The Indianapolis journal., 1884-03-28
UNPLEASANT REVELATIONS.
The Condition of the 250 Insane WOm-
en- in Indiana POOr-HOuses.
An Urgent Demand for Immediate Reform
The Views of DR.. Elder and DR..
Fletcher

II understand, Doctor" said a Journal re-
porter to DR.. E. S, Elder, secretary of the State
Board of Health, ''that there are about 250 in
sane women confined in the poor houses of the
ninety two counties of Indiana Can you tell me
how they are treated and for the benefit of the
readers of the Journal and humanity at large
describe the nature of their surroundings
II have not received reports from more than
a third of the counties, as the reports come in
slowly; but L think there are at least 250 insane
women in the poor houses or county asylums for
the poor, in the State Don't you want to know
the number of males as well"
mo; have special design in merely getting
the statistics as to women"
marion county has not yet reported Wander
burg so far heads the list, with 16 crazy women
in her poor house; jefferson county has s; La
porte, TO- St Joseph, s; Noble, 8. Some have
none at ALL but the average is three or four. I
do not care to make special mention of any of
the numerous poor houses that deserve condem-
nation. Nearly all of them are unfit for the shell
ter of beasts, not to speak of diseased and suffer
ing humanity that are driven to take refuge in
them The sanitary surveys of these places, now
being made make an exhibit that should cause
the face of every resident of this State, man and
woman, to redden and burn with shame. There
isn't much rhetoric in the commonplace and di-
rect answers that fill out the blanks
furnished to the medical men who visit
these poor-houses, but it is easy to read between
the lines, and then grim, horrible and loath-
some picture rises. Thirty-six per cent of the
buildings are not ventilated and nearly all are
wholly unfit for the purposes for which they are
used In some of them there is no care taken to
separate the sexes, and unfortunate women,
sometimes idiotic, sometimes the insane have
been made to minister to the base desires of
men, tramps and paupers. recently paid
visit to the Hospital for the Insane, and went
among the l, 100 inmates. Not restraint of
any kind was in use and nothing found to
shock the sensibilities of the most refined A
visit through our poor-houses would show very
different state of affairs. Poor-houses would
not be the filthy places they are if the public
paid the attention to them they deserve. The
INDECENT and insane are thrown into them and
are forgotten Out of sight, out of mindl l
think there is greater field for the exercise of
philanthropy to be found in our poor houses than
anywhere. In 83 per cent of these county
asylums, under ignorant. if not brutal keepers,
physical restraints are used upon these poor un-
fortunates. Many of them are kept in straight
jackets; many are tied to their chairs and others
are even chained In county adjoining this,
one poor woman spends her entire time in soli-
tary confinement kept in a cell or coop of iron.
Here is a note attached to report from one of
the northern counties, and not fear, by any
means the worst in the State"
The reporter read: '"The buildings are very
poor, insufficient and altogether inadequate to
the demands; lily ventilated In fact, they are
not as good as ordinary cattle Sheds There are
no hospital Notwithstanding but a
farm with scarcely anything else. The condi
ton of the poor at this so-ealled asylum is GER
tainly as lamentable as this report indicates.
AS physician, in charge | have many reasons to
not the least of which is being compelled as the
health officer of the county to make report of
the character of the one inclosed."