The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1882-11-21
APPLY THE HAND OF REFORM


A community of human beings will not
be cruel and unkind when the whole facts
OF case are so presented to 1t as to show
that the fault is all on one side, that tie
community is wrong and not the object
against whom its action is taken. We pity
the halt, and the MANNED and blind, but it
is now universally admitted that Of all OBJ
jects of human sympathy aud most
worthy of human care are the insane.
While this is true in its full sense, along.
side Of tho fact is the other, that to sisze-
accuse and inca rcerate a helpless, but per
lectlv sane person, with the maniacs OF the
asylum, for sinister reasons, and by per
jury and theit, is equally us great care OF
the state to prevent and as inexpressibIy
cruel as to mistreat the real victims of i'll
sarity. Recent facts and treatises
which have come before the public have
stirred up throughout the country an I'M
usual and unexpected discussion Of the
management of asylums for the insane, and
the matter is certainly CT sufficient sgni-
icance to enlist general attention. We can
not afford, as states or communities. to
have our institutions Of charity abused or
objects Of charity mistreated. The idea OF
permitting this, would be revolving to the
enlightened humanity of the age, an age
distinguished pre-emincntly above all
others for its close observance of the
humanlties, and especially is this SO as to
the treatment of the insane. The blind can
tell of the abuse they receive, the deaf and
dumb can expose their tyrants out
those bereit of reason are as help
less as lambs before the wolves
Recently complaints have been many and
deep from half the states in the country as
to the management of the asylums for the
insane and the charge is made by reputa-
bic metropolitan journals that almost one
fourth of those now confined in half the
asylums are sane, while the inmates, sane
and insane are treated with almost an iu-
conceivable cruelty. The matter of the
management of these institutions aud the
handling Of the subject on the outside has
become even the subject for ridicule and
caricature by the illustrated papers of the
country. If these comments and rcpresen-
tations be the status of the subject, in fact
and in truth, then it is indeed time that
the civil authorities and the various egisla
lures were taking hold of the evil in some
practical manner. The biennial visit OF
the legislative committee, always
and iorwhich evorythingis. OF course, put in
apple-pie order before hand is the absurd
est OF larces, and will never be able to reach
the abuses complained Of. In New York,
Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, and in short,
all the large cities where there are private
asylums, and where in the public asylums
appointments ofsupcrintendents and subor.
dinates are the creatures merely ola public
ring or private corporation, proyerbially
soulless, whose only object, of course is to
make rs much as possible, the imprison-
ments of the sane by corrupt relatives,
and the m;streatmcnt of all when once
within the horrible walls are more possible
uhh iioit iNlhNlih Nhtii ~
towns, or where Us with us, there is only
one institution, which can at ali times be
| closely watched. We have never heard OF
| complaint against our own asylum for the
| insane, nor do We imagine there
is any ground for any. But the attention
| lately being gven to the matter in oui
country and the excitement created and
changes made in certain quarters, clearly
call Tor practical legislation to remedy now
and prevent in the future such gross and
soulless evils. The suggestion made by
DISTRICT ATTORNEY McKEoN, of New York
city, the other day, seems to us to DO Il
good one, and would probably meet the
difficulty. He thinks that there should b,
n commission of medical experts appointed
every month, who should make at least
one visit each month and pass upon tn,
many inmates of these institutions nj
least once month, to determine
two facts, viz Whether any ar,
sane, and if so, to reeas,
them and find those responsible for the
imprisonment and secondly from u genera
aud close inspection of the patients an,
surroundings discover the true treatmen
and management-the visits to be informa
and at no stated periods. There is some
thing tangible and practical in this suggcs
ton, and If the various legislatures woul
attend to 1t or give heed to some simila
proposition, the trouble now complained c
might be easily remcdicd and prevented
From the confusion surrounding the mat
ter, and the unquestioned humanity whic
would dictate peculiarly delicate and kin
aud just treatment and action in the prem
SEES IL seems to us that the subject is or
, demanding the speediest application of IL
: hand of reform,
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