Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1882-03-02
THE CHRONIC INSANE.
A Few Nuts Of Truth for the Advocates Of Nam
moth As, ans to Crack.

A Few Nuts Of Truth for the Advocates Of NAM
moth As, ans to Crack.
The Assembly has decided wisely in
indefinitely postponing all bills for the
increase of room for the chronic insane
under the care of the state. While the
subject of treatment for the insane is
still an unsettled question upon which
experts disagree as emphatieally as lay
men, there are some things relating to
the matter which are apparent even to
the casual observer. One of these is
that in direct ratio with the populous- 4
ness of an institution for the care of the
insane, the danger of abuses in the in
stitution increases. Another is that
practically none of the chronic insane
are ever permanently restored to reason.
A third is that state institutions are nee
essarily more costly than local institu-
tons of a similar character.
Without taking time to argue these
propositions. which are admitted to be
true by almost all unprecedented observ-
ers familiar with the treatment of insan-
ity in public asylums and hospitals,
certain conclusions may be drawn from
them on the assumption that they
are correct. The insane are certainly
entitled to the deep sympathy of all
healthy-minded people. Indeed, there
is no sight on earth more pathetic than
that of group of human beings DOOM
ed to grope through life among dreams
and decisions, and such spectacle in
variably excitcs feeling of anxiety to re-
lieve their miserable condition as far as
possible. 1t is not surprising, therefore,
that in many of the states magnificent
edifices have been reared for their accom-
mediation at enormous expenditures of
money and that their daily wants have
been provided for at rates vastly ex-
cecding what their relatives and friends
could have afforded to lay out upon
them. In some instances the cost of
structures for the insane has run up into
the millions and in no case does it fail
to reach the hundreds of thousands.
Besides, the subsequent cost of the main
tenance of the patients is extremely
likely to be somewhat in proportion to
the amount originally laid out on the
building.
The evident danger from theis condition
of affairs is that the people will some
time revolt against the weight of taxa
| ton incurred by the support of the cost
ly institutions. In this case Il reaction
of sentiment might be expected which
would cause return to the former gem
eral heedlessness of the misery endured
by the victims of insanity, 1t seems
clear, therefore, that tits to the interest
of the insane themselves to keep the
public tax for their support as low as is
consistent with their comfort, since
otherwise it is probable that the public
might refuse TO be taxed for their com
fort at all. In this connection, too, it
must be remembered that the chronic
insane are not es pecially liable to the
affllction of physical disease, amenable
to medical treatment. A thousand suf-
ferers from chronic insanity will COM
| prise no greater number of inyalids than
| a thousand sane persons, and medical
| treatment is to most of them superilu-
Gus. The natural wants are therefore
about the same as the wants of sane
people of their own station in life.
What is privation to some people in or
binary life is luxury to others, and it is
the same among the chronic insane.
But for the reasons noted above it is not
practicable for the public to give to all
classes of insane the things that may be
required by those who came from the
wealthiest classes. The latter should be
supplied with additional luxurics, if re-
CURED, by their friends, leaving only
the necesSarieS to be furnished to all
alike by the state or local authorities.
The average cost of table supply for
fairly well-to-do citizens in most parts
of Wisconsin will not much exceed 81
per week for each. The cost of food for
the chronic insane ought not to be much
more, and the other necessary outlaws
for their comfort would not more than
equal the cost of subsistence. The cost
TO the public of maintaining the chronic
insane, then, should not exceed IS per
week, each, in addition to the original
cost of the establishment in which they
are provided for. If it goes far beyond
that amount it will strike the average
taxpayer of sayoring of extravaganza
and will be likely, ultimately, to arouse
a strong opposition. The counties, it
is believed, seldom pay much more for
the support of their chronic insane in
county institutions than it costs the
average citizen to live, and with the
close supervision of the State Board
of Charities the conduct of the county
institutions is not of an Objectionable
character If the counties are permit
ted to continue in charge of those
chronic cases there is no reason to sup
pose that any harm will be done to the
patients, who will thus be assured of
permanent protection and care. But
if the county should be discouraged
from making provisions for them it is
to be feared that Wisconsin would soon
be in the same condition in which it was
found five or six years ago, when about
two thirds of all the insane of the state
were without any adequate means of
care and were either hiyed in poor
houses and jails or free from all re-
Straint whatever. 1t is far better that
there should be reasonably good provis-
ions for all the chronic insane than that
there Should be royal entertainment for
4 part and none for the rest. The en-
couragement of country asylums tends
to the former condition The multiple
cotton and enlargement of the state es-
Establishments is apt to bring about the
latter MiiUdutee Sentinel