New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-11-15
TIE COMMITMENT OF THE INSANE.

Considerable interest has of late been de-
yeopcd in the OF alleged insanity which have been
brougb before the courts under OF haOeas corpus
The asyums Il This State both public and private
have been severely criticised. By some 1t has been
claimed that there many cases in which sane people
have been wrongully committed to asylums at the
stance Of unscrupuOus physicians, and refused all com
munieauOn with the outside world These criticisms
have been especially directed toward the asylum at
Wards Island Last Saturday the Grand Jury, OF wl ch
Caleb B. Knevals handed to Recorder smyth
ures ntment containing the results OF an inquest held
by that body in regard the management or the Wards
Isand Asylum Itstted AT theinquest OF this Grand
Jury upon matters relating 10 the management OF the
Wards Island Lunatic Asylum, there was developed
strong evidence othe existence Of asystem so dangerous
rights NJ ctfizene that VIC feel our duty recon-
mend ha a chan ge in the laws be made 10 remedy the
evil and prevent far possible the incarceration OF
sane gers0nsl IN elther puoHc OF P ae ~ Ward,
Isand ON Sunday Dr. Macd maid was absent, but DIR.
San the as.istant said So far the
avs EN- bling dan gerous the rig ts OF citizens IL
70 ceruen he laws governing lncarceratlOns are the
,,o n ~ | asviuna 10 New-YOrk III the method sug-
sied by the Grand Jury should be adopted OF having
eaon pa mt examined by three doctors separately be-
fore jldee the delay which u would occasion In oo-
or maacal excitement in which not only the patents
Hives, but those OF Others are endangered, woud De
great njl tice. The charge made that the asy um IL
deficient in is sanitary arrangements IN regard 20 Daths
ia absolutely false Our patients are NOT Qng ao"eu,
TO the restrictions placed upon the patients III coni
ncating with tner friends. never refuse 10 seno
rational letter. All etters submitted TO the insPec-
tiOn of the superintendent He examines tnel anu re-
fuses 10 forw ard only which contain irrational or
Indecent mater In many Instances persons VINO ~heh
In good health were known 10 use indecent IAN
gnage wnen insane express themselves In the Ouest
manner Letters received here for patients are also eA
amiued prevent any article from getung INTO
their hands which they could use To harm themselves
or o herA We have taken from one letter morphine
enough To xii half dozen men In one package We
found a razor; Ia another penknives"
Are pa tents examined al stated PERIODS 70 deter
mine whether not they have changed Tor tue Det
terp ,. ,.,,..
medical super ntendent and assistant auperiben-
of a certain number OF wards, containing bnndtea
Twice each day uId the tendent once eheh uAy
Therefore don't thInk twoud be possible ior sane
man 10 remain mere for any length OF Time
nv whnm the majority OF the persons seht mere
examined " -. A., ,A.,,
appointed by the city. claim that such physicans are
better qualified 10 judge whether persons are Insane OF
NOT than men VINO picked out 81 random"
How many patients are discharged yearly y
. About $50 patients out OF 400 admissions We DO
tbis nj our discretion. In the oasos taken out on
wrts corpus. when We state 70 the Court that
we consider aud unit TO Do az large, and
give our reasons therefor consiier our duty ended
IN shoud remembered that We are not paid according
70 the sumber OF patients we have under our enarge