The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1881-03-11

ing and making beds, putting break
fast upon the table, etc. At $50 in
summer and 1913 in winter all are
expected TO be ready for the morning
walk. Some of the women spend part
of the day in the sewing room, others
| in the laundry; others assist in house
/ work, mending or fancy work, while
the men find employment in the stables,
engine house and or Inc farm. All who
/ can appreciate or enjoy books, papers
or pictures. or even change Of place,
spend an hour, two or three times a
week, in the library. The work is so
varied and there are so many oppOrtu-
mites for amusement and occupation,
that the difficulty is not to find employ
ment, but TO persuade listless patients
to avail themselves of these opportuni-
ties.
It is to be hoped that in considering
the propriety Of removing the chronic
insane to the county houses, the fact
will not be lost sight Of that the "quiet
and the Clearly . and the mildly insane
are often those who enjoy the amuse-
ments; the dances and other parties,
the musical evenings, the little picnics
and excursions, the library, the band
music and the holiday entertainments
provided in the interest of the durable
patients, but enjoyed by the others
without additional expense. Would it
be possible in small asylums to provide
amusements similar to these without
additional expense? I believe that the
poorest taxpayers, did they understand
the many privileges and comforts en-
joyed by the poorest patients, would
not feel that their burden was unjust.
The relations between patients and
attendants are, as rule. most agreea-
BILE. The old ladies, even in the worst
wards, are commonly addressed as
" Auntie or Grandma" and the most
tender care is given in sickness to per-
sons whom ordinary visitors refuse to
look at. IF a chronic, violent or appa-
rently demented case shows any CLEANS
of reason, the attendants are unremit- !
ting in their devotion, sacrificing their |
scanty leisure for the patients enter.
talnment, showing her everything
which can attract or amuse her, and |
repeating the remarks with as much |
DIlOC DIS IL 0AO WC1C - HCtLCo
Even the patients have a certain feel |
ing of pride with regard to their own |
wards, and very frequently cry when |
removed to a better one, refusing to |
leave the attendants who have been so |
kind to them.
Mr.. Haskins spoke of the lack Of |
attention to poorly dressed visitors at
Oshkosh. This is not true of Mendoza.
One of my duties at the hospital was
the care of visitors ascertaining their
wants, seeing that attention was given
them as soon as possible, and making
them comfortable while they were in
the house. My instructions were that |
the poor, the unhappy and the foreign
ers were to receive especial attention.
they were to be made comfortable even
If others waited. That was the spirit |
of the house. It is true that many |
went away without seeing their friends,
but that was because such visits often
do great harm, exciting the patient just
when recovering from inconsistencies,
or when All attack of disturbance is be-
ing warded off. With regard to the
palatial dimensions and furnishings of
the "Center," and the fact, stated by
Mr.. Haskin, that not one patient is In
the center, but all are in the "prisons"
behind, will again say that this is not
true of Mendoza. The large reception
room and library are in constant use by
patients and their friends, there are |
two sewing rooms for patients, six dim
ing rooms, two wards containing halls,
dining and sleeping rooms, and accom-
modating at least sixty patients, one
room used by the night-watch, another
by attendants who wish to spend their
vacations at the hospital, and still an
other by attendants and their friends
in case of sickness. There are also
three rooms used as Offices, and the
superintendent private Office and sit
ting room are also sleeping rooms so
that not much space is left for luxury
or quiet.
At Mendoza the horses and carriage
are very seldom used for pleasure
drives they are used IN conveying old
and feeble persons to the boat landing,
for carrying patients to and from the
station, and for necessary business trips
to Madison.
Mr.. Haskins says there are probably
"but 100 acute insane in the State )"
that being the case, 1900 or more are
left to be classed with the chronics,"
and these comprise every grade OF men
tai disturbance. Is there not danger
that in the effort to reduce expenditures
to mere living point, these most un-
fortunate of human beings (for many
of the most kindly, intelligent and ap-
preciative are paupers) will be con-
demned to a narrow round OF work
and a monotony which will make their
lives still more dreary, and hasten
rather than check mental decay, by
withdrawing from them the little ex-
element and glimpses Of outside life
which now help to render life endura-
BILE and give stimulus for continued
efforts for self control
Again I ask Could number of
small hospitals furnish all the aids now
concentrated in the large one In such
manner as to ensure safety and comfort
to all, to preserve the lingering rem
nantg of intellect and self-respect as
long as possible, and to provide for the |
patients all the happiness which their |
condition will allow 7
Everyone interested in the subject
should ask himself these questions, and |
many more, before deciding upon
change 80 radical as the one under con-
sideration.
WOMAN'S SUFFRAGE.
Mrs. Marion Y. Dudley lectured at