National Republican., 1883-08-20
THE INSANE ASYLUM.


the government insane asylum, as 1t il
more familiarly called, is situated on the
heights overlooking Washington from the
southeast, and is the model institution Of the
kind in the world. A REPUBLICAN reporter
visited this institution yesterday, and in com
pany with Dr. Wilmer, the assistant superin.
tendent, made q tour of the buildings and
grounds. The several wards each of which
Is named after species of wood were visited
and many phases of insanity observed. In
one of them all criminals who are acquitted
on tho ground Of insanity are confined, and
the fifty men who paced tho floor represented
nearly every nationality, includingan an Indian
and Chinaman. In this ward, which is in.
closed by iron bars, four stout attendants re-
main constantly on duty to prevent the pa
tionts from attacking and injuring each
other. Another ward is occupied by sick pa
tients, and the remainder by insane citizens
and soldiers, women and children, graduated
from violent to mild cases. Out of the total
number of patients lover 1,O0O), one-fourth
are females.
Tho asylum very nearly resembles n per.
feet self-supporting town. There are bee
hives, farm, dairy, laundry, tailoring estab-
lishment and other industries Among
thom is depar tment devoted to tho raising
Of canary birds. During the past season the
attendant in charge of the hatchery sue.
ceeded in raising thirty-oue birds out of u
total of forty-two Matched. The birds, when
suilciently large arc placed in neat brass
cages and hung about in the wards.
Tho sleeping apartments, and in fact every
portion Of the buildings, are kept as neat and
tidy "as new pin" The former are of diff
ferent sizes, ranging from small rooms,
with single beds, to othcrs containing
twelve beds. The single rooms arc
used for fractions patients Attached
to each ward are large wardrobes, in which
the extra clothing and shoes of patients are
kept, with labels attached TO them. The din
ing rooms are situated at tho end of the
wards, and us the reporter passed through the
tables were laden with nice dinner, consist
ing Of fruit, vegetables, bread sliced water
melon, cantaloupe, &c.
The milder class of patients have access to
billiard rooms and libraries besides taking
frequent drives about Washington during the
week in a large four-horse carryall. The
opera hall is another feature of tho asylum
In 1t six hundred people can be accommodated
The hall is used on Sunday for church pur.
poses and during the winter for literary aud
theatrical entertainments and dancing.
large sewing room is attached to the fe.
male department and between thirty and
fifty female patients are on week DAYS ar.
ranged around the apartment, plying needle
and scissors, manufacturing undergarments
for the institution. Tho tailoring department
whore all of tho outer garments are made and
stored, is in charge of Il practical tailor, Mr.
l.. ii. Beynon, who is also assisted by patients
Tho same gentleman is the inventor of the
straightforward now in use at the asylum. 1t is
made of stout canvas with long arms, which
ar hnIt
ing him perfectly powerless to do harm. The
records of this branch show that over 5000
shoes are issued annually and 100 dozen straw
hats each summer, while 5000 suits ofclothing
are on hand for winter and summer use.
A visit was next made to the kitchen and
store rooms, whore force of thirty-two cooks
and helpers were at work preparing dinner
over long lines of huge ranges. The statistics
of this department show that for each dinner
1000 pounds of fresh beef are necessary.
Five barrels of flower are consumed fol
bread daily rs are also 100 pounds of butter
$50 gallons of milk, $500 ears of green corn
and 200 pounds of sugar. For break fast Is
sliced hams and l75 gallons of coffee will just
go around. To make 175 gallons, AZ pound:
of ground coffee arc used. For one making
of tea 2S pounds are necessary, and 75 dozer
of eggs arc consumed at one meal by the sicb
patients alone. The weekly consumption O.
pickles amounts to between 900 and 1000
and six barrels of macllerel are eaten during
the same period Those of inmates who chew
tobacco are furnished with plug every
morning
A large preserve pantry was stocked will
jars of that luscious edible which had beer
prepared on the premises, also home made
maple sirup in largo cans Another pantry
is used to store honey produced from the asy
| lum hives.
The bakery is in a separate building, and
| four bakers are constantly employed manlpu
| lating large revolving oven and making al
excellent quality of bread and cakes. Fo
one supper $500 of tho latter are consumed
| The laundry building is near the bakery
| 1t is operated mainly by female patients, VIII,
wash and iron 10000 garments each week eX
elusive of 1000 towels every day. This de
partment is supplied with the very latest ap
pliances, including large sliding frames will
| great coils of steam pipes beneath them.
Milk is supplied the institution by seventy
eight fine milch cows quartered in wei
ventilated and cleanly stable, underneath o
which bone grinding machine manufacture
fertilizer for the farm from an immense mum
Der of bones which accumulate daily.
In the capacious grounds and lawns settees
are arranged for the patients, some Of whom
! are allowed to wander about during the morn
ing and evening, and on one side of the mali
| building an artificial lake, with boats ant
swans, furnishes sport and amusement to tn
| inmates.
New boilers are being erected in q boile
| house away from the main building, and it i
proposed to heat the several buildings b,
means of coils of steam pipes laid unde
ground.
DIR. Godding has made important sanitar,
| improvements by erecting a special towe
| attachments to oak ward, whore the sick ar
| kept. Now bath rooms and water closets
and an improved method of ventilation ar
| the main features of improvement.
The horrors attendant upon q conhagratiO
in an institution OF this Kind has caused tn
management TO adopt perfect fire precautions
including fire drill of the attendants. TIL
twelve new artesian wells are located nea
the river bank. Their estimated daily capacit
is 100000 gallons by the aid of pumpage an
syphonage. They supply the entire institu
tion with clear cold water, Their natura
flow amounts to 100000 gallons without art
fetal aid In the pump house adjoining tn
wells there is large steam pump, which cal
be worked in case of emergency or fire u
to sixty strokes q minute. The water flow
from the wells through pipes to large tanl
on top of the building, from whence it 10 sup
piled to the several wards by means of waite
pipes. The overflow from this tank is carrie
by n large pipe to n Cistern in tho grount
with "a capacity of $4,000 gallons. In case o
fire tho housetop tank would not be useC
The water supply would be cut OIL from it an
supplied directly TO the numerous plugs SUI
rounding and inside of the buildings. TIL
plugs are so situated that three or fou
streams could be concentrated on any on
spot, and in case tho Washington fire depart
ment should be called upon II full supply
water could be obtained from tho overfo
cistern or river. Fire hose, &C., are kept i
first class order about the buildings in lare