The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-30

called) in many States is mere farce-the
certificate of physician or two, the word of
one person perhaps, justice or two all in
terested in fees, who often do not view the
person to be condemned save at distance
constitutes the process. Fully one-half of the
patients received in the Indiana hospital are
committed without their having any knowl-
edge Of the proceedings whatever"
Admission to lunatic asylums is quite TOO
easy. Persons should not be cared for at the
public expense who have the means to main
tain themselves. '"To furnish a home for all
adjudged insane free of expense, is to offer a
premium on the cultivation of the disease, be-
sides robbing the people Of personal pride and
honor which should protect them from such
self degradation. The peevishness of ado
lescence the popularity and petulance of old
age (senile dementia) should rarely be re-
garded as indications for removal from home
and freedom to hospital" In conclusion, DR..
Fletcher states the common opinion that the
number of insane may be reduced by improved
methods of treatment: Among these are the
minimum of mechanical restraint, workshops,
garden work, schools, and such employments
and amusements as belong to well-regu-
regulated home. Successful treatment
means educated and trained attendants
who have taken as a life vocation the
care Of the insane best of all, healthy middle
aged men and women of family, for the mems
wards as well as for the womens. These in
place Of the young male attendants and giddy
women, who come and go so that the entire
corps is changed about twice year, would
add permanent interest, kindness and home
like comfort to the wards and make them
truly homes for the insane.
The present superintendent of our great
hospital evidently feels that political rotation
is the main detriment to making the asylums
of the State approximate to the ideal he has
so cleverly drawn, and which the money
spent on them, under honest management by
the trustees and officers would make them.
The Offices, from superintendent to kitchen
scullion have been political gifts, as is we'll
known to the public. How unfortunate this
is when applied to their internal management
is tersely and vigorously stated by the
Doctor, and was no doubt shared by the officer
he displaced. DR.. Fletcher says ''Of all
curses that can be thrust upon an institution
for the insane, of all cankers, blights and can
cerous growths that eat out the vitality Of
good purpose in the treatment of the insane,
is the employe whose sole qualification is his
politics They seek the place because they
are young, or because they are old, or because
they are useless to themselves or others, or
they want to be attendants until they can get
something else, or, last but most common,
because they or their friends are of great
value to the party in power" This is, of
course, no news. He who runs can read it in
the management of all our charitable insttu-
tons. The point to be noticed is that this is
the deliberate and we'll considered opinion Of
one who came to office by the very means he
so honestly and forcibly ridicules and con-
dennis, but who has the courage to speak his
convictions in the most public and open man