National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-07-26
MINDS OUT OF TUNE.
A VISIT TO THE GOVERNMENT HOSPITAL
FOR THE INSANE.
How the Patients Are Entertained, Clothed,
Fed, and Cared FORA Talk With the Queen
OF Sheba--strange Friendship Of Rooster
and q Grain OF Corn.

hNHllthl lOl Nhc lhoehNt 10 nANN"hSA -
Uniontown, but a short distance from this
city. The buildings are located upon II
hill. which affords splendid views from
every quarter. To tho south tho vision
travels across beautiful lawn, dotted
hero and there with parterros Of flowers
artistically arranged, to the Eastern
branch, then taking in the Navy yard
and the clustered buildings Of Washing
ton, from the midst Of which tower the
capitol and the Washington monument,
the dome Of the former glistening in the
sun, and the white shaft of the latter
seeming to battle its summit in the clouds.
Along the west stretches the Potomac,
while beyond are the green fields of Vir-
ginia, and the cloud.capped Blue Ridge
mountains form the horizon. North and
west arc the undulating farms Of Mary
land, forming as beautiful bits Of land
scape scenery as one would wish to look
at. '.u'a -
Tho Institution has been in operation
for nearly thirty years, having been first
opened for the reception of patients in
1855 Its growth since thon may be
illustrated by stating that during its first
year there were admitted sixty-tbree
patients, while now its family Of unfor-
tunate humanity hos reached 1,l60.
With this increase Of patients has come
an expansion Of grounds. additional
buildings, larger staff Of physicians and
attendants, and increased facilities and
broader, more humane methods in the
treatment Of those beroft of their reason
The first thing that strikes visitor on
entering the grounds is the artistic man.
ner In which they are arranged Closely
cropped lawns, looking like green velvet
carpets, stretch away on either side of
the main drive, interspersed with plats
of geraniums coleas, petunias, roses, and
other flowers, srrayed in all tho various
styles of Horticultural design, that will
make them most attractive to the eye.
Then there are massive trees standing at
regular intervals along the border Of
the walks as sentinels, or dumped to.
gether, forming pleasant groves, while
by the various buildings every variety of
shrubbery is to DO found.
Seats are conveniently placed beneath
tho trees, and on fine day tho inmates
can be seen scattered all about the grounds,
In groups or singly, drinking in the fra
grant air, perfumed by the flowers and
clover, and gazing with apparent sstisfsc-
tion on the beautiful views spread out
before them.
A REPUBLICAN reporter yesterday Wis.,
tied st. Elizsbeth's and made tour OF
some Of the principal buildings. Starting
first under tho guidance of Mr.. Baker,
the house steward, the stororooms, bakery,
kitchen, laundry, and stables were in
spected. In tho storerooms were barrels
of -four sugar, and coffee, chests OF tea,
canned meats of every description, and
groceries of every kind, all systematically
arranged and ready for distribution to
the cooks and bakers. In leo closets
were quarters of beef mutton, and veal,
while hams and tongues hung up in album
dance, and barrels Of pork and mackerel
and tubs Of butter--good, too-weae con-
vicinity disposed.
to feed your vast family" said the
reporter.
"Yes," was the reply. 1--WE use about
], 200 pounds of meat day, excepting on
Friday, which is q fish day, you know, and
then the amount is but about 300 pounds,
but then we use enough fish to mako up
for 1t. In the matter of bread We use
about thirty-five barrels of flour per
week. We bake sometimes rolls aud
tn en- bread. We usually make say $500
rolls at baking. We use great deal
of milk, for IL is nourishing, and the
patients like IL. Our daily use Of milk is
some 160 gallons. Then there are vege-
tables, tea and coffee and preserves, the
latter of which We put up ourselves"
The rolls aud bread were examined and
found to be white and sweet. and in the
preserving room were long shelves piled
with jars Of luscious looking fruit and
berries of every kind. In the kitchen
the long ranges, copper kettles, and all the
various utensils shone like new, while the
tables which but short time before had
been filled with the meats and fish thai
constitute the patients dinner wer,
secured as clean as if they had beer
painted white. In fact, the most scrupu
lous cleanliness was visible ON every side
and a bit Of dust could hardly be discernet
ON any of the floors.
In the stables In line of stalls wer,
Alderney, Jersey, and Ayrshire cows
beautiful animals, who furnish the milk
for the institution. In tho laundry
where all the newest inventions of wash
ing. wringing, and drying machines wer,
In use the reporter met an old coloret
woman. who has been given the soubrique
of the Queen of Sheba. She is O harmless
epileptic, and is allowed to go about prett,
much as she pleases. She is decided,
garrulous, and has a tendency to immod
crate laughing.
How is yer, onhey?" said she, exten d
ing her hand to the reporter, who replied
that barring the heat he was in moder
atsly good health. "Yer think its no
hero, do yer?" said the old dame. "Bu
one o. these days praps yer'll git taste O
heat that's WIS nor this. Don't yer know
/ went down to the hot place once2 Whew
wasn't 1t a scorcher? Great big piles G
coal biggern yer ever seed and all on fire
l had on an ole sun bonnet, and scorche,
the strings, and had to pull 1t off to saw
my har from gittin' burned clar off,"
How did you get away, aunty p
queried tho reporter,
II amt no aunty; Use the Queen @
Shebe, TO-" was the reply. well
you'se stranger, and didn't know di,
yoP iii tell yer how 1 got awsy
There was one big pile o. coal, whicl
was all black on top, and man wild
red shirt was q poking in the top wi,
long iron rod. Putty soon I seed a
how he'd got thro' the black coal to d
fire underneath, and little stream O
fame come up. Den he give ono bi
punch wild de poker, and great bi
ball o. fire riz up right whar / was.
jumped on TO 1t to put it out, and
lifted me way out O. dar up heer, an,
den the doctor wouldn't let mo go back.
Leaving the queen, the tailor's shoI
where the clothes of the inmates ar
made and repaired, was visited, and tn
curiosity Of straigh jacket was in
spected.
S"Do you use one Of these things often ?
was asked.
mo, not now. The old method G