New-York tribune., 1879-12-19
THE PROCEEDINGS.

meeting Cef Justice Davis. Dr. Willard Parker
William +. Dodge. Dr. C. Il. Aenew. Dr. W. II. Draper,
the Rev. Dr. Taylor Felix Adler Eli beth Ihompson'
Orange Judd. George II. Putnam. A A. Low. George 3
Coe. Thomas C. Acton John ]. Cisco. Francis C. Bar
low, Peter B. olney. Peter Cooper. ChefJus'ce Daly
the Rev Dr. Howard Crosby and many other persons
most of whom were present
TAe suggestions OF the Committee OF Arrans sements
which were proposed for discussion The propri-
ety memOriaZing the State Legislature for the e.
;sblshnent Of permanent Board OF Commissioners IN
Lunacy; the formation OF National Lunacy Reform
Association better accommodations FOR the insane and
the appointment; and payment OF medical stats In all
tine insane asyums. by the State; suoh
change the law Will make 1t more d ihcuit tnan
i1carccrate sane people III a-y dms temporary ue
trntion Of patients apparently OF reay aeuelY nsahei
commitment Of insane persons only on certificates OF
physician. VINO have been examined by the Lunacy
Commis-ou female physicians for the female wards; {;
uperlntendeuis of asyums t. be examined and ap-
pointed soey upon medical ability and personal char
acter and that hospital shall contain more than 200
durable insane persons AT one time. There we're also
MINOR reforms suggested, -ucn right OF correspon
deuce the insane; the privilege Of consulting ply
sicians, better food. etc.
some OF the speakers were careful not to commit
themselves all these proposed reforms but all agreed
that publicity and discussion regard 10 the treatment
OF the insane were very important
ADDRESS OF MR. Curtis.
Curfis. VINO spoke n follows:
LADIES' AND GENTLEMEN: As l have been requ s-ed
90 PRS be Al ths meeting 10 is but fair that should
sag something OF the intention Of the assemDage TIE
character gentlemen who have signed the call s
both of the gravity and OF The sincerity OF
this meeting II the purpose OF instruction ana
inquiry upon one of the most important and pahoiic
subjects that can engage the public attention
Lord snaftesbury tten Lord Ashley, known rs " the
pn. .autlropc nnbieman" aud h0noraby 80 known, L.
mOging in p rliament the resolution thirty years ago
which led 10 the formation OF the English LunacY Com
missru descr bed the the most helpless II nos
the most sfiic ell. OF the human. race. IL L.. how
ever. among the greatest trlumpns OF humanity
In century rch in these triunphs that the
car. ~ the insane everywhere has been so greatly
improved. r. Is now very near the completion OF orc
hundred years s.nce the first movement was made iy
Phihppa Pluei IN France. He tie friend and suc-
cessor m the academy OF the great Cuver And Pne.
xth joan Howard. Is TO- oe ,o n'mFG @al, anTbc T5c
The great D-reiaciors o, tne worm, IL A1e N
condition Of TIE prisoner at tins time IN
10 CONCEIVE and vet the cruelty OF nus situation rotung
in tu0se county iils. avenged ltsen M draA fds en-
ug upon the prisoner 10 reached ont from Ills "aths me
Ce aru slew Oy coutaglon the Chief Justice upon Tie
bench and fhD lawyer ai tAc bnr. 80 ...
