The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-02-22

! treatment is matter TO be determin.
ed by each superintendent.
! R.-What is your private
opinion as to the treatment of the in.
! sane?
DR.. Thy opinion is that every
! insane person is an invalid-is a sick
person, in point of fact. The system
requires building up, good and suf.
ficlent food, tonic and medicines, out
of door exercise, fresh air with pleas.
ant surroundings. Hence the necessi.
ty of state OF county spreading their
institutions over a large territory
rather than massing them, OF central
iZing them; the cost to the state OF
transit of patients being very consid-
cradle, and the deterrent causes to the
patients being very disastrous, mas
much as their friends are unable To
visit as they should the patients, and
the patient loses all the solace and
comfort of being with his friends; and,
after a time. the friends throw the
charge of the insane relative on the
state without any further considera-
ton or sympathy.
R.-Then you think it is more bene-
fetal to the sick insane that their per-
Sonal comfort and welfare should be
provided for than for the ordinary
sick?
DR.. T.-Undoubtedly.
R.-You stated while ago that, in
your judgment, less than 10 per cent,
in fact, that only about ten in the
present insane asylum were durable.
~
twelve, should 1 have any hope of re-
covery.
R.-Do you think that large num-
Der could be saved by increasing the
appliances for their physical care,
recreation and occupation?
BT. T.-Undoubtediy, 4 y0n take
the recent cases. But those cases
there look beyond my hope. You
could better their condition, which
you ought to do.
R.-Their condition has become
chronic?
DR.. T.-Undoubtedly from the con-
dition of their surroundings. There
is no institution on earth that can be
comfortably or well regulated
without it is regularly and
officially visited. There must be a
power above the superintendent, a
power to keep the improvements with
the times.
R.-What kind of drainage system
has the institution?
DR.. T.-NO drainage, no water sup
ply, no sewerage whatever.
R-What additions to the buildings
are neededp
DR.. tt think 1t would be a very
hopeless task to spend money on that
building at all. What | should re-
commend Is to hasten the completion
of the new building. inadequate as it
is, and take the new cases there, max
ing the old ones as comfortable as
possible until you can get new build
lngS to accommodate all the patients.
But the great aim of treatment is
cure. BY dispensing your insane over
a territory in various small institu-
tons, with capacity, say, of 300, you
secure that object. In the first place,
you bring the asylum nearer the
| centre Of your population, and your
insane patients are not deprived of
home comforts and the solace of their
| friends. Undoubtedly, it is proper
that patient should not be inter
fered with for about the first month
| of his new residence, but as soon as
he convaleSceS, or 80 soon as 1t is
| practicable, the friends should visit
regularly, and help to sustain and
| support the patient under his afflic-
| ton.
Again, will suggest that in many
of your institutions in this country
| there is very beautiful idea carried
out, which l hope to see established
in my own country. In each institu-
ton there is a suite of three rooms
connected by main corridor, or one
| door. and from the main staircase by
another. The sick or dying patient is
| placed in one of these handsomely and
comfortably furnished rooms, and en-
| joys the society of his wife or child
during his last moments, or during
his illness, to very large extent
doing away with the secrecy of the
asylum and throwing open the insti.
| tuition as hospital.
l suggest that you build several in.
| expensive institutions of the capacity
| l have stated, without ornamentation
so that your present large number OF
insane persons occupying cells in the
| jailS, and under other Wretched con.
ditions, may receive the benefit Of
| treatment.
The present system of combining in.
sane persons in county jails amounts
to simply of confirmation of their in
sanity.
R.@Should not each state, or STATE
like Texas, which is comparatively {
new state, take some one of its medi.
Il nj in fNY
| the care of its unfortunate insanep
DR.. This is matter that is &C
quired by personal experience, anC
that only. There is no amount OF
reading; there is no amount of out
side study, that is equal to that which
is gained by person loving his pro
| fessiOn; and there is no amount OF
salary will produce this effect upon a
man who cares nothing about his
patients.
| No man can take charge of an in.
sane asylum for pecuniary recon-
pense, and fulfill the duties continu.
ally, efficiently and perfectly, without
having a love for the speciality. The
attendants should be, as far as posi-
BILE, educated people. The more you
throw your patients, of whatever
class, with people of intellect, OF
mind, so your asylums are the more
quietly and correctly managed, anC
you will find in this the absence of al
restraint-the influence of one minC
on the other.
| R.-What is the custom in you
country in regard to the appointment
of insane medical dlrectorsi
DR.. Tour law provides, in the frs
place, for the inspector general, who
visits monthly. and enters in a bool
for the purpose, at the asylum, a full
elaborate report of the condition il
which he finds every patient and ever,
room. A copy of that book is bounl
to he furnished the government with
in twenty-four hours. Besides tn
inspector general, there are two ply
sicIans and one barrister, paid officers
called board of visitors; they, b,
law, must visit once in each month
but each of these gentlemen may visi
night or day, as he thinks proper, ant
without notice. They also have t.
enter their report, and furnish tn
government with copy of the sam
within twenty-four hours. The mas
ter in lunacy also visits and reports.
R.-What are the duties of the mas
ter in lunacy?
| DR.. This duties are, on in
formation conveyed to him b,
superintendent, to report twic'
in each month as to the admissions
deaths and discharges, as to the Pre-
perty owned by the patient, or SUI
a. l. .->l l~x- 4,