Telegram-herald., 1888-06-22
THE MAD PEOPLE.
0EscnpTloA or Az INSANE AsYlUA
fgiis 900 csaassd ia sAs ysrtsss tsssi-
sstisls 81 Mlehig42-ksnf County
kxx-ishss Ets-Ass Nskbsds 81
fss@11sg ths iss<ss

= Attt $500 to2n1sa la tk< 4fs@@s tbs&f-
sssisls 81 Mlehig s.-kssf County
fz<-i@Ass s1s-sss nssssds 81
fss@sasg tss i.s<ss
There is probably nens Of our nsny
Stale institutions of shieh 30 hEils 10 ksosn
- q o1r STATE iaszRs ssylaDs and Of TIE
inmates of these inssisnliens
A IsLzsgAx HxEALD scribe hsying oc-
essioa 70 sisis the Celery Chr Wednesday
called al ths ssylum sad cleaned soms
facts vhieh msy BE OF interest 10 the pub
lie. There are conEned ia tie asylum Al
Kalamazoo At the present tine szl uafor-
tunates, AS males and 4l8 females. II the
asy iuu a. PossIsc there are ~ palisats, al
1F4ssrse tlty 60. al toe Wayne county
asylum 20, ~ the DeLfoiI retreat 10. max
iax a total OF BIZ of these unfortunaie
beings who are eoahusd Ia these Larger m
sgf1uons, aud Il slss sais estimate that
there are ! 90 people Of ansound mind ia
tbe county houses 0f the 6lats, making q
total Of about svyo people taken care Of IN
this Stale. IL Is startling 10 know thai ten
years ego the asylum 81 Kalamazoo MAS
the only large institution Of The Kind IN the
state. ami It's inmates numbered only 100.
What al appalling increase OF insznilys
Kent county has ssnt 10 the asy lum al hal
amszoo since its foandlng IN 1853 until
May 1, iseo. 40 people. There are now iiS
psrsols froni this county ia the institution.
ilfky-nlne females aud ulty-nine macs
twenty gat oI whom are county charges,
ten private patients, anc The remainder are
state CHARGES. The expense of confined pa
tients amounts 10 $500 per week. exclusive
Of their clothing. wnlca IL sometlales FUR
-
tient, and II not furnished by them they
are furnished by the county or State ac-
cosdiDg 80 they are county or Stale charge.
Three years aso the Legislature made
provision for the purchase of . farm on
which the better class OF patients might be
placed and given such work ~ they were
able 10 do. Ii was tho opinion ot ia 9
physician that some of the patients could
not only be more successfully treated in
that way, bat that great expense might be
saved The State. The experiment has been
q perfect success. Tue farm purchased lies
one and one-balf mile north OF the town
and consists OF 265 acres of highly fertile
farming land. a herd Of sixty cows are
kept on this farm which furnishes between
7U0 and 500 quarts OF milk daily for the
asylum. This had formerly To be purchased
at the expense of the State. A large
anount N poultry and vegetables are also
furnished. The patients al this farm. and
there are about thirty Of them. live in a
cottage built for the purpose. and sleep ia
dormitories instead of single rooms. The
stock at this farm consists OF sixty grade
holstien cows. two fuli.blooded holstisn
bulls and several horses and colts. The y
are housed in . barn which 10 as finely
equipped as il is possible 70 have barn.
Two years ago another farm of 365 acres
was purchased one mile south west OF the
city for the women OF the institution. Two
fine brick cottages are being built on this
farm.
Ii is found that patients who were d.
cidedly troublesome improve rapidly when
allowed TO stay on the farm and are con-
tented and quiet. In addition 10 these
farms there are $50 acres immediately sur
rounding the asylum on which q large
number of the inmates who cannot be
trusted. are kept AZ work under the care OF
escorts. The patients who can do nothing
at work are exercised twice . day by walk
ing around the grounds. while the female
department Is furnished with large con-
veyance which il kept continually on the
road taking the patients out riding in the
country and to the farms.
A large part of the clothing is made
by the inmates. An old man. for
merly q tailor In Grand Rapids, and who
was confined in 1866, has charge of the
cutting and he has taught som of the fe-
male patients TO put the garments together
so that all OF the work Is of FIRST class work
msnship. Ten years ago this man was con-
sidered utterly useless He was restless and
very excitzble, hut since be has been given
work TO do he has improved, aud q stranger
would not notice anything peculiar in bis
manner. In regard to patients entering this
institution, if they are q county charge it is
necessary for some relative or friend, or the
Superintendent Of the Poor, to make appli-
cation to the Judge of Probate who gives
notice to the patient or. II be thinks best, 70
the friends or guardian, that an examiDa.
| ton of the patient will be given at a certain
time. The Prosecuting Attorney and the
| Supervisor of the township or ward in
which the patient resides. must be present
ut the examination. The examination Is
carried on by two physicians WHO are ap
pointed by the Judge Of Probate. The
physicians must no, only give their opinion
but their reasons why they judge the sub
| ject insane. This examination can
be held before jury If th'
Judge Of Probate thinks necessary
| the Judge issnss an order for bis support
and appoints q person 10 accompany ths
| patient TO the asylum. II the patient be 4
| female il is necessary for the father, brother
| husband. or some female attendant to &C
| compsny ber. County charges become
State charges after they have been inmates
| of the asylum two years. Ii the patient j.
sprivste charge. . written application must
| be made by the nearest relative, or By The
| guardian to the asylum for admission, with
bond duly executed for the patients sup
| port and the certificates of two doctors
| who must be approved by the Judge of Pro
| bate. No difference Is shown 10 the In
mates IN regard to their treatment. unless
in the case of private charges where th'
| supporter Of the patient wishes to sGd some
| thing ia the way Of furniture to the room
or To have the patient taken out for ride
every day. and who pays for carriage hire
| The rooms. bed clothing snd wearing ap-
| psfel Of the inmates look neat. clean spf
tasty. and everything seems TO have been
| done TO make these most afflicted Of man
| kind as comfortable as possible.
Picked Ear.