Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1880-12-30
SUPPLE ME MI.

out the liberal policy OF the State, and iGs
ttying tae high encomums constantly
gwen 1t by visitors, from home and
abroad.
TREATMENT OF PATIENTS.
We ind that the patients are humanely
treated, properly clothed, the food fur
nishec is lair in quality and quantity, bat
In the opinion OF your committee, there
should 90 greater variety in the diet lis.
/ The serving of hash for BREAKFAST every
day in the year should cease, even though
IT should result in increased cost 70 the
| Siste, The allowance OF sugar to the
! patients, At lesst ID some of the wards, is
uncertain and insufficient, ard its supply
! should be more carefully regulated.
WATER SUPPLY
! The supply OF water from Lake Mendo-
| ia for drinking snd culinary purposes, we
| must condemn. Whether sickness IN the
| institution has at any time been caused by
Impurities in this water, we do not pre-
tend TO say; but we are convinced II
might be so caused. We much doubt
whether the water of the lake is tit for
| drinking and culinary purposes in any
event. and we certainly feel that
the Hospital supply is not,
In view OF the fact that the whole sewer.
age OF the institution is emptied into the
lake a. the distance of only third of a
mile from the point where the water is
taken IN. There is well on the prem SEES
which Is said to furnish q good supply Of
pure wates. .nd we think that water for
drinking and cooking should be taken
from his rather than from the lake.
MEDICAL AND SCIENTIFIC TREATMENT.
OF the medical treatment of the insane
the Hospital, we are moi prepared TO
speak from the standpoint OF experts.
The general health OF the patients mas
been unexcepuonsily good, ADD the per
centsge OF deaths lower than is generally
found in similar institutions; however, we
feel that the superintendent has not been
in The habit OF giving his personal stten.
/ uOn to The medical department snd the
needs OF individual patients to the extent
contemplated by the statutes, ana which
from his position snd requirements, he
ought 10 give He has been assisted by a
corps OF intelligent, well educated and
worthy young men, but they have had no
extended professional or hospital expert
| ence, and must necessarily be incapable OF
originating and conducting investigations
OF brain disease, and the scientific treat
ment OF the same such az we ought to
fad In al institution of this kind The
committee may be mistaken, but they
hsve very positive feeling that there is u
lack Of thorough scientific investigation,
lnsldefaJlon and treatment OF individual
cases, aud the failure 10 do the work Tor
the Advancement Of science and the cure
OF insanity, which might and which ought
to be there done. The Superintendent
claims that he is required to take active
supervision of the complicated business
transactions of the Hospital, and so has
no time for this work. Had we found the
business department thoroughly and t I'll
clenlly conducted, we might have deemed
this excuse good; but neither the medical
nor the business man agenent have been
satisfactory to the committee.
MORAL TREATMENT.
OF what may be called the moral treat
meat OF the insane, suCl As light WORK,
pleasant conversation, lake excursions,
good reading, music, dancing and other
bealthiul amusemsnts, we have only
words Of commentator, This depart.
ment seems to have received special stten-
ton, and we think its beneficial results
very manifest. Ii should be extended
rather than curtalled.
SANITARY CONDITION.
10 order to more lnielligently ascertain
the bYgienic condition OF the Hospital we
took me liberty to request the Honorable
safe Board OF Health to visit the Asylum,
examine its condition and report TO US its
conclusions. The report of the Board is
hereto annexed and made part OF our re,
port 1t contains valuable suggestions, to
which we would call the careful attention
OF your ExCelency and the Legislature,
and we may add that the judgment OF the
Committee entirely coincides with that OF
the State Board OF Health, so far As we,
who are non professional men, are capable
of Judging.
ATTENDANTS AND NURSES.
Your Committee found the Hospital
we'll provided with intelligent, active and
faithful attendants and employees, except
there ought to be at least two more nurses
whose special duty 1t should be to look
after the SICK st night, and so prevent the
unfortunate occurrence OF sick patients
diving aioIa and unattended as has been
the case heretofore.
THE FARM AND GARDEN,
We ina the farm connected with the
Hospital a large and fairly profitable Ia.
YES meuL. Tue renting OF what Is known
as the "Farwell Place" in addition to the
farm proper. at an annual rent Of about
$3.50. We consider an unwarranted extrsva.
gance. The head farmer, MIR Warren, an
Intelligent aad candid man, would fix the
actual rental value of the ''Farweil Place"
~ loco ~, &1On and his INDICTMENT on.