New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-12-08
TREA IMENT OF The INSANE.
TESTIMONY BEFGEE rHE SENATE COMMITTEE VI
Asylum REFORM.


Asylum REFORM.
At the session of the Senate Committee on
Asvum Reform held yesterday the metropolitan
Hotel the first witness called Dr. L. L. seaman' resi-
dent Surgeon the Emlgrnnt Insane As lum on "Hru
Island He said that 5000 patients bad O'en ue"'eu
there since lS47 GOO had been returned to Ehfope
ana 81 trlnrfsrred TO the CITY Asylum. Many hau
been IN European Institutions, ana nave been sent u
this TO save expense their relatives or the
government Restraint could not be abolished any
more than any other medicinal agent.
The Rrv c. I. Woodruff, superintendent OF the new
York Protestant Episcopal Mission, vas snmmohru Oc
fore the committee account of etter he had written
to tue Rev W. G. French, missionary OF
his society on Blackwel's Island. who had been
ca ed As witness. The missionary had presehte" tue
letter showing that he coul not testify. The Commit
tee considered this effort to mtiudate me WIZ
less Tie letter wa as follows:
" Oic. If Inc New York Protestant Episcopal MISSION
2ocicty me r. hey HoT Ray Peters D r.
D. D. lue R-v. Wm F. Morgan, ID D., l.. u WIS
ton Thoinas EgglestOn, ylcepresidtn's James b.
Trunstail. srrretary ; john IL. Boynton treasurer;
aud tn Rev. Z. f. Woodruff, snperintendent'
My DEAR Mr.. FRENCH: l. s no" JUST v'og luu {ou
are not summoned 10 appear uli ~ a. NJ anu you n1
no - away without -ei4g ne htst IL lay
400 business 10 tes,fy before tn Committee C an ior
y0u NOT suppos 20 kn0" any lnlhE ~ ~, -, -
abuses, any existing iu tie asy uh gu est'l3 d,
moe ~ Of the bylaws. Your simple duy H 10 read
your San instructions aud say you nave hoInhS 70 res
do not come under your Jurisdiction. Aru are mere
only 10 care for tue sD'n, ,aro "eIllIe was o
very wrong IN You not to WAIT ~nl see
me- or We couI have taikei the matter oyer ana oe-
c1Ied what 20 do A said ABOVE you Will TESTIFY III
IN r,A oI 10 IA E5' prhe iert in r ri t. Nnat
ina, tI.n-urcd ume past ana stronger Ieelhs Oh
the part OF the Cuian l-alOuct-. ..
Hoping that YOU Nil consider th,-e INKS, ltuJ
vours q. 1. WOoDHUFF Suptr e'c.'
Ne ator Fowler subjected Mr.. Woodruff 10 severe
cross examination. The witness claimed tha his soc
ETY. was admitted the Island institutions by ine couI
tesy ~ tue ConnTsioners au" tu', ' nc VIA
should devote himself ru!lreiy 10 missionary WI
Ina, 40 you u ~ stronger feeling on the part
refer to Comnlss.oners Brennan aud Cox. thought
Mr. French ould have seen tn NJ or me- ~ REGARD To
In. ,oulnlan- before he gave them o the newspapers
Itrd.i r., ask YOU Us gentlemen not To interfere Win
tle ork of society b} compelling our missionary 10
t ~ I'D tniugs he had discharge OF hs spir-
/. yalr society takes the position o. aJv.lng wiz,
commit perjury the quicker you gel Oh inc is'u
We don't do it," ...-.,.,....o Dan,
with Won as criminal contempt for wrllng mat !eI
Ter Ne vii not do o., however out OF rpcct Ior tle
rot. Dut II tnet etrr Aad D. EN- pt9ucru III e St
ordinary jurisdiction nave mo- doubt the heV. Nj
