Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-10-29

nature might naturally expect, tho major por-
ton of complaints came from those "who had
not known bountiful living at home Many
letters were handed the supervisors by the
inmates. Some Of these were forwarded to
friends, as requested, while others, "from
the Gerry insane, were, for judicious reasons,
destroyed.
OF the times and circumstances Of their
visits to the asylum the supervisors say:
"Our visits have been made ut all times of
day, very seldom with the previous knowl-
edge of the officers, at carly morning when
they were cleaning up at meal time, and
one visit was made last February in the night
"A time when, il ever, want Of cleanliness
and ventilation would be shown. But the air
was free from offensive odors and was pure
and wholesome. The temperature On cold
night comfortable. The patients were most
ly quietly sleeping, and the whole asylum az
quist rs n well-regulated hotel, only two or
three excited patients making disturbance
out OF $50 confined there"
The careful ard extensive improvements of
the two years are noted at length. OF the
medical treatment the report says:
"Our knowledge Of the medical treatment
is comparative. We know that surgical cases
and diseases occurring in general practice are
ably and successfully treated We believe
Dr. Draper and his assistants, Drs Clarke
and Phelps, are educated physicians and Cd.
ucated mem that they are men Of ability aud
integrity that they are humane and would
not let one Of the inmates suffer for want Of
proper care that DR.. Draper is abreast Of
the times i'll his specially. aud tina. his assist
ants, Drs Clarke aud Phelps, worthly sec
ond his endeayors in the management of the
institution"
The supervisors believe that in no state arc
the INDECENT insane better cared for than in
Vermont The present system Of state charges
sometimes operates to the dctrimcnt Of towns
which have no insane poor, and the -uperyis.
ors believe the obligation would be made
more equitable if the support Of all the in
sane poor was made chargeable directly to
the state, were it not for the fact that. in or
der to escape the support Of pauper, many
towns are ready as is apparent uud the
present law, to take advantage Of the legal
significance Of the term insanity, " which
means most anything other than normal.
The Incarceration Of sane person in an a,y.
lum in Vermont is pronounced an impossible.
ity. There are patients in the asylum who.
with proper care, humane restraint. and -eclu.
sion from the public that they might not Of.
fend decency, would be comparatively safe Mt
home but there is no place in Vermont so
safe from risks, so comfortable, and in ac.
cordance with decency AS our Vermont n,y.
lum." The commissioners urge upon towns
the Importance of an early commitment Of
persons becoming insane in order that their
successful treatment may be the better as
sured.
Only four patients were discharged by the
supervisors during the two years three Of
whom were demeuted aud harmless. and
one of them only upon assurance that he
should be properly cared for. The super
ysors arc satisfied, however, that there is no
place where this class Of dcmented persons
are better cared for than in the asylum. They
are furthermore satisfied, from careful obser-
walton, that there is no disposition on the
part Of the superintendent to delaiu patients
when he is convinced that it is for their best
good to be set at liberty"
The supervisors are emphatic in urging that
the State should provide for the confinement
of its convict insane apart from other classes.
They also believe that some provision should
be made by statute for commitment to the
asylum of the dangerous insane of the State.
when friends, from mistaken notions Of kind
ness, are unwilling to have them committed
for treatment Tables are appended to the
report showing the number and character of
the insane poor of the State, the amount paid
by each town, amount paid by the State, and
the character of insanity of all patients in the
asylum August LIST, 1850
We note with pleasure the cordial official
endorsement given in this report to the ex-
cellent and progressive character of our Yer
mont Asylum. The tribute thus incidentally
given to the management is one eminently
deserved by Dr. Draper, Lis assistant physi-
clans, aud the trustees