Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1882-10-13

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other important and interesting statistics
will be found in the report OF the Inspector oi
Finance.
This ofIiccr bears gratifying testimony 10
The skiltul aud honorable management ct
thcse institutions in the main. lie has cNcr-
rispd great care ana good Judgment In the
performance OF his duties, ana trust that his
recommendations will receive your serious
notice. Coming from bank officer, they are
likely To be within, rather than in excess oi
the necessities ct the case. His cnuiions hut
decided words in regard To certain banks
mat he docs not maine, " not needed, may
lead TO disaster and distress. especially rec
ommend 10 your notice his remarks ns to
Trust Companies, aud In regard to large lOuns
to, and deposits from single person.
In other States the bank officer is required
Ia uscerlnin and report the number and
amount of deposits remaining IN each bank,
undisturhcd, for IA certain number OF years.
The increase m deposits may be taken ~
an indication Oi general thri1 and prosperity,
and, though doubtless some portion of tins
Increase Is due to the TACT that many persons,
competent to manage their own property,
are unable to fnd better place OF invest
mcnt, yet, ms whole, these deposits repre-.
sent the savings OF years Of toll aud self de
NAL. II Is your duty To see that all The safe
guards thut prudence und experience can
suggest are thrown around the vital interests
OF these persons. "Ltmitcd deposits, rcstrtct.
ed investments, economical management ana
conservative dividends, will insure sccuri-
w. But laws VIII be OF no avail unless they
are enforced. The Inspector of Finance
should be given ample power, and It should
be made his duty to enforce the Observance
with the law will never remedy the evil.
The suggestions of this officer are not to be
taken rs indicating distrust or criticism Of
the way In which the banks are managed; ON
the contrary, they are mainly intended TO
point out the steps already taken by our old.
est and soundest Institutions, and which, In
his opinion, shonld be followed by ali.
STATE BANKING LAW.
Should the National Government continue
the payment of its bonds at the present rate.
which n
cent. OF the national bank notes, will he CN.
iinguishcd within the next four years. In this
event, IL is NOT impossible that existing cor
pCrutiuns may avail themselves Of the pro.
visions Of the State law. Hence, this law
should be carefully examined, and be OF such
a nature rs would afford absolute security TO
notc-nulders.
INSANE ASYLUM.
The management OF this private charity e.
n credit aud an honor to the state. Its per.
ccntuge oi deaths and recOvcrics compares
,uvOrlbly with that OF similar institutions
elsewhere. Its Trustees are scrupuluusly
faithful to their trust. Dr. Goldsmith says:
"The mort searching inquiry has failed to
to hnu that single dollar of the millions
which have passed through their hands has
ever been misappled or unaccounted tor"
Tbs superintendent, DR.. Draper, Is com
mcnded in the warmcst terms bv those able
men who In past years have severely crit
iclsed the construction OF the Asylum and It's
fitness for the care OF the insane, ana to
whose efforts. In directing attention to the
matter, much credit ~ doubtless due for sub
improvements
Or. Draper Is an educated, intelligent man
has had many years experience N general
practice and in the care OF the insane; Il
man of good Judgment, kind aud humane IN
disposition, devoted to his profession, zeal
Gus aud earnest" He further says "W q are
convinced that the food OF the Inmates is
abundant and good quality. The entire in
siiiuiiou is kept very clean; as completely 50
rs any Asylum IN our knowledge. The IN.
mates are decently clothed, and their cloth
ing, as well rs their persons, Is kept carefully
clean, The most perfect good order prevails
throughout the entire hospital. Kindness
aud gentlcness, so tar Ms they are consistent
with mechanical restraint and sccluSiOn. arc
everywhere apparent. We believe that NO
cruelty or harsh treatment on the part ol AT
PENDANTS Is ever permitted II known" The
present supervisors say I'VE believe the SUI
pcrintendeut, his assistants, and employees
generally, to DE eminently III for the business
IN which they are engaged, ana we are quite
sure that there should be no distrust OF their
kind and faithful care Of All who are in put
their keeping"
have expended large sums in enlarging and
improving the Asylum. They have added
ventilation by means Of u steam fan, new
heating apparatus, a gymnasium, workshop,
new and extensive park and summer retreat,
billiard, bowling, ana reading rooms, while
every ward now opens To light air and sun
shine.