woodruff would oe punished Tor cont, tupi'
The Rev. Ms. Frrucn then tcs1hed tie said ne was
engaged IN miss nary work On hVe INSTITUTIONS on
BacAwclrs Isduu aud bat b. rmpOY Ell mere since
ISL. Two years ago a. patent Jdh' 2tcF'u7 va"
lcuuy removed from one bunting @" ah. ,nef 7ur ulel
tlc -piai from spinal "-e,se at 10 nay Jeen
caused fhe injuries she trr' F-d A"olI.l p IN ~
1874 was d. d, nVe Il uy room. An al endaht
liuI .tIO ud.idlu the pdiirnL5 udl. phlict
punished bJ being pul IN the oiu oCAuR "a .ie
mi I'll. winter. There WAS no hr', ,tnd tue
patient said sine Was nearly ioz D. FORM, tly
patlcas had n rlDcNIl-7 d"i 80 - -
m uIdwutrr. oil the nurses nad no igner lded OF
b-uirs Wusu r,l went Io the asy lum the
common iak mat some Ot the nurses were prot
thai the institutions Disgrace 10 the Chil stldh
world. There nad Deen recent lnpFoVem nus anu 'le
resent Commission. were doing an theY couiu 10
remedy abuses. CommissIoner OK sara Ar. french
seemed 90 be- more Ot " q incdailug od oman tuul
81. flfiI ID llf Ffl.glII g.
ph, i.au- were Jilc0usly made. IL uiu NOT dlIIoNe
~ uavug removals mldr by superiutehhgnls lne M
syfuu.us we're OycrrrOWdcd more lana was urelcl
C'i a. rrI n -,,I and h. I'D no. tnI.I x any
th, less French Tor pJcriu- before INC commit
;nnns Toner Hes nAd ssded passes u attend
/ ants v,,tsout CONSUMING the superLtendvnt hut he
usually te.cgrapurd about IT, Iue appointment
o attrudtu not based on political colsidertOne.
Carlos 4. hac DOnaa, SUPERINTENDENT 81 the Au0Lin
Asr uu Tor three years. tUuud the asN lun III Iofo
when entered npOn ms dulles III very pau con.'on
| The rooms ana beading were Ufly shi me luuu pour
| and ms u1ic rnt. Patients locked NJ ana gwen
! bread ana water and padGlsd." Ihe superintendent
habItuay carried revolver patent nad on OuIl.O
| i'm ina arm ana another extracted from his NIP:
| Many patIcns had bldck-eyrs' Ihe Association Oh
Asylum euperlnlendents meeting az AUBURN upp.oE@u
| OF the management OF the INSTITUTION. Df. john =;
SHAW, superintendent OF the FIatbush Asylum louuu
about thirtyhYe patents unOeI Restraint wv Sc'ls nE
on taxing charge INSTITUTION some patients were
Kept under restraint for months coni u0usly He n%u
burned al ihc restraint apparatus III .Ji -,
George u. b, ard sad the great ueed was cchtlal CIV
erumentd supervision 81 a7slums ana give an lntei
e-Ilng description OF inc WOrAihss 81 dS( li'
He advocated the appointment OF three COmnssloh,
IN LuHacy vino should be acknOw eusgu cAp.t,s;
| Dr. h. G. SpuzAa denied that he was disappointed
! aruitctut for place Ia I.e BlOOmugdlle Madison ana
OsnKosh (WsJ Asyium- and 7ald ne as4ra tOs teS
posuOn Of special pathOlOgist aJ WARDS l,anu al ci
beng requested 40 by the 5uperlnt endcnl. IT
Hammond SAID that cment in ma DOCK tat th'
a-vlums OF America superior 10 those OF Euopc
wls published Ten years ago and had Deth s'Tucs ou ~
a new edition five years ago. He regarded Dr 0P'AAJ
! "A knowing moro OF the anatomy, physiology "Hu
pathology Of he brain than amy other man III tue eou
| ,.-t.-. 60
! The committee visits the Wards Island Asylum TO-
day, and continues It's inquiry tomorrow morning.