The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-02-06
N discuss and accept from an economical stand


Finally, last plan has been presented to us
by the Mayor, who told us that he could secure
for the asylum a number OF sisters, whose
zeal, charity and administrative habits would be
precious to the patierts. But previous to your
accepting this proposition, We shall remind you
that in lis present condition, the internal distr
button ofthe asy tnm could not afford them de-
cent lodging, and that in order to avail your
selves OF The advantages they offer, you would
have to build small house for their exclusive
use.
Rest assured that we have had no intention of
laying blame and responsibility ut your door, in
exposing, the sad condition of the insane Asylum
to its full extent.
We owe you the whole truth, because You are
worthy of hearing it, and you 6esrous Of do
ing good and destroying evil by means Of wise
reforms. We are happy to be able to Say that in
spite Of great difficulties and very limited means,
the administrator and superintendent of the
asyltm have made all possible attempts to i'm
prove it. Ii their success has not been greater,
it is because they had to struggle against the
many errors of former days and the blind rou-
tine imposed on them. In order to bring about
reaction, they would have needed material
resources and knowledge of very speciaSkind,
neither of which they possessed.
If we have dwelt at length on the defects, in
oonveniences and dangers presented by the gen.
eral distribution Of the building, and on some ap-
parently minute Details our aim was to establish
evident facts heretofore unknown. LII was the
only way of showing the reason OF our demands
We
are obliged TO revert in order to explain the pres-
ent state of affairs, are numerous: Haste in
transferring patients to an old building long be-
fore condemned and in no manner fit.
ted for their reception; absolute ignor-
anoe of the rules to be observed in
the distribution of the asylum, considered by
d,ieniss part of the treatment; the extraor-
binary omission OF an inhrmary, want OF preoau-
ton for the furious manlaos and the selt-fOung,
are 80 many proofs that the conception was an
,;rn1 1v,n To- ntp nd r.
self worthless az to the special needs and re-
quirements of an insane asylum. According to
European aliepists, comfort and luxury are justly
regarded as necessary and not as superfuous;
their sumptuous asylnms are constructed by the
State at great expense and loudly proclaim the
truth of our assertion.
To progress and to have fruitful improvements
at present and in future, you must solve the
question ss to whether the asylum shall be tenn
porary or permanent.
IL You decide to make it temporary, certain i'm
provements should be made according to what
We have suggested above, and, ii possible, you
would do we'll to carry them ont. Cd
Ii, on the contrary, you decide in favor OF pes
manency, you will have to incur immense e4-
peose without attaining your end. La this oase
the best improvement would BIZ to abandon the
asylum and to build another with greater quail
foations of salnbrity and hygiene, and the city
cannot undertake this for the present.
Our task is done; but We do hope that our labor
will not be lost, and that our appeals will be
needed. The administration having thus &C.
CURED additional information, will be able to
labor zealously in the field Of the improvements
of all kinds which constitute the tout ensemble OF
requirements best adapted to the care of patients
whose reason 10 not lrrevocably lost, and to rem
der life more bearable to those who are con-
demned to remain there forever.
The committee now have the pleasure OF re-
turning thanks to the Administrator and Super
intendent for their courtesy and readiness in
giving all required information and for the good
zeal and will with which they have abored 70 bet
ter the lot Of the unfortunate persons contided
to their care
CHARLES TURPIN, D. P,
JOHN J. CAS- fELLANOS, NJ. D.,
@. J. BICKHAM. M. D.,
l. L. ORAWCOUR. NJ. D.,
E. s. LEWIS, M. D.
document No. IL
Number Of patients in City Insane Asylum,
whose families could take charge Of all OF them
being in easy circumstances
Mrs. Mary Rice.
Mrs. Louisa Reineke.
Mrs. Perez.
Mrs. Pujol.
Miss Henrietta Lafond.
Miss Nina Weage.
VIM. e. Frazer.
VIM. Altman.
Paul Berger.
julius Levy.
Frank Hoffman.
Felix Rouquette.
Louis Cornet.
Frank Lyons.
Mrs. Nd. Lefebre.
HENRY D. MoNIER,