The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-05-03
Witness and the Western Lunatic
Asylum.

~ ~ ILIffOI vi WV 1'NINAkfH
In n criticism OF my construction OF the
law and Of my ours generally in refusing
TO order at once, by telegram or otherwise,
the arrest and return TO the asylum OF q
patient who had been "released on bOnd"
by my predecessor, your correspondent
:" witness" with perhaps no intention OF
misrepresentation, does me injustice, and
is likely 10 create an erroneous impression
upon the public.
lie saws, substantially, that ! not only did
a very unreasonable thing in refusing TO
admit the applicant referred TO, but that
ga Jail OF prison is, in my opinion, a suita-
bic place for lunatics"; and asks seriously
whether any provision exists in our State
for the shelter, treatment, and security Of
dangerous, hnnicidal madren, who snap
pistols at peoples breasts" &C., &c.
TO the last or intcrrogatiye part OF this
sentence answer, Yes! the State has such
provision. Bu in order that Witness ="
or any other good citizen Of the Common
wealth may get the benefit Of it, he must
seek it in the plain, legal way prescribed
by the Code Of Virginia. SECTIONS %. 30,
and 30 Of chapter 81
And now. to dispose OF the other part Of
the criticism, | beg to submit the following
facts:
There are three legitimate ways by
which a patient confined in one of our
State asylums may be removed therefrom-
viz, by "~diSChGrqe." 4" ~fuTfOugh," and by
"~reieaSe on bond" To the first Of these
the Superintendent resorts when he re-
CARDS a patient as well or cured. All I'M
derstand that. He resorts to the second
when be believes that a visit home OF thirty
or sixty days loW benefit The patient or lead
TO his recovery. I'm other words, Il patient
is "furloughed " when in the judgment of
the superintendent a Through will prove
advantageous TO the patient, the con-
ditions being that if the patient grow
worse during the specified time he shall
be returned at once 10 the asylum,
but if he continue to improve bis
furlough shall be extended or cX-
changed for a final discharge. But now, if
the superintendent is unwilling TO let a
patient 20 in either Of these two ways
that is, if he cannot conscientiouSly dis
chdrge or furtOugh bim-then the friends
of the patient may or can always secure
his L" release on bond" provided they give
a satisfactory bond. This last plan-"rc-
lease on bond DIFFERS from the other two
in being almost exclusively in the hands of
the patients friends instead Of at the OPP
tiOn OF the Superintendent and Board.
And it differs, further, from a "furlougb,"
in the fact that, like n "dhcharge." it
sewers all connection between the patient
and the asylum. 1t transfers all response
bility from the latter to the bondsmcn; and
nothing short Of a regular recOmmltment
or the ~"action OF a new commission de m
QuirendO" can secure for the patient a
place again in the asylum.
Aa. ~.l
hurtful error in this construction " OF the
laws respecting lunatics; and | beg TO say
that for obvious reasons they do not "nccd
prompt %revisal" either. For, il the Super
intcndent, with his associate advisers,
should think it proper and iudiciOus to
send IA patient away from the asylum, he
can and will pursue II OF the two practi-
cal plans at his command before mentioned
(elther by discharge or .f~UrlOuqh) but if,
when the Superintendent cannot consent
either to discharge or Through n patient,
the l%attcr's friends were allowed by the
law to take him away on bond, and return
him whenever they please, or whenever
they choose no longer to be responsible for
him. the evil results would be too plain TO
need pointing out.
And now, Mr.. Editor, ! am severely CEN
surcd by "Witncss" because, with my
understanding of the law, ! refused to take
at once n person pnrpOrting TO be . luna
tic) whose "rclease on bond" had been
secured, by his friends, during my prede-
c~eSsor's administration. | am perfectly
willing for the public TO decide the qucs-
ton a. to who is the unreasonable party.
Lastly, in making application for admis-
sion into the asylum, the sole object of q
. commission de inquirendO," &C., is TO
prove that the subject is a tunQttc. And
yet listen TO a portion OF "Witness's" let
ter in making application the other day
at was very much doubted at The time OF
his release whether the act was judiclous
or even safe; but - thought she could
manage the youth, ,chO is, indeed, in my
Judgment, NOT STRICTLY INSANE, but Il very
unsafe and violent person, carrying pistols,
threatening lives, &c."!!!
After explaining ia as courteous language
as l could at the time command why |
could not admit the patient then, and
T0utd not at any time without his
recommitmeEt, | venture to intimate
to witness" that, if his opinion OF
the young man were correct. "per.
haps a Jail or prison would not be an i'm.
proper place for him." But deny that, in
my opinion, ga Jail or prison" is the right
place for Il lunatic's confinement, and
furthermore positively deny that | said an,
such thing anywhere in my letter, either
expressly or hy implication.
| Ro. s.. HAMILTON,
I superintendent Western Lunatic Asylum.
Stdunton, Va, May 1, 1883.