrom and Of the impair
ment Of general health.
The air which is there inhaled is heavy, and
impregpated with peculiar, indefnable odor
chiefly caused
l. By constant ammoniaoal emanations arising
| from buckets used as urinals. and permanently
located in the cells.
2. BY the mattresses Of doubtful cleanliness,
which might perfectly be considered as hot-beds
OF disease; and
| s. BY the coal tar paint on the walls, which
contributes fair proportion to the general aver