Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-07-18

that when he was medical superintendent
OF the Fife and Kinross District Lunatic
ASYLUM, he ordered all the doors of the
asylum, inside and outside. to be left un-
locked. only three wards being excepted,
In which thirty out OF 200 patients resided
As result of this experiment there were
no accidents. and few or no attempted
escapes. There was greater tranquility
among the patients, and some who had
before tried TO run away no longer mani
tested any desire TO do so. In two other
Scottish asylums this plan has been adopt
ed. In one of them every door OF the
Institution is unlocked, although il contains
40 patients Patients who used 10 stand
at the doors on the watch for 4 chance TO
get out no longer do so, and many who
have recovered have expressed their
gratitude for the relief experienced by the
change from locked to unlocked doors
In all this there is certainly great advance
in the direction OF much-needed reform
Heretofore the practice has been to
crowd the insane into enormous and i'm
posing buildinge and this practice is still
adhered to in the United States. but the
best asylums Of Europe are. on the contrary
but series of small cottages or houses.
The institution at Alt Sherbitz has six or
eight cottages a small distance from each
other. each cottage being about the size
of moderate country home: all PLAIN
brick buildings. pleasing in appearance
outside and comfortable inside. Tn ROYAL
Edinburgh Asylum is composed OF live
houses. separated by a considerable dis
lance 1t i believed and asserted that
this splitting up of large buildings into
number of smaller ones. and this scatter
ing the insane over a wider area than has
been the custom formerly, is an immense
practical advantage for all classes OF
luna,ics. IL allows them variety OF en-
ployment: il allows seclusion tor those
who wish to be secluded and. at the same
time, il gives change obscene and environ
ment, so needful for both sane and Insane.
In ease Of fire there can be no such horrors
as have attended the recent burning OF
two asylums in this country.
That there is vast superiority in the
management Of the insane as practiced in
Europe over the methods in vogue in the
United States, cannot be doubted; and
believe il will not be long before the more
satisfactory features Of that treatment are
adopted here. What we need first is the
establishment of supervising commission
crs-men both responsible and competent.
The temporary commissions which have
from time To time been appointed under
the pressure Of the revelation of some
gross abuse. have generally proved more
fa7cial than reformatory. Medical science
has made great advances in this country
and especially in the treatment of various
morbid states of the nervous system which
lead to insanity; and in combating insan-
ity in its incipiency. our medical practi-
TONERS have made as satisfactory progress
as those of any other country. With the
Introduction OF those needed reforms one
great evil. the existence of private asy-
lums would also be done away with-a
system which has been open to great
abuses, and which will always be, under
any circumstances, open to suspicion.
Even the European systems are no doubt
susceptible OF improvement in many re-
spects But they are worthy of being
studied rs in the main superior to ours.
What is good in them should be adopted;
what is not good may easily be left alone.
Insanity is unquestionably on the increase
among us. and s)mething should be done
promptly to meet and combat the evil.
Proper treatment would undoubtedly. in
the case of many whose intellects are but
slightly disturbed, lead TO perfect restor-
alton: while under our present system
they become too often confirmed lunatics.
WV. G.. IIAEsELBAETH.