The New York herald., 1879-11-23
"A CRYING DISGRACE
Ill Treatment Of the Insane in
New York State.
THE UTICA CRIB.
A Barbarous Device for Restrain
ing Unruly Patients.
STRUCTURES OF MEDICAL EXPERTS
STRUCTURES OF MEDICAL EXPERTS
"The inspection Of Asyums, as at Present
Conducted, Farce"

l.. G. Spitzka, also prominent physician OF this
city. HERALD reporter called on DIR. Hammond
and requested expression OF his views on the
present condition of the insane asylums in the State
of New York.
"There has been great deal Of discussion among
the medical profession, said the Doctor 'in regard
to the manner in which lunatic asylums in this
State especially conducted although all the
asylums in the country conducted on pretty
much the general plan. As n rule the superin-
tendents are not fitted for their duties. They are
not conversant with the great advances tnat have
been made in anatomy. physiology and pathology.
Their work consists mainly in attending to the nan-
cia matters of the asylums looking after the farm
and electoneering with members of the Legislature
and politicians in general to keep their places. Aside
from that, patients badly treated. not only in
regard to their strictly medical management but
also in regard to their physical and moral manage
ment. There is an undue use Of physical restraint.
Patients put into seclusion in dark rooms. and
cdmsoles mutiers and worst of all, that barbarous
contrivance known the Utica crib. used in
restraining them These restraints are frequently
imposed by ignorant and brutal often with
out the consent of physician. These nurses some
times inhict corporal punishment beating fogging.
knocking down and stamping upon patients. When
forcible feeding is necessary on account of pa
tent refusing his food such feeding is often done by
these nurses no physician being present. In one
instance the roof OF lady's mouth torn out by
having apparatus thrust down her throat by
brutal nurse.
'The inspection of the insane asyums conducted
by the present Commissioner in Lunacy is farce.
The superintendents always know when he is CON-
ing and prepare for him. and in at least instance
the most brutal conduct discovered in insti-
tuition which he had inspected short time pre-
viousy and had declared to be in perfect order and
condition. AS a conseg guence of all this insane
asylums are far behind those Of Great Britain in
Of which restraint is often dispensed with and
there locks to the doors or bars to tho win
dows. The less restraint that is imposed upon
lunatic the less will he require it, restraint only
excitcs him. There are instances where during
surgical operation it becomes necessary but those
are Of occurrence. Restraint should be i'm
posed by aphysician and record made Of all patients
placed under restraint is required in all the Eng
nsh asylums.
CUT OFF FROM THEIR FRIENDS
"It is also great wrong that lunatcs very often
arc not allowed to correspond with their friends.
Every letter written by lunatic should be sent If
not to the party addressed at least to
authority who would determine whether it should
60 out Of the asylum. In England letter boxes are
placed in every asylum and the superintendent dare
not stop letter. He is not required to send 1t to
the person addressed. but to commissioner. In
this country an asylum is close corporation and
superntendents do they please. and poisoning
and the grossest outrages were committed near the
city OF New York and were not known to the public
until they discovered by reporter The medical
superintendent should be abolished. lunatic
asylum should DO organized the basis as
any other hospital. There should be q Of
physicians if necessary to look after the patients of
each institution. lunatc is sick man, not pos
sessed by a devil. At present asylum is ostensi-
bly, place for keeping patient safety, and gen.
orally he is not properly safely kept There
possible reason why lunatic hospital sheuld be
organized differently from any other hospital. and
until that reform is accomplished the grossest out.
RACES will be committed ard the public will know
nothing about them.
"The Neurological Society of this city has taken
up this subject and last winter prepared inemoral
to the Legislature setting forth the points have
stated. The matter referred to u committee
composed of Mr.. Goodwin. of Utica, and Mr.. Goebel
of this city, They went through the farce Of invit-
ing several of us to appear before them. We were
treated in one sided manner. The so-called exam
ination Was an outrage. The committee showed no
disposition to get at the TRUTH aud the superntend
ents had private interviews with them the day
before the examination. Tho superintendents
also present when examined. We
:, , - - ,
80 Ao".'os'' "i'nous" "o onoreu 70
oring witnesses 10 sustain our charges. The CON-
mittee excluded documentary .v,a.rc. ora ,v ~.
,uow,,, -. a. ,,a,,,. ...,... -, - -. -
-e ~ W eo 'os'Aony Wy co"Pe'ens
witnesses shut out nearly all the facts in our pos
session for we do not live in unatic sv,u,p. Soma
-. -, = a., -,
facts. however, We did know Of our own knowledge
We testified. for instance that of the superin.
tandents who had baep n x,arl ,,o,,,,.;., ,,,. -,
-, -, We" ~
pointed AZ reward ior MS pohticai services Ho
desired to go to the Legislature but this idea not
hahn, o,roe,hla IN tho ,,o,;t,c.t ,,ar.o..s 49,,
1858 " f A"eeA' anu
thero peihg no other oihce TOT hini' no was
made superintendent OF lunatic asylum
,o,..,,,,,,., ,,.r .x h,rar., ,,..,. ..u,.. r. A..
'@ ~ 90 ~ o" =" .'."'
institution outrages nave been discovered. The
committee since May last have not set red TO print
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A' A'Poi' 'e' i"""' ""e' "'o nv" so"o :"