TLev were outclsts and aliens; they Were cnainrh,
Gagged ana Win the dread that euvroned them they
oner a never see picture OF christ, the COnsoler
OF every kini reaching out their hands in gratitude,
o. Tie great Englishman no sIo cd mat IA minister
Ing 20 te least and most deserted OF HIS children t"'y
were minls,ering also to me Ma.trr, ,, conc
Now reform of Puel hae .ically adNahctu some
ts. II has embi dccd IN lls course H'cr9'-W W h ''S
advances ~ medical sctncr; 10 tas cu1rh',n IN lt az
th, improvements IN te clr"t.y sri' .nu ~ ,l' i
cent embrace also are mtiuleu '",ls"Nu . ".,a4-s
OF aduIuistratOu the SELECTION Of medical si-iarfs
sunless con- nirrv whir my dies even rae security or
fae cluz.u. II exrerds sta further io tie econonca
asy um. 10 tie bu!ldiug, 10 the arrangement oI tAe
build ng 10 the distribution Of the patients, ana
found tlat the pcrpctuy o. the reform ln me urA
o rhe iDsiue l. largely due 10 system OF -oN'H
IN rta -uperv H. .npepcncent, thorough coupIene-
sIv courage MS always ready system winch tracn,s
r ,rs9nr maj sbr, he rai, II th, s-yiun co.-~
moi ike The terrible gate ol Dlhte which sAui ont py
and suut despair. Ou Thar under tnat h'atiu sys-
re19 shall ne rather easily upon 10, hinges aud
maintaining intercourse alwav- win The outer Nurli
Now ladies and grutemrn tnis ~ m hri't ana without
dela general scope Of the reform OF t'e ast cen
furv II naa been earned very mucn iurhcr IN some
countries than It Is IN this. In tins couniry, IN ths
STATE. ih- city. 1t - our duy 10 know wnelurr our
insane receive benefits of all the Improvement OF
all the advances, and tie advantage OF meutoL
been anywhere else IN the world acquired This
meeting. A. understand IT, l. 10 ns mt the nat
steps 81 such an luq lY In the IN on az .nc pios'
time estimated that there are 10000 insane p'r
cons ne largest part Of whom are under public care m
the state OF New-lOrk there are pr.naDl s,OVv gu"
persons. During ne as ten years the STATE oil i"
three asyluns and ~ NE enlarSeme.t OF ~ano,He., ~
Nfnn inese asylums AZ the presen. tme llete az. a.
-.f
ng these years has pid Ive-w iths OF the taxation
the State Ius city, tneteforc ha- PAID Tor tle
fion ana maintenance or these a-ylums more fnan
- 100000 Yet TINS city Hiihin thosr asyiups a. 'A'
prrsrut ume nas not more than thirteen pail'
You will not understand me, ladies' and gentlemen
10 cUmp OF TINS lberahtY OF tue city We pay neIe
lsr-e PROPORTION o, onso % nu a s M PS we
pay IL willingly but the state Of Nrw-Nork as0 Wlthn
IT, own county Institutions. has al the present
time 1900 pauents-neary as many as IN
the institutions 1 have mentioned, and It pays
enance OF those patients Our duty therefore 70 kaoM
precisely whether these vast expendtures ARE NdSew 4
directed whether for this enormous sum - secured ior
tue insane all that the lights OF science ana bumay
authorize us 10 expect Tor them Inc Rrohhus oi Az
scenomy Now the STATE Board OF Charities Oi TINS
state-oue Of the most efcient one OF tne most
worthy OF pubic bodies ~ charge oi Puolc inS,
fions-decares in It's last annual report . tnis
the condition OF tho chronic insane distributed
among The county poOrhouses OF tbs ave VIA n.J
OF county poo houses are the newspapers have
told within the ast year turning tnein NJ
thai the pubic may seej requires immediate reiief We
here to accuse persons, not 70 mpugn nouNes
which ~ doing now; here citizrns la gely IN
strumental support OF these institutlonS-ruP
means. We are here czens 10 measure our systems
by systems that exist elsewhere; TO listen 70 the
& mplants tnat may be made OF evils which can De
evsrvwb@ye Ia .earc6 ont weaknesses THAI they
may he strengthened, and to assure our unhappy
within the of the stare that thsy
are MOI ia their extremity by the interesiby
the ny the sympathy OF us who are withouI laP
plause . , r-
For myself, az least am not here to bring any any
wholesale charge tlust or against any pouf
Of Among the asyiums among tue supsIinlssnl,
this country, amOnR the DoaIth OF
trustees not only OF the highest character Du
men for REFORM the mos; resO yea upon
every kind investigation and inquiry. l. at least IN
this presence, desire to bear my testimony. to ofer
NV homage 10 many man In the higher and the lower
aces. who mas cOnsecraed his life 10 tins great ana
bOlv work; whO exposed 10 the most sOrrowfm speca-
ce that can meet eye. devOtes himself with untir
ing self sacrificing assdulty 10 do what ne can Tor the
removal OF the dires OF human calamites. We Will mol
be our position so far as can speak
for mysclf L. of inquiry. We are here win
tbe approval of those We are nero 10
ain them In work 0f nquiry-in their WORK OF
refarn We are here The and 10 show al men
that IN TINS country pubic charity z 10 DC open
10 the public eye tApplause.J ~, ,
.irano,. ooe or life and prop