Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-12-29
INSANE HOSPITAL.
Report Of the Visiting Commit.
fee.
They Find the Hospital we'll Conducted
Throughout
And Speak In the highest rerms OF su.
perintendent SanboIn and
His Associates.
Waiting Committee. Report,

of the condition of that Institution, for the
year ending Dec |, IsSs.
As our duty is simpl, 10 rep.rt the condi.
tiou of the Institution as we aetuall, lind II
after ear ful, ,h,ruagh and irregular inspec.
tons, a. The lss directs, our TT port ~ill ne
cesssrily he brief
The Hospital has received a visit each
mouth lur'ng he year by at least two mem
bers Of the Committee, and IN a manner
shich fully aecOris with the law governing
such visits
One, or more of the Committee has made
frequent aud un, xpeeied tours, at irregu at
int, rvsis. throughout the different depart.
meuts of the Institution, both by DAY and
during the evening. especially the wards /;
and have sscer'aiaed the "a ary conI ton
To be surprisingly zee lent, especially when
~e take into cu.,si leratiJn the surplus If pa
Il ut. above the captci'y of the Hospital
which the Superintendent is oblgru To ac-
eonimodate. We have directed aur obserya-
tious particularly towards this y lot
fhe supply OF water furnished hy the Au-
gusta Waer Go hes not been diminished
euhtr in quantity or quality during the past
(, ear, aud the eondino contained / its con
tract have been strictly observed
We lind the lhsttution to be sufficiently
heated, especially tle ~sris; all the tacili.
ties TO suppl, heat are ample to meet all de.
mands for the entire Hosp tai.
system of electric lights, entirely sur
roundipg the Institution, was est,bIshel
during November last
As her, tofore we have found the pitie its
wearing apparel 10 be of good qutlity, THY,
and each igdlSidual has repressbted a per-
sonal appearance which indlcated III At those
IN charge have been prompt, thorough ami
la. "a.
dun IN this dir, elton,
During our journeys through the Hospital
We have freque' tly and une Ipcctedly visited
the d 'ii g-rooms while the patients were par
taking of their meals, and We have, without
exception. found up n the tables an abun-
dance of we'll cooked food aud OF good vari o.
| is gratifying To your Committee, ~ itI
must be 10 friends and relatives of the un-
fortunatc inmates, that tho Maine Insane
Hospital ha. maiutainet such II h gh stan ard
in the 4 iantity and quality in the food pro
vlded for its patients
The pa tents have been literally supplied
with writing mater al. aud we have every
reason TO b,li.ve that all communications
from the inmates adtiress,d 4 to any member
of the V-i my Committee have been received
without unnecessary delay.
The system of letter boxes has been main
tanned throughout the year, and each u has
been opened at every visit, occasioua ly hid.
ing a communication within, but We iail To
observe any special use or benefit To the
patients derived from this arrangemeHt; and
perhaps no particular harm or disadv intage
arises from it.
We believe that all commitments to the
Institution during the year have been prop
eriy and lawfully male; and also, after
L.. Il 1 -.
rsce,ve his dl ,charge or after the Supe rinteud-
ent had rec ived authority from the proper
source to d. So, 10 wtlful or unnecessary
delay has occurr ID to prevent his immc late
dismissal from the Institution
We also believe thai, not only have the
physicians made daily, regular ani thorough
visits 10 each and every pa lent. but in
special eases of sickