, 1881-06-19
INDOOR PAUPERI3M,

few.
|
INDOOR PAUPERI5M.
The atlantic Monthly for June contains
an article upon "1ndoor Pauperisn," by
Octave Thanet. which should be carefully
read by all those who are interested in this
vital subject, and by a great many more who
arc not, but should be, interested In 1t. In
addition to its general bearings the article
possesses local Significance, is one Of its
most prominent illustrations is drawn fronl
the daily life in an alMsholse III Illinois.
The writer simply records observations. No
conclusions are drawn; in reality, they sus-
gest themselves, but the observations are
none the less interesting OIL this account.
The overwhelming Importance of this sub
ject of indoor pauperism is shown by its
rapid increase during tie past ten years.
! New York spent in 1879 the large sum Of
Sl,UlS,SU7 for the care of SIS persons In
almsllouses and Doorhouses and temporary
help was also given to 79,s52 persons
at IN expense Of SG2o,4 PENNSYLVANIA
i'll 1850 paid Sl,5l5,29o for the sup
| port of 2o,3l0 persons. For the entire
support of 139s0 and the partial sup
| port Of 7:2,ssl persons, Massachusetts paid
| $l,17U,7iS. The writer claims that Ohio pays
more than Aalf of the State taxation for tho
support Gr-criminals ind paupers, and the
last biennial report in Michigan shows all
| increase in pauperism four times greater
than the percentage Of increase in the popu-
lation Such figures rs these need no COM
ment as to their bearing upon the importance
of the subject Of pauperisnl. Considerable
space il, this article is devoted to the methods
| i'll the different States of administering and
governing almshouses, but they are hardly
pertinent to the real subject under inyes1iga-
tlo1l-namely: the actual condition of these
institutions. The first almslonse Inspected
By the writer was situated in Il rural district
III Illinois, which, though not the best, was far
from heing the worst Of its class. 1t was oc-
cupie'l by panpers and insane persons In
common, ont Of the whole number
of ninety-seyen thtrtyseven being in-
sane. The a!tnsflouse keeper, though lie
had never studied medicine, acted rs
a physician. III the female department
the rooms were very untidy and the bedding
shabby. Sick, and we'll, and insane mingled
together, and often Quarreled. The violent,
lunatics were confined by themselves, and
when it was necessary to correct them, and
at such times they were Knocked down and
beaten, and the writer was shown 'marks
on the cells where the. insane had beaten
their heads against the walls or gllawed at
their bars like wild beasts" 4 guil,, says this
writer: 'We did not see book or news
paper, nor indeed the slightest means of
diverting the mind,-not SO much as the Gus
tomary pack Of greasy cards. There was no
hospital and the bathing arrangements were
most primitive; but, Judging from the
pattpcrs' aspect, they did not bathe. often
enough to be troubled by any deficiencies. |
The keeper himself would gladly have had |
both bathrooms and Il hospital, but the Sill |
pcrvlsors thought them too expensive |
Whatever abuses were apparent were caused |
in the main BY the construction of the house,
Which made cleanliness difficult. and discip- !
line impossible"
This case. it should be remembered, repre-
sents all alnshouse Of the average sort, and |
II Sucn rougll-and-ready mode of treatment |
and such neglect are manifest in its conduct
what must be the condition of those below
the average! III there was so much suffer- |
ing III the average Illinois alnshousc, what
refinement OF torturcs must be practiceG in
those of 4 lower grade! What that torture
Is, the writer shows. not b.; hcarsaY evidence,
but by extracts from various State Rcports, |
and they nre sufficiently brutal and terrible to
make one shuuder. The last Michigan Re-
port says: ''The way the insane arc
cared for: at the county-houses, without
judgment, without knowledge, is
simply shocking" ut would he MI act Of |
mercy, In many cases, says the Secretary Bit
terly, " to leave these poor people to starye.
rather than keep them alive to drag out an
existence which is living DEATH" The last
Illinois Report says: '*Many of these Insane
departments are unfit physically for the oc-
cupancv OF sane men; .inlperfectly heated,
or not heated at all; not ventilated, often
dark, destitute Of furniture, sometimes in M
outrageously dirty state, filled with foul
Ddors.' The last Ohio report, after enuner-
at9ng several cases of individual hardship,
says: ~ hundred and 1ifty-six Ohio luna
les and 1ltty-six epllcutics are reported as
secluded which rather poetical term means
that they are kept in narrow stalls or iron |
'rlos Ill small outer buildings, usually dark.
Utmost uniformly without drainage or venti-
alton; and that they are 'unteutled, save as
meals are carried to tiem.' Others not in
secl'sion,' are restrained with handouts.
:hains. and hobbIes..':
AS we have said before, the writer merely
tates facts as observed, and does not draw
conclusions or suggest remedies, perhaps
because tney suggest themselves. There are
"o conclusions OIL the surface: first, that
uch conduct is simply wicked cruelty; and, {
econd, that it arises from the employment ,
Il brutal or ignorantg officials. The remedy ,
equally apparent x4he public should give
more attention. to these >institutious, The {