The Waco daily examiner. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 187?-1888, 1882-05-23
COUNTY LUNATICs.
a Question w hich il Assuming
Large Degree OfEmPer-
tanCc.


| them, there may now be somthing that
| will attract thought in what we have to
| say. 1t is a we'll known fact, which the
| records of the state lunatlc asylum and
! the reports therefrom will show, that for
| the past two years that institution has
been crowded with inmates and at times
| has hn within its walls more of that
class Of unfortunate beings than 1t Could
! well take care of. Proof from this
county can also be furnished that
{ ON the cause stated new subjects
could not be adm tied and the conse-
quence has been what? Our county
jail furnishes the answer If we are not
mistaken there are to-day within its
walls rs many rs four deranged per
sons who now, and for some time past,
ought to have been in the asylum. Be-
sides those who are III the jail we have
two or three more in various parts of the
county for whom there Is no room in
jail. One lunatic has been in
our jail NV at least four
months and others for a less Pc
Rod of time and application after appli-
cation has been made for their admis-
sion into the lunutic asylum at Austin
and ample proof at hand 10 show that
they are fit subjects but the reply was
| received hat they could not be admit
ted because there was not room for
| them. Not only has McLennan county
| numb Of lunatics which he is
! obliged TO take care of but the case is
/ the same in various other counties in the
! state. Now as TO the expense of keep
! ing them III our jail or hiring persons to
guard them on the outside we shall not
! speak, so Far this county is concerned,
! my more than 10 say we should not be
obliged to DO so; but we have the money
! and are doing so. In many other cOun-
| ties the money is not at hand to care for
! that class Of dependent persons and 1t
/ involves tax that is il no small degree
| buTdenSOme, while We have n
state institution which is sup
posed to take care of all such. There is
another point which deserves more
thought than the mere matter of ex-
pense. Is d county jail the proper place
for a lunutic? Is the sufferer OF that
class more likely to get well under his
surroundings then he is to cause others
10 get in the same condition a. himself?
! We have it from good authority that in
our jail where lunatlcs have been con-
fined they have daily grown
worse and their eccentlicities
have been the cause of throwing the
/ other prisoners into such condition of
mind by keeping them awake at night,
/ that the jail Is next to paudemOnium
night and day, Sometimes these de-
mented persOus from sheer physical ex.
haustlon have evinced q disposition to
sleep in the day time and it has |. Ell
thought advisable by the officers tC
keep them awake until after nighiall
that other inmates might get surCease
from the general upruGr which they
create and get some sleep. None except
/ those who have to deal with this class OF
/ persons or who have investigated, know
! how troublesome it IL to take care OF
/ those lunhtics, not to sp. ak of the
/ expense, and worse than all, every day
/ they remain il jail they grow worse be
cause they have no treatment and their
/ surroundings are such that there is ne
possible chance for them TO improve. II
/ has been observed here rs well as else
/ where that persons adjudged non com.
, pos nentls, no matter how slight the at
/ tack, have always grown worse after
/ having been placed in jail. 4 the pres
eut time, we are informed, MCLemnau
. county has "a 1Oguy rs sazaY l,,r4atipe
Lg it"o I' tl-' as ,a 'et ''i''iCS
~ lT ~, -.illuo ~ 81 l-0 l'i " a. 1C "S!
-,-li ~ o''liio' De .'' S 90 ,LeIe pe
is ,lioI. - ~ 80 .oi Jil'tll NE
o'-,,i .,l'LlG ~; iSr a. " . Li .lie @ l'io'i'
so NE ''e'
me longer -hey remained the worse
ihey Wou!d get, as has oeen the case -
mere III me last ie" months W hlI'
we are pullal i, ~, tap.-o., 10 cost per
HapS at Ieasl $I'Ooo'O " II might De wei
lot some OF t!e wise men VINO eAPgc.
I" asl sci ,,' mere % give sone 'houghl
10 PfoVld!Lg moe @d'4 ia'e means !ol
."h!ng care 80, Oh N. 'IAal''7 Oh 'he Sta''
/ IL future. Ihey are becoming u burden