Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-06-08
CARE OF THE INSANE.
The Sessions OF the Conference OF Char.
titles and Corrections.

Saturday Rev. A. G. Byers. of Ohio; Miss T.. II.
Cobb. the matron of the Milwaukee Industrial
school; Mrs. I. j. Charlton, and Mr.. Eugene
Smith, of New, York, read Interesting papers.
The delegates to the Conference" of Charities
and corrections attended morning services at
tne various churches yesterday. and during the
afternoon many of them visited the reform
school and the deaf and dumb asylum at Ken
dali Green. At the latter institution DIR. Gal
laudet preached q sign sermon.
meeting of the conference was held at
Dr. Sunderlands church on IIs street, which
was attended by President Cleveland. The sub
lect under discussion was "Prison Reform" and
Mr Rounds, secretary of the state Prison Asso-
citation. of New York; ex-6iov. Anderson, of
ent OF the Elmira IN. " Refor,natory, and DIR.
Byers, OF Ohio, spoke on the subject.
TO-day's Session.
THE DUTY OF COMMUNITIES TOWARDS THE IN
SANE.
On the opening Of the business session of
the conference this morning reports were
received from Vermont, Virginia, West
Virginia and Wisconsin. After this the
regular order of the day was proceeded
with DIR. John B. Chaplin, of Philadel-
OF the insane. announced the papers to be read.
and then read a report upon the provisions for
the Insane" He said that the relations of the
insane to the rest of mankind and the duties of
communities toward them had long been mis-
understood. The idiotic and insane have been
considered source of trouble and annoyance
10 the community and the principal object was
to get them out of sight. In many cases they
were hid away in some secluded place. locked
up alone in some dingy quarters. poorly fed,
lily cared for and almost without clothes The
efforts OF the state boards of charities and
tons had endeavOred to reform this condition
of affairs and have the afflicted taken to state
asylums or other places where they would be
cared for AT present many insane We're con-
fined in jails or aims houses, and the boards
nave found many confined and neglected i'm
private places. The boards, he said, should be
given authority to order the removal of insane
where
proper attention; to enforce rules for their kind
ana humane treatment. and to prevent the
OF Easements and attics places of confinc-
ment. Many insane persons could be cured, he
said, but majority never recovered, but lived
ehanse in ther or thHn
the asylumS should be made more free-the
doors should swing freely open-inward
the insane" Patients should be admitted on
application for treatment, and they should be
allowed to depart as freely as CONSTANT with
said, were being effected, and the advancement
toward the perfection of the system of caring
Tor the insane had been very great during the
past year or SO. The management of refractory
patients without restraint the principal
object to be attained. Attendants frequently
mal-treated patients in the refractory wards
and it had been found to be "A good plan to
select especial attendants for these wards and
pay them larger salaries for managing the
establishment of a training school for atten-
dants and the following of civil service rules
with TGl:ttlOn the employment OF the officers
ana attendants of aSylums for the insane.
NOTE FROM MISS CLEVELAND.
AT the close of this report the corresponding
secretary read note from Miss Cleveland ac-
knowedging an invitation to attend the confer
ence and expressing the hope that she would
ind time toattend one of the sessions, but only
to listen and learn.
A PAPER BY DIR. GoDDING. OF THE GOVERNMENT
INSANE ASYLUM
Dr. W. w. Godding, of the Washington Asy-
lum for the insane, then read paper on the
construction of insane asylums. He deplored
the desire OF ostcntation displayed in the con-
struction OF such building Al comfort. he
with vast halls and high towers, were con-
structed for the occupancy Of insane patients,
surroundings and without any comforts,
and discontenfed: Again, other buildings
were merely rookeries When a fire oc-
CURED there the patients pershed. The
proper plan for the construction of insane
asylums WAS to build them with the idea in
view of security and comfort of the patient,
and they should be well ventilated
easy of access, and 1ire-proof. All signs
OF restraint should be removed from
should be given access TO the pure air
and free enjoyment of the beauties OF nature
The buildings should not be over two stories
higiT, and the windows and doors should he
wide and unbO!ted. He divided the inmates
into eight classes, Snd recommended a distinct
style of construction of the building tor each
class, suited to their condition. He recon-
mcndcd air and sunlight, and soap and water
as a dsinfectant. He recommended beauty
convenient proximity OF markets and ready
accessibility for the community who are to be
accommodated by Ii.
In dividing the classes of inmates he took n
thousand as 4 standard, and said of these 800
will he male of whom seven per cent will need
infirmatory care, three per cent more halt aud
blind. five per cent convalescent, Iive per cent
epieptic five per cent very noisy, five per cent
considerably disturbed, five per cent depressed
and suicidal five per cent especially dangerous,
and ten per cent careless and untidy in habits
The remaining fifty per cent will be of varying
capacity, but comparatively quiet orderly
cases. Seven-eighths of the whole number viii
be chronic insane, but since clinical observation
shows no constant distinction to violence,
noise, untidinesS, or other weIi-marked charac.
teristics to divide acute from chronic cases we
have no need to take this into account in con
sidering the construction of accommodations
eases everything should be subordinate 10 the
idea of perfect security, and for this a distinct
say distinct building. the advocate of the con-
gregate system of hospital construction, will
understand one distinct section; the believer i'm
segregation. a separate structure. more or less
removed. In providing for the dangerous
homicidal class, make them secure; the COM
munity must be protected from cranl1s. &c. at
all hazards. Make the glove of silk the hand of
steel. Provide for the most, if not all, of these
in single rooms; build them narrow,
o pronde they Sr ao g building hs made as
this class it is not extravagant to eXpend
at the rate of 81 900 per capita, for, though
dangerous, to them still belongs whatever of
liberal provision is compatible with security
They have not forfeited their right to the sun
shine nor the air of heaven, to the vistas of
trees nor the rest of green fields. About the
building should be an atmosphere of security
that should be to the inmates like the atmos-
phere-invisible. The twenty-five epileptics
will require Il distinct building, with at least
two subdivisions, one for the quiet and harm
less, the other for the class at times noisy and
violent. The fifty careless and filthy
cases will require the service of night nurses
almost as much the epileptics. They also
should have distinct buildings and somewhat
secluded grounds. The TWENTY-FIVE
noisy and twenty-five disturbed cases will
require a large per cent Of single
shuttered rooms and should have
prominent idea in construction is the dis
posal of the surplus Productive noise of this
class. Here the folly of third stories is appar-
ent. Build low, and some thick embOWered
valley capable of absorbing its echoes would be
most suitable site.. The twenty-five depressed,
suicidal ones, must have homes built with a
single eye to their safety. An associate dormi-
over ALL the nurses eye. Fill the grounds with
traps for sunbeamS, green banks with their
birds and flowers. Build for the convalescent
cottage homes at a distance from all sick sights
and crazy sounds. With such arrangements
for rest and comfort as shall reproduce what
ever Of the outside homes-most pleasant and
For the other forms Of affiiction distinct and
careful treatment and accommodations were
recommended.
DIR. Vivian, OF Wisconsin, also read a paper
on the care of the insane. The subject was dis
cussed by q number of delegates.
NEW ERA IN THE CARE OF THE INSANE.