Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1885-12-04

Law FOR INSANE HOMICIDES
We trust that among the earliest meas
ures that will receive the attention of the
legislature, will be bill for the confne.
ment of insane persons of homicldal pro-
ensities. The three casAs which have
ccurred within this State since its pre-
decessoI adj ,urned, 50 repiete with Tragic
neutrality-suspicious. al Charlottesville
Liberty and SsaunIOn, are Calls for atten
tion louder than any The press can utter
In all three, unarmed, wholly inoffenslve,
and excellent citizens met their deaf
without a moment g warning, at the hands
of men who had long been known, accord
ing to facts afterwards ELECTED. as ire
sponsible lunatics. Three murders in eight
months, in one State, ought to be suftlc-
lent to enforce the necessity of new law.
Without such law it will be impossible
III ploLecv Tile Insane Lnem serves, anu LnaL
should be as important C Consideration as
the protection Ut the comuiunity; for the
communities have already shown dlspo-
sitioD, which is on the incz ease, to supply
the absence of law, by their own hasty
action. About tue details OF such law
it is hard to decide, but it is clear that it
should be made to act not only as pre-
ventlve but cure. AS touching the insane
of prOpenslties to violence, WHO nave as yet
committed 70 crime, 1t should abolish the
mockery of giving bonds for their good be-
haviour; should prohibit the practice OF
/ ok, nju
police force OF the State AS much freedom
Of arrest With person of insane mind as
with drunken one, should provide for
damages to be secured from the estates.
Tor from parents in the case of minors, for
injuries done to person or property; should
provide in mandatory way chat the insane
stall BE- taken from the Gust ,dy OF their
friends and sent to asylum, just as per
sons affected with contagious diseases are
sent to public hospitals by law. In short
the law should be preventive to the fullest
extent and in the most rigid manner for
the safety of the public, just as it should
insure lifelong isolation for the safety OF
the unfortunate insane.
That it is a hard subject to deal with we
are well aware, but TO be dealt with. with
any effect. it must be treated with the
frmness, combined with force, that the
physician uses to the patient. 1t was the
opinion OF DR.. Strlbling that one-half of
the hos piEai accommodations in the State
were absolutely wasted because OF the re-
fusal of the friends of insane persons to
commit them to asylum retirement direct
ly upon discovering their malady. The
sick MIND continues getting worse aud
worse until at last it's possessor is COM
misted when he is beyond the reach of
on the State. The space in the asylum
wasted on him with no hope of cure,
might have been used in restoring scores
Of durable cases to their families. The
new law should provid e for rigid en-
force ment Of Que or two things, with per-
sons of diseased mind-committal to an
asylum or complete isOlation by their
friends. Of course the Insane We allude
to are only those afflicted with propen
sity for violence. There are many harm
less and eccentric insane who are quite as
safe members of community as any one in
that community, and perhaps little safer
than some people who are gifted with a
violent and uncomfortable temper.
Ia the perfection of such law as seems
to US needed. the counsel Of experts
in insanity such as the superintend-
ents of the asylums should be called in,
for their experience will be- found of
great assis lance in the formation of a code
which will combine protection and con-
sheraton for the unfortunate, and safety
from irresponsible murderers, for the
community.