The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-10-14
v,rnloyment for the Insane.
DIR. ALICE II. CAMrBELL's sUG"bSI'oNS oN
THE VALUE OF SOME KIND OF WORN.
INcw York TImcs.l

ruy VALUE OF SOME KIND OF WORK.
New York TImcs.l
The sixth meeting OF the Society for Pro-
noting the Welfare Of the Insane was held
last evening In the parlors OF Mrs. j. Il.
Rrinkman. NJ. D.. at No. 30 west Twenty
third street. Mrs. Amelia Wright, NJ. d..
Tho president, in the chair Among
those present were Mrs. Eugenia Ber-
~. Or. j. G.. Brinkman, Or. i. j.
II. Wait, DR.. Alice u. Campbell, and
r. A. Rurdy, Of Chenango county. Dc.
Campbell read an interesting paper en-
titled Suggestions Regarding the Better
Treatment OF the Insane" "No one
could visit an insane asylum" she said
"'without being painfully impressed win
the air OF istless idlcneSs which pc"yadCS
the wards. Stout, muscular men ana
strong, naturally active wome1 sit around
I'm semi-paralyzcd state or cNpend ther
pent-up energies IN involunta, gcStlcpia-
lions in the air. TIE great majority OF
these people have beed accustomed 10 haru
labor. and many Of them 10 the stimulus OF
rewards for their labor, which OF itself has
been the great incentive TO steady devotion
TO duty. II is for this class that better treat
ment should be afforded by indulging them
i'm some occupation that will tend TO re-
move their minds from the contemplation
az the particular dcluson which has led to
their incarceration. Careful observation
substantiates the opinion that the most
powerful factor in the therapeutics OF IN
sanity is occupation Of the mind with other
subjects and rs complete an ab c1cc A.
possible Of all conditions liable 10 suggest
The morbid train of thought. a resoI,
10 diverting amIsemcnis. while useful in
itself. should not he the only means
of accomplishing this. A comp etc resi- :
needed OF that arcA of brain o. nerve
tissue now the centre Of morbid action and
comparative activity of the healthy portion
OF the brain. Amusem Ms Will divert, but
they will not give strength and increased
energy TO the brain. For this latter result
there must be thai tOnirG and energlZng
power that comes from fixed occupation.
There is immense advantage TO the insane
in regular habits Of living and working.
"Perhaps the most striking testimony as
TO the importance Of labor continued the
Doctor, "w.is recently given by Dr.
Bower. who has charge OF an Engl'S pr
yate ASYLUM. He goes so far as to believe
that employment shoLld he made con IL
sorry i'm private institutions on account OF
IFS curative value. The principles which
he laid down in adopting this plan we e
never to give n weak body too much
phvscal labor to do: 10 remove as far a.
possible from the impuaiion OF being
mental the employment for patients OF the
upper class: variety IN the employ
mcnt provided so rs TO guard against
wearisOmenesS an abundance OF recica-
ton and amusement. good nouriShlng '0od.
weekly or bi-wcekly holiday in which asso-
citation of the sexes should be permitted.
The Commissioner OF Lunacv of this State
has said that the chief objection to labor
which he has found among patieIts j. nm
unwiIlingneSS 'to work for the State rs
fbev express il. without any pay This
is a point to which he will give some discus
sion in his forthcoming report. He suggests
that some system of wages be devised 10y
which those will be benefited who are
really able to earn more than the cost OF
their maintenance. He believes that IT is
far from being proved that skilled labor
might not be much more generally en-
ployed than at present. and IN corrob0ra-
ton of his views points out the fact thai
the printing OF the Department OF tharl-
ties i'm this city is done 10y the insane.
and that their work will compare faVorably
with that OF any tirst-claSs printinS-houSc III
the city. "The scheme which tfcSc SJIg-
gcstionS embody," said DR.. Campbell in
conclusion, is: Let the superintendent
Of the asylum be authorized TO establish
with the insane system OF debit and ere
dit. rs with any employs, charging bin
with board and clothing Gnd crcditing BIN
with his work. The State would lose no.
thing by such scheme, for the products
of the labor Of the inmates would rcir'n
to the asylum in the form OF maintenance
in the same manner * the products of the
labor of any cmDlOye."