Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-01-26
EXPERTS IN LUNACY.
MUCH NEEDED MAD HuUsE REFORM

MUCH \ EEDED MAD HvUsE REFORMS.
Some Questions Concerning Lunatic AsyIums |
Discussed Dy the Association for the
protection of the Insane.
The national association for the protec- |
tion of the insane and the prevention of
insanity met at 3 o'clock Wednesday after |
noon at the hall of the college of physi |
clans, Thirteenth and Locust streets,
Philadelphia. DR.. Joseph Parish, of New |
Samuel u. Gross delivered an address Of
welcome, on which he dwelt on the enor
nous number OF the insane and the duties
owing to them in the manner of treatmens
whether with or without medicine or re-
straint. Professor Traill Green, of Easton,
in a paper on the functions of a medical
staff of an insane hospital, held that these
institutions at present are not accomplish
inc their mission, for the reason that they
are commonly regarded by even the most
intelligent people as more like prison
| houses than institutions for the cure of
patients. This he ascribes to the small
ness of the staff in most cases. A small
staff means poor attendance upon its
duties, and inStanced numerous cases
| where one superintendent and two assis-
tant physicians had in charge from four
to six hundred patients, while DR.. Kirk
bride, with maximum number of four or
five hundred, has five assistants.
| DR.. Gross offered resolution setting
forth that as a large proportion of female
cases of insanity are due to sexual dis
cases, the association recommend that
thoroughly trained gynacologist be added
to the medical staff of every hospital. An
amendment by DR.. Morton, giving the
preference to female physicians, was
warmly discussed, Bishop Simpson. Fran
Cis Wells and others speaking in favor of
it, while lady physician and others as
warmly opposed it. The resolution was
carried as amended.
DR.. Charles X. Mills, of Philadelphia,
discussed nervous diseases in general,
l;.menting the great lack of proper facili-
tics for instruction IL the majority of
medical colleges and advising the estab.
lishmeut of separate wards iu college hos.
pitals and the employment ofspecalists in
instruction for the training of physicians
in the treatment of mental diseases. At
present, he said, comparatively few are
qualified to certify to cases of insanity for
admission to the hospitals. DR.. Parrish,
in a paper on how to protect the insane,
stated that Insanity was Increasing at .
ratio alarmingiy out of proportion to the
increase Of population, and that whereas
formerly the percentage of cures ranged
from 40 to 60, in late years it has fallen to
from - to so per cent. of the cases
, treated The fault he ascribes to the
81 stem Of treatment in large asylums,
WHERE patients are closely confined to the
same scenes I'd surroundings.
The secretary, Miss A. y Chevallier, of
, Boston, read the annual report, in which
4 committee is suggested to ask Congress
to institute Il national lunacy committee
, of inquiry, also u committee to ask all
insane hospitals ro change their names to
"hOspitals FOR mental Diseases
Y In the evening the Rev. II Heber New
Y ton, of New York, read u paper on the
p obligations Of the sans toward the insane,
in which he made a very broad and vigOr-
Gus denuuciatiOn of the present possibility
1 for wrongful restraint on the part of the
D keepers of the insane. Dr. II. Marion
- Simms, of New York, then read paper
giving several instances from his own
Practice. He iDstanced the case of Horace
IL Greeley, who, lie said, suffered from acute
meningitis and the resulting delirium was
mistaken for insanity. He was fully in
+ dorseu by DIR. At!ee, who took occasion
|
by Mr.. Newton that monstrous abuse!
y existed in the public asylums and sale
that rot one sane person had ever beer
n confined in the Pennsylvania hospital.
c He was followed 10y Mr. Wells, who sait
j. that this association was upon trial ant
:, il it was not 10 be a mere society for th'
pcIpetuation of fables it would be wis
& ior it to discourage these stoI les of her
z rible crucltieS thai exist only in the i'm
t agination OF tie uninformed. Clark Bell
; New York lawyer, read a long paper OF
the legal rights Of the insane that touce.
on every side OF this aspect of the case
tie riMcipa! point urged being rs careful
' a supervisor Of the superintendent as wa
e exercised over tie patients themselves.
# The officers elected for the year axe
= President, DR.. Joseph Parrish sccretar,
. ana treasurer, Miss. a. A. Chevaillier
executive committee, DIR. Parrish and Mis-
, Chcvaii!icr Cla;k Bell, DR.. William B
IS Atkinson, DR.. c. 4. Mills. The associa
y ti"n adjourned until3 p. NJ. to-day.