The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-06-21
LOOKING AT LUNATICS.
Results of a Somewhat Extensive Visit
TO Various Hospitals for the Insane.
Ohio, New York. Pennsylvania, and Washing
ton Institutions--Ilo the Indiana Hos
pital Compares with the Best.

written for the indianapolis journal.
"He gave what little means he had,
To build house for people mad;
To show by satric touch
No nation needed ii SO much"
There is no doubt that with the good care in
sane persons receive nowadays, and tho cultiva-
tion of cranks. and the propagation % nervous
and mental diseases, and the of commit
ment to free keeping in the hospitals for that
class that we ars becoming q little overstocked
with lunatics-to degree that the good Dean
Of St Patrick's never dreamed of.
A few weeks ago. through the kindness of the
journal, was permitted to visit several of the
larger hospitals for insane in various States and
cofnpare them with our own. My first visit was
TO Longview, which is one of the FIVE maintained
by the State of Ohio. 1t is built upon an alb
rupt hill, or bluff, over the little village of Car
thage, and is about ten miles from Cincinnati, on
the Hamilton & Dayton road. The building
minds one Of our old State house. with its great
dome and rotunda; in the center there is a foun-
tain which throws the water some thirty feet,
keeping the halls and wards which radiate from
il in a cool condition in hot weather: The sur
roundings of Longview are delightful Mill
creek valley and the hills beyond, the well kept
farms and market gardens, towns villages, villas
and hamlets spread out before one in beautiful
panorama
At the foot of the bluff upon which the hos
pital is built passes the Miami canal, within a
hundred yards of the hospital front It's margins
are shaded by clumps of willows and elms- In
the rear Of the building lake or reservoir Of a
little more than an acre has been constructed,
where patients delight to fish, and where in
winter they skate, and where the hospital pro-
cures abundance of ice. It is upon this lake
they depend for water in case Of fire. DIR. Miller,
the superintendent, is a quiet, decisive sort of
man, who looks after his $50 patients in person.
Although he has good assistants, be devotes his
whole time to the management Nearly adj the
washing, ironing and homework Is accomplished
by the inmates
"How do you get your patients to work will
'Well," said the Doctor, II give those who
work extra privileges, and sometimes reward
the women with o new dress, a corset some
ribbons, or a. bonnet. To the men, tobacco a
pair of boots, and they all have a lunch between
meals"
DO you have any religious services on Sun
daysf
"No; neither allow politics nor religion to
come in this house"
The Doctor informed me that he had been
superintendent tan years, and was permitted to
manage the hospital just as he pleased Re-
straints Used to limited extent, bat for
the general appearance inside the wards / can
give but little information.
COLUMBUS O.
Sunday morning was in Columbus, and took
o street-car ride to the Hospital for the Insane,
which is situated, geographically, just as the
Indiana hospital is. Three miles west of the
city is an elevated table of land that makes the
second level west of the Scioto river. The build
ing is longer than the hospital for women in In
diana, but far inferior to ours in its arrange
ments. The hospital is in bad condition, owing
to the fact that it has had seven superintendent
In as many years The farm upon which the.
hospital is located is one of great natural beauty
and reminds me of Crown Hill in it's fertility
diversity of surface and variety of native forest
trees and shrubbery. l said the hospital is in a
bad condition. / mean the building inside and
the machinery have all run down; but there is a
bright future for the institution, provided they
will permit DR. Finch, the present superintend-
ent TO wear out one pair of shoes before they
make another change of officers. The patients
have considerable freedom the lawn, and in
wards they Kindly treated This hospital
has grand amusement hail, as large as
our Masonic Hall. 1t is finished in oak
handsomely frescoed, and is provided with
an extensive stage with all stage fixtures Of
modern times. Just back of this amusement
hall is chapel which is very handsome in it's
architectural embellishments. and is provided
with magnificent organ, which cost several
Il
service where some three hundred patients at
tended and I confess that there was little to call
ones mind to the fact that it was not fashion
able audience In a most fashionable church The
choir consisting OF the daughters of the supern-
rendent, the assistant physician and some of
he attendants, was exceptionally fine. The
rganist who is a professor of some celebrity, is
patient and poured forth volumes Of voluntary
Improvisation, that was remarkable for its good
fleet upon the audience. What can produce
more profound impression upon the sane or in
sane mind, that fine organ, we'll played by one
who feels the music within. There are over
i 100 patients in this institution.
1 am sure that If the people of Ohio will let
the Columbus Hospital for Insane remain under
one management for five years it will be among
the best in America. you are nearly as bad in
Indiana, said one gentleman at the hoteL mo,
my friend. the Indiana hospital has existed
thirty-six years and had only seven superintend-
ents; fewer changes than most OF the hospitals
in the country"
DIXMONT, PA.
Monday found myself in Pittsburg. and for
the first time could thecity. Since the intro
ductlon of gas as fuel in most of the glass and
iron furnaces it cannot be called the Smoky
City. With some difficulty found my way to
DiXmont eleven miles west OF Allegheny City. to
the Western Pennsylvania Hospital, which takes
all the insane from thirteen counties. Dixmont
Hospital is situated in a most romantic spot on
the mountain side, facing the southwest with a
beautiful view of valley, mountains, rocks.
WOODS and fertile fledS In the distance. From
the station the State furnishes carriage at every
train TO convey passengers up the winding steep
to the hospital door. The building is old, and
inside the large, oldfashioned hallsare decorated
with good oil paintings portraits of various
founders, trustees and superintendent. The
furnishing is of the substantial and rich
kind of days long gone, which gives to the
whole place an air of quiet dignity. walked
through all the wards with DR.. Hutchinson, the
superintendent and through the flower garden,
green house stables ard vegetable garden. and
finally through the boiler house, laundry kitchen
and bakery. Although DID, the building is so clean
IN every particular and place that nothing could
make it cleaner. The patients were clean-even
those in restrant--an clean and orderly The
walks, gardens, and all outside departments
were alike in perfect order The whole man
agement was the embodiment of system. drill
order. No doors creaked or BANGED no person