New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-07-12
LOCAL MISCELLANY.
OPENING A BATH FOR INSANE PATIENTS.
DIR. A. +. MACDoNALD's CHARGES GIVEN TREAT
A WEDDING ANNIvFRsARY.


On the sideboard in the dining room Of Dr. a. f:
Macdonald, superintendent of the Wards Island
Asylum for the Insane. Yesterday stood a beauti-
fully embossed silver pitcher. II was wedding
his marriage on July 10. 1888 Thursday was the
anniversary Of the wedding, but the large-hearted
S o' STr at the pSor
unfortunates committed to his care might partakc
with hun in the happiness of the occasion. one OF
the greatest pleasures 10 which the patients IN ne
asylum look forward IL the half hOur's play m the
opcn-alr bath which has been built by themselves
al the southern end II tho island. The bath, which
was constructed last summer is dug ont OF he
solid rock of the land part of The Hogs Back and IS
20I feet long by = feet VIDE witha depth OF
Its sid, neatly walled with stone, and at inter
walls there are steps Leading down to the water Al
the sout 1ern end IS a shower-bath which IS worked
by a pump. The watc Is admitted from Hell Gate
al high tide through a sluicewav. and is RET AIMED
by gate. After the bathing and at low tide II IL
allowed to rush out thoroughly cleansing tho
basin. Around the outside, enclosing rectange
of go feet by - feet, - a wall OF earth hvc or
six feet in height, on the top of which
distant 2 few feet ea>tery from il is built long
low SIZED with seats aud Stats on which the bathers
may hang their clothing, and down in one corner Is
booth where a light lunch isscrved aftert the bath
Yesterday the dav fixed for opening the bath
for the season. shortly after two o'clock Dr.
Macdonald ana ms g G,riss went TO Inc rea.
carriage and an ambulance were driven
across the stretch of ground, which
At tie same time squad of brown Dated men, in
-hrimmed straw hats filed out OF the Asylum
binding under the command OF physician ana
several attendants and marched with a mill tary
tread to the music of a guitar played by coOred
patient down one of the paths and INTO the enclo-
sure. Here they were drawn up in line under he
she'd and as soon as permission was given they
stripped and got INTO the water each
in ms own way. Some walked down
the steps, and gingerly placed hrst one me
foot then the other in gradually settling down till
the body was covered The man who fired a
revolver shot AZ the British Consul some time ago
leapcd high into he air. and coming down feet
first into the wafer pulled like poTpoIse.
DIR. Macdonald knows the name and pecuilarty
Of each of his 1853 patients. Pointing TO
large splendidly developed man swimming about
with a strong hand-OVcr-hand stroke, he said:
" There is one of the best Swimmers here. lie got
away one night and swan across tho river. IL was
several davs before We could get any track of him.
He was finally discovered on an Astoria terryboat,
trying to sell a horse which did not belong 10
him In order to show off the good
qualities of the beast he would seize him by both
hind legs and lift him up and down: Inc lockers
IDENTIFY too strong for the horse. That slender man
swimming beside him won the championship last
year. The doctor then called the two men and
asked them 10 SWIM match from ono end OF the
basin 10 the other They did 80. and the large man
won, the other acting as if he were lazy. When
the men had been i'll the water long enough they
were called ont, and after taking the shower
bath they dried themselves and dressed.
hen they went to the booth where Assistant
Superintendent DR.. Trautman served them with
a lunch of potato salad ham, cheese sardines, and
raisns. la the same manner squad after squad
went through the bath untl aboui 40 OF Thorn had
sathcd. They were n fine looking lot OF men
physically Their skins ware white and clean and
their bodies strong and robust, showing that they
are we'll fed aud cared for.
Among the visitors were Commissioners Hess and
Porter Dr. PaTdcc Of the consulting stan, and
Mcssrs Southwick Colby and Kennel Inc guests
walked back 10 Or. Macdonald's rooms where they
pertoke of refreshmonts, snd were presented to
Mrs Macdonald.