Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1885-03-26
A STATE INSANE ASYLUM ?
IKsPSUrIoE OF THE NAV OOUNIY
BUILDIEGB.


Members OF the Legislature, Low,
Court and Trustees OF the Poo
VISIT the New County BuildtDgs-
what Physicians Say.
The urgent needs Of . State asylum 70
the insane, where their malAdies may b
soien tihcally treated with their cure II
view, has attracted . great deal Of atten
tion.
The levy court Of this coun,y reAlizinl
that the new building at HAre's Corne
would be fully large enough I,
II for accommodations for the next fifty
years, offers the new county buildings a
Hsre's Corner 10 the State for el16 ,00t
the cost Of Its erection. There are severA
points Of advantage In connection will
the building which will attract the favor
able attention Of the Legislature. Its sitt
10 elevated, in full view Of the Delaware
and its passing vessels, which with the
cars at the road will make A,plsasina
diversement for the unfortunate patients,
The building has been erected with q
proper appreciation Of the sanitary re-
quirements and IL supplied with excel.
lent water from large spring near BY.
The location 10 healthy one and thes ur.
roundipgs In every way desirable.
Il Ia proposed II the State purchases
the building to put in the charge Of a
physician who has given especial study
70 the treatment of mental diseases and
nurses who are experienced In the care Of
insane patients. The physician will re.
side In ths building and be available at
all times. With the treatment that
the inmates may receive under
the plan proposed Pieat many
cases can be cured which as at present
confined have but little chances Of
recovering their resson. ...-..-
The method now in vogue and necessi-
tated by the circumstance OF every county
caring for its own insane is such that
many physioiAns hold that the treatment
the patients receive 10 Of little or no
benefit II not detriment. The
necessity Of providing all suffering
with mental afllotions Of differ
emit forms together without distinc-
tion ss to the type Of the silment
is q great disadvantage and badly hsndi-
caps the treatment they receive.
In an economic sense the project ia held
TO be entirely practical as the patients
can be cared for cheaper, also better
when under the direction Of an ex-
psrienoed physician, and capable
attendants. The State annually expends
over o. 900 In the care OF its insane and
weak-mindsd confined In Pennsylvania
institutions with this sum expended
In the State with comparatively trifling
addition, all the States insane could be
properly cared for by the State. Nearly
every state In the union cares for its In
sane and hnd the hest results are gained
in making the hospitals State institutions
under the control Of the State.
The members Of the State Legislature
met with the levy court Of New Castle
county atthe county g new insane hospital
Friday afternoon, and inspected the
building with the view Of considering the
feasibility Of purchasing II and conduct.
ing the aame 10 State institution for the
care Of the insane and feeble minded.
Beside the General Assembly and levy
court, the trustees Of the poor, Governor
Slockley and large number Of leading
business men and prominent oitiEsns
were In attendance at the meeting.
The Assemblnge gathered At the new
building about O'Clock and made an in
speotion OF the spacious structure, the
special AdAptabilities Of which for the
treatment Of Insane patients were shown
and explained. The building was heated
throughout by steam, the temperature
being attained without approaching the
limita Of the heating apparatus. Only
few finishing touches are needed to COM
pleto the structure. and but very few
defects, Of tTifling nature, were noticed.
After the inspection and cold
luncheon, served In the dining apart
ments Of the hospitsl, an informal meet
ing WAS held In o collection roomiin the
second story Of the building, and the plan
Of turning the hospital over TO the State
wAs discussed. President Of the Board OF
Trustees OF the Poor Bird stated the pur.
pose OF the meeting which was organized
by calling Governor S,ockley 70 the chair.
His exosllency upon taking the seti as
prssidinR officer stated that he was In ull
and hearty sympathy with the move.
ment, "a he most earnestly desired the
State to have an institution where 1t
could properly care for the insane and
scientifically treat them. He stated that
he was In q position, As chief executive
Of the State, TO know the urgent demands
for such an institution, and confessed his
humiliation st being obliged In
reply to numerous iDquirers to
ssy that DslAware had no hos
pitsl for the treatment Of her
mentally afflicted unfortunAtes. The
State was in condition now, financially,
20 have an insane asylum, and he
thouaht as q matter Of State pride, ss
we'll as matter Of justice, and for the
sake Of humanity tuoh an institution
should be established. The governor
held that while Delaware oAnhot be big
State In q territorial sense, 1t can be
great commonwealth In its works for the
alleyiation Of It's afflicted and unfortunate
people.
On Invitation Of the Governor, Dr.,
Drapsr was invited 10 make an address,
and although unprepared TO give as fuil
a presentment Of the urgent needs Of
state ipstitution for the insane, As he
would desire, adduoed numerous strong
Arguments favorlDg the project. The
ststisties Of 1870, he stated, showed that
but two other states in tie union had mot
insane ssylums, and he believed ~ this
time Delaware was alone in mot providins
foy the upiortunates. He characterized
tbe presept county Insane apartments as
plaoes OF confinement or restraint where
/, 10 imppssibls TO administer ouch treat
ment as will alleviate or cure
tbe raSlAdies OF ,hs patients. They cannot
be expected to recover ihtir reason py
being looked MP where IT is impossible TO
administer The moral treatment Which lie
Of necessity an impOrlAnt factor In pre-
soribiER for the mentally Athloted In
mates. Thu insane quarters In connection
with the alnsh0uecs sno the reAtment
OF the patients are OF such natuIe that
people Ars unwilling TO place their friends
Ia them for treatment, especially as 1t is
allied With psuperism. as ar economic
measure bs esd 'rsyd tho State taking the
insApe institution iu chsrge, ss the
treatment OF pAtlep's in the cluDty hos
pitels wss Oi such . ns'ufs that .
iayce number we're oODhued in Pennsyl
yapiA bospitals, ,sople Al .he expense OF tbe
State ADd at private txpenss The ex'
Dsnditurs Of money pow made, private
funds and public, he held would support
a State instituticn and insure to All the
h.,st seiantiao treatment BAD Delaware
a State hospital mAny of her insane who
bavs h.en and are now oonfued In the
oounty asylums could have been cured
and their reason restored, whereas now
Ills almos, impossible to expect restor
alton Of their mental powers. A fes
thousand dollars he thought should MOI
stand In the way Of this mcst important
prciec. being contaminated, and he hoped
Tor the early establishment Of an institu
tIon where . System Of treatment coult
be administered which would give tn
patients the best possible chances for
restoration OF reason. :,
DR.. Howard osle physician at th'