New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-12-20
NEEDS OF INSANE ASYLUMS
r,,x WITH DIR. MACDONALD.

Tx
-ux LARGER APPROPRIATIONS ARE ASKED roi~
M. Get, Roard of Charities, the Commissioners
.CLar;,;as and Correction and many persons WHO
-. tooo,oe familiar with the needs OF the asyIums
-. treatment Of the insane in this city nave agreeu
tha, more liberal appropriations OF money are
nodded. and are urging the boaru VI ~
Innate and Apportionment TO allow INC u"
crease recommended for these INSTITUTIONS
for the coming year. IL was stated yesterday W
those who have devoted much OF their attention W
tins subject that year after year the Commissioners
of Charities have asked the Board OF Esum''o io'
n nroner sum of money to maintain the institutions
for the are of the ctys insane but the board nave
s;mnlv drawn their pencils through the recommend
,;ons IL WAS asserted that Controller
Campbell was the foremost advocate oil the reuuc
tons in the estimates but that he had never Vs'eu
The asylums. and from personal observation Kne"
nothinp whatever of their needs. ms sys'en"'0
reduction. il was added, had been mace eaen year
for several wears. This year 1t was Determined pS
all interested in the welfare oil the Guy
charges to make an extraordinary enor. 10
secure a more liberal appropriation anu IL
was with this view that the state B2aIa OF od or
Ties Joined IN. Commissi ners OF ChaIit'es anu 20
rection and both appeared before the Board Oh Esu
mate on Friday last 49, IN Moodon
aid thr superintendent of the New YORK CIV Asy-
Inn for tie L. sane, on Wa DIS Island last evening"
and obtained from him the following Staton ue hep
Each year for the eight years that nave oe Ecu
connected with this nstl ution my estimate, az ap
proved by the Commissioners or Char les au1 ,d
iectIon. has invariably beon cut down Dy the Doaro
of Estimate and AppOrtonment Inc aNe'"S1
amount allowed for all purposes mas oeen ohy go o1
cents day Tor each patient. ms empIaces 60
expense of the mstitutOiI-salarlcs, cIothins' 49,
and ali miscellaneous charges his year tne piioe
Mt everything has increased The COS OF PROVISIONS
especially has aavance a grea aySd meas of ali
fInds. We raise our own vegetables APES
except POTATOES. and the cultivation 9I tng Iso
articles Is chiefly done by the patients we aiso
Snanufacture brooms. mats and other aItlGieS, n4C
only sufficient for eur own use, nut We arc io h
to supply some OF the other nstltu ions , uuv, Do
core "a the Commissioners of Charities we also uo
the prjnlip for the department All Oh tucso m: M
dustrie, are managed in careful pusihess-iiiho
wav. and not ONLY oontr1pu tow yraraed a" i'm
duction of the expenses, but are regarded IS an ~ ~
portant therapeutic measure III tIe ~ .s nf
insane Az present over 400 OF the inmates W
the ASYLUM are employed steadily Inc uelnahu loi
Labor has Increased tue wages, ana we nave Deeu
nnable 10 keep our attendants as III loTnieI years,
Lecanse we cannot afford 10 pay what they can get
elsewhere We have been Obliged 10 cur an ouI
hil of ARE and consequently have not Oeen ape W
feed the PENDANTS as well as formerly t nav
NOT been able TO increase our force OF attebu-
ants alth ugh this has Oeen grea Iy neeoeu III con-
seoueuce of tine larger number OF pal1nls ooin
united to tue asylum we nave pthoSa enga%ed in
labor. Ihe employment of our inmates Is olT ~
the god points OF treatment III o, tn,9
asylum The restoration OF leaso EaS oItoh
resulted from the patients mind beng diverted from
his deluSons and troubles ana hteies'eu ~ suit
steady employment Many more imam az 6Pnt WV
sbon,d nave the benefit OF this treatment put we
can't accomplish this unless we can hIe ulole az
PENDANTS, anu that would call for more money
he state Board of Charities plrtiGulally ueeu
unon tho Board of Estimate and Apportl0nmeni Two
poInts-a liberal approprlai IoI al.ouuauts
and salaries for the medical assistants 9oii a
what prOportIOnate to their value anu seI-
vices Until the last year no SALARIES "Id'-
ever were paid to the physicians o. tils
ASYLUM except The superintendent. Durlhg me
fnur nut
have received pay Tor tner services Dn these sal
aries amounted 10 only 81 SOU year; "a N h.
ouencc AS soon AS Ihsy became sklIIeu III lneT
SPECIALITY their services were sought by 9ter lhst-
fnIions Shere liberal salaries are paid during the
last wear SIX istant physicians nave Fts5h9u w
accept positions in OtAef lnsttutlons W INC Py 81
cians that 1 have recommended 10 otIeT asN iuIjs
there are in BlocmlngHaie, i IA Va ~ h -
now in my desk LETT ersf ON supeIlntehdehts ol oher
asylums asking me TO recommend three phy sicisns,
who are 10 receive salaries OF from 9SOO 70 9l,ZOo
a YER : IN, senior physician OF this asylum VINO |
has served here only since Aprll last mas undef con-
sideratiOA an offer oil salary oI pow S eat IA
another institution. 1t Is true that inc assistant |
puyelclaus IN tins hospi al receive special tlahlhg
That makes them very cag"D'e men. lhey are APP
pointed My alter careiul examination % COLI
m re- of he consulting physcia. S, aud those VINO
are appOnt take superior stand PROFESSIONALLY,
at once. 1t Is dlsaavantaSe 10 haNe such
IN nj changes and 1t is TO secure men
OF she'd ability IN the care OF the Insane tnt
it has been proposed to pay 'hom Ear sai@Iy nc
State Board has proposed 10 nave TO'IVV "PpIoPiI
N ed for tals purpose which would enaDe Inc Yen
ass,sI,nI nh slcla 10 be PAID from l,2Oo 10 f4OO
eacu according to the position occupied -,
'Anotuer question was that relating tOheW DuIu-
,nps me wing lust cOmple,eI whlcn VIII Do oc-
cupied III about three weeks, hn'sneS the puiiHihg
according TO the Original pan. ms Will aI0rd
proper accommodate on for 900 pdtIentS-dil thdI
should be gathered together III one nstltuloh' a"u
as many as ought 10 De unucr Single mdnd
The census of tne asy luln yesterday was Loo Az
present he CITY hires one OF the buildings oelonH-
ing 10 the Commissioners OF Emigration, anu III tIs
there are go patieLts. Notice has beeh gwen 10
the CIV tnat tnis DuIdng must be vacated on
January 10. part OF these pa lehts VIII DC pro
yiaed Tor in The new wing oe ore that ua'e' lhSIe
still viii oe 80 more than there are accoinhoud-
mons for and there is no provision LOT the ineV-
liable increase for here have been more patients
admitted .han discharged. Inc CITY mas peeh
asked TO purchase a farm Oh tne Lung Isanu enoIt
where tn steamboat can approach conveniently
ana where can erected cheap but suitable oullu-
iDgs for the accommodation OF the CHROME insane
New York and Kings codutY were exempted IIoIu
the provisions of the general statute because they
preterred 40 AXE care of their own INSANE people
Nevertheless they pay nearly one-haf o. tne oiate
tax" ,,C.
William II. Stewart of the State Board of Chair |
ties said Yesterday tDat he regret ed mat the MAN.
agement OI tho asy lums should have Deen blamed
by indrectlOn through misapprehenslOn OF the Cd
i,ct thal he CommlsSio mad IN view III appear
ing before the Board OF Estimate lie regard Il the
institutions a. admirably conducted under he adj
verse circumstances uDuer which tnvy laDOred, ana
his object was to the officers III charge by cali
ing tentOn o the great needs which exist and Tor
winch the superintendent we're In no manner TO
blame. His tom OF service aad Deen snorV
one but the one visit which lie had made to WaIus
Island had left upon his mind DECIDED impression
of excellence in every particular
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