1t viii thus he seen that nearly every cause
Tor structure has been removed, and that the
institution deserves, aud should receive, the
uureservcd confidence OF the people.
one remaining source of complaint lies in
the fact That the inmates are too numerous
tor the best good of all.
INSANE POOR.
This unfortunate class deserve our deepest
COMMUNICATION and generous care. But com
mon sense and reason should not be len be
hind IN our action for their reliet The state
should not be buIdened with the support Of
transient poor nom other States, or OF those
improperly committed by towns. The Super.
vsors in their report say that some town au-
thortics "send TO the Asylum all their pau
pers who are in the least demented, idiouc
or vicious" Il has also been clearly charged
in several previous reports that many per
sons are confined who should be taken care
Of by the towns from which they came. This
is great wrong to those towns that deal
justly with the state in this respect.
Under the law giving the supervisors the
rIgnt to discharge all persons who should not
be inmates, they have discharged twenty. tive,
and say ihey would have sent away many
more but Tor iearthey would become the law
tul prey OF the historic pOOI-hOusc. | believe
the towns. as IA rule, treat their paupers with
humanity and kindness, and that the historic
poOr-house" Is II mere tradition, and that the
harmless, incuUble insane would receive no
Injury nom being returned to their respective
towns. The state should support none hut
those needing restraint and medical treat
ment. The supervisors having the power,
II should be made their duty, 10 purge the
Asylum OF every such inmate. IL this were
done, there would be abundant room for the
best treatment of those who remain. This
distribution Of the harmless insane poor
, among the aims houses has been adopted In
other states with favorable results, rs regards
both health and expense.
With the greatest respect for the ability and
high character of the supervisors, | cannot
pass without comment their views on
THE LAWS RELATIVE TO THE INSANE.
AMER quoting from the report of the Prev.
Gus Board OF supervisors, that "the incurccr.
alton OF the sane IN an insane asylum would be
an impOssiOility In Vermont" they say: "us
he law now Is, such thing, in our opinion,
would be- by no means diffcult.
The law allows the careless opinion OF two ply.
sicians TO send any person TO an asylum, ana
nom TINS there Is no appeal. Whose dog
would we kill without more sanctity and bet.
ter evidenceY And yet an overworked, merry.
Gus and sensitive woman, ii she becomes dis.
agreeable to an unfaithml husband or other
| Interested person, may be sent to an asylum
| by any Two inexperienced, ignorant or design
| ing physicians"
The law reads as follows: "Sec 29OG No
| person, except as hereinafter provided, shall
| be admitted to, or detained in an asylum, as
\ patient or inmate, except upon the Ger
| uhcaie Of such persons insanity, made by
two physicians of unquesuoned integrity and
! skill, ="
''sec. 20O7. such certificates shall be made
not more than ten days previous to the ad
| mission OF such insane person to the Asylum
| and, with a certificate of the Judge of Pro
bate of the District in which the physicians
| reside, that such physicians are of unques
! toned integrity and skin IN their profession
shall be presented to the proper officer OF the
| Asylum al the time such insane person f.
| presented for admission"
| "SEC 29Os. The certificate of the physi-
! clans shall be given only after "A careful eX-
| hhllldlloh W lut suppoHtu luShnt ptISou
made not more than fve DAYS previous TO
| making the certificate; and physician who
| signs certificate without making such eX-
| animation, snail, II the person Is admitted to
| an asylum upon the certificate, he nned moi
| less than $50, nor more than $780,"
! II will be observed that the statement i.
| made, that "thete Is no appeal from the care
| less opinion OF two physicians" While thi.
| may be technically true, IL is one OF the ma
| duties of the supervisors to protect all in
! mates from injustice. The law directs thai
! one of their number shall visit the asylum as
| oHen rs once Il month, and that they shal
| "hear the grievances of the patients, apart
| from their. officers and keepers, and lnvesu
| gale the eases that, IN their judgment, re
| quire special investigation, and particularly
| shall ascertain "a hpt her Uprgoug "a rp poufn ed