News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-11-18
CARING FOR THE INSANE.
The Manner In which a Wisconsin super.
inIendent Did IL.

A member Of the Wisconsin State
Board of Charities in speaking of the
! conduct of the Superintendent of one
asylum says They have one very bad
ease. Myers, the Superintendent, said
he would take her, and the attendants
said they wished him good luck, al
though they were sure he couldn't do
anything with her. She was bad one
and no mistake. They had kept her in
solitary, with straight jacket, be-
cause she'd tear off every stitch of her
clothes, and when she had an Opportu-
nifty she'd break every dish she could
get at. They'd been feeding her In a
tin dish which was passed to her through
hole in her cell. The only dress she
could wear was a single garment OF duck
| which she couldn't tear. Well, Myers
took her into his buggy and drove out
to the farm, and the first thing he did
was to have regular woman dress
made for her of print, With undercloth-
ing and all complete. Then he removed
her camisole, had her dressed IN her new
clothes, and took her down to dinner
and seated her next to him at his own
table. He said to her: CHOW you are
to behave like a lady, and not break
any dishes and act like other women.
Well, sir, she went to eating, she be-
haved with perfect propriety, she never
offered to tear her dress or break any
dishes, and from that time on she was
one of the best behaved inmates in the
establishment.
"Myers is q wonderful man., !" resumed
the old gentleman, his face shining with
benevolence. "There was young Ger
man at the asylum who had an lnvinci-
BILE desire to run away. He would skip
out at every possible opportunity. They
had to keep him locked in room night
and day and generally Dith handouts.
Myers was Ill town one day, and the
asl lum folks tolsi4Aim. about this case.
Let me take him, says he 'Whatp
saws i ey, take HIM! You can't do
thing in the world with HIM. He'll run
away a dozen times before you get him
home Never mind says he, 'rll risk
al that. They laughed at him, and
says, well, 90 ahead and you'll see.
"Bimeby Myers got ready to go, but
before driving out to the asylum he went
to a carpenter shop and took piece OF
board and had some cleats put on 1t so
that it looked like a framed looking
glass, all but the glass He wrapped
this up carefully in a paper and then
drove around to the hospital. He had
the handouts taken off the young man,
and then brought him down to the wag-
on. See here says he, q want you to
take a ride with me- The patient got
in, and then says Myers: Here's look
ing glass that my wife wanted me to
bring out to her, and | wish you would
hold it. and be very careful not to
break it. She would feel awful bad
if it was broken The young man took
the package as if it was the most fragile
glass, and then they drove off. On their
way out of town Myers drove up to
store, and he says to the young fellow:
Here, you hold the horses while L go
in and get some things, and be sure an
don't let them get away from you
"He came back in few minutes, and
there sat the chap holding the glass and
the horses, and seemed very proud OF
his duty. They drove out to the farm,
and Myers took the young fellow into
supper with him, and after the meal he
says: Look here, nowl You've come
out here to visit me and to stay awhile.
This is your room; there is no lock on
it, and you can enter and leave when
ever you feel like 1t And here lead
ing him to the main entrance, is the
door out of the house, ard it is never
locked and you can get out at any hour
night or day. 1t is a fact that after
this the patient never left the premises,
and never even showed the slightest
desire to leave, and he became one of
the most valuable workers ON the farm"