The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-12-19
SEEKING A REMEDY.

MEETING OF CITIZENS AT COOPER UNION TO
PROTEST AGAINST THE INJUDIcIoUs TREAT
MENr OF THE INSANE -ovERcRowpED AsY-
LUMs AND INSUFFICIENT AND INCOMPETENT
ATTENDANCE DENOUNCED.
meet,u to consider the evils alleged to exist in
the of the insane in this city and State held
last evening at Cooper Union. The hall was
we'll filed with ladies and gentlemen. among
tho latter being number Of prominent
physicians. Tho addresses dwelt on the necessity
OF careful scientific treatment Of the insane. and
criticised in several instances. tho general manage
ment OF insane asyiums in the State. Resolutions
were passed favoring the appointment Of lunacy
commission to permanently supervise the insane
asylums. George William Curtis presided, and
that the question of the treatment Of the insane
was of the most important that could engage
public attention. The reform instituted by Pinnei
had steadily advanced to the present day. 1t en-
braced, necessarily. the Advancement in medical
science, improvements in the curative art and a
thousand details OF Standardization. I'm this city
and State 1t is duty" he continued. ITO
know whether the treatment of the in
sane has advanced with the progress OF
MEDICAL science. This meeting is to initiate
the stops of such inquiry. There
are in tho country about ffty thousand insane
people under the public and in this State prob
ably nine thousand. New York city In three years
has paid hve-twelfths of the taxation OF
the State for the erection or asylums aud
maintenance of patients. 1t is our duty to know
whether this vast expenditure is wisely directed.
The State Board Of Charities declared In its annual
report that the condition of the chronic insane In
the poorhouses of this State requires immediate
relief. Specialists who have studied the treatment
OF the insane at home and abroad unite In COM
planning of abuses that should DO remedied, and
claim that there should be- form OF that govern
mental supervision which is carried on In England
with such success. letter was read by the chair
man from Dr. Willard Parker undressing the objects OF
the meeting and letter from b. t. Jewell. OF BOSTON,
The Rev. Henry W. Bellows, ID. D., criticised the
inassing together OF insane persons the
tom in asy lums, and said he visited asylum
but that lie wondered how any could be cured
OF insanity in It. He could not conceive OF place
more likely to exasperate and irritate insane
patients than the society Of persons IN similar
mental condition. He thought the hggreRa-
ting Of the insane was the greatest Diff
superintendents Of the asyluns Of the State should
solicit lcast be willing to have the strong cal
cum light of the keenest criticism turned into the
Utmost crevices OF their management. "Wo need
Lunacy Commission. composed Of experts OF recog-
nized skill, who should be permanent. and form
body In whom the State has perfect conn dence
CARDS the treatment OF the nino ten thousand
lunatics in public and private asylums In this
State"
The Rev. Richard H. Storrs ID. D., spoke first Of
the increase In the number of Of insanity and
the tendency OF insanity to run downward In
Dor OF in general medical practice WINS
constantly rising, but Il was not In the treat
ment Of the insane. "In tho Kings County Lunatic
Asylum" continued the speaker (which consider