The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1888-01-17
THE INSANE ASYLUM.
Continued from page IL

last. and has taken 4 klnGfv ana even
motherly care OF the female patients.
Afrs. Aud l. not oaly the first Ma
iron OF the Asylum, but also the first
female attendant Previously the fe-
male patients were under the care Of
the male keepers. In other words there
was no distinction of sex in the care OF
the patients.
Under that system an unfortunate
lUnatic had no business TO be a woman.
Two good cooks are now employed
in the kitchen; prisoners being no
longer employed in this department.
The food Is wholesome and well pre-
pared. No negligence is tolerated in
this regard.
The cost per diem for each inmate of
the Asylum j. thirteen and a half
cents ~ cts.
Lest your Excellency might think
we ara starving our boarders, ! will
give the bill OF fare II should also be
understood that our taro costs nothing;
- II i raised by the inmates them
selves lon the Asylum grounds.
BILL OF FARE.
Breakfast a. m.-Tapioca or oat
meal and milk, boiled rice, salmon
or Goldfish. coffee, crackers, poi.
Diuuer-at i m.-Soup, boiled beef
with vegetables, boiled rice, boiled
potatoes or taro, poi. Three times a
week boiled mutton is served; twice
q week fresh fish and on Sunday
pork and beans. Soups are bean,
vegetable, macearOni or vermicelli
~upper-at $50 p. m.-Tea and crack
ers or soft bread, boiled rice, salmon
cod fish mr. moi lao
Sanas.
Extras for eases of sickness-Beef tea,
tapioca. sago, cornstarch, toasted
bread, eggs and milk, poi and milk,
etc.
The management fully realize that
The inmates of the Insane Asylum are
not convicts; but the most unfortunate
and dependant of human beings who
are not TO be punished for crimes, but
10 be kindly cared for by the state,
upon whose bounty they have a just
claim That they should in the past
have been regarded as convicts or
treated as ii they were so regarded, is
not 10 be wondered at when the man
ler of their commitment is cOnsid-
cred. The victim was arrested like 4
criminal tried like criminal and
AN'AaAAA.A Alt'l AN AlAI 'tlllAk ARAlll az Il
criminal That is, found guilty of in
sanity; often being taken TO the Asy-
ium in irons.
To q great extent this system still
prevails. The Tailor at the prison
simply needs to be informed that the
person committed TO his charge is "A
criminal. and that he is held response
bic for his safe-keeping 1t does not
.ar.rrrrrsfs rl.a fafl,r 10 l-1apvs- If
crime the prisoner has been convicted,
or whether this is his first offense, or.
where i his residence, or who are his
friends or relations. But it does con-
Germ the superintendent OF an insane
rasylum to know all that can be ascer-
tanned OF the antecedents of the patient
committed to his charge.
Under the present system of COM
miUmcnts for the insane, no account of
the patients previous condition or
INN Of insanity; no evidence OF his
Icing dangerous or otherwise; no de-
>ignation of the complainant, or rela-
tives or friends, or any indication of
Ills place Of abode; no means of know
ing ii he has relatives or friends, except
from himself; no eUidegce is furnished
that he is or has been insane. His or
her name l. all that is indicated in the
commitment which charges him with
insanity.
In one instance, during the past
quarter, a perfectly sane man was re-
'ceived at the Asylum. He might
have recovered his reason while i'm
transit from another island to this.
His commitment charges him with in
sanity. He himself assured US that he
was temporarily suffering from un-
accustomed indulgence in stimulants.
He talked and acted nationally,
and we had no reason to doubt his
statement.
BY the present system, any citizen
temporarily laboring under undue eX-
element from any cause, may be ar
rested, and on the evidence of one
physician, who may know nothing of
the patient except what he may learn
from a curSOry examination, be sent
10 the asylum. No witnesses are sum-
moned to aid the physician in his eX-
aNination. He is simply required to
make the examination and pronounce
him insane if he appears at the time
To be 80. He may have been sane yes
terlav He may be sane tomorrow;
but to-day he appears to be insane,
and l. at once condemned rs such and
committed TO the asylum.
I have reason 10 believe that quite
a number Of persons have been sent
To this Asylum who were not proper
subjects for its care.
Aside from this serious abuse of the ]
rights of citizens, there i the great
disadvantage under which the medical !
Superintendent labors of knowing
~ .-l,s-,e~ of tho aufpcpdpufS of the
Fatrient committed TO his care. He |
cannot know whether the case is acute |
OF chronic; whether the patient is
harmless or dangerous; whether the /
!. insanity Is constant or Intermittent
aNheiher caused by an accident, dis
ease. mental strain, habits of life, etc,
OF whether il Is hereditary; whether
lac has had any previous treatments
and Of what nature and effect. The
patient cannot answer intelligently for
himself these and other most import
al8t questions. His commitment
Should answer for him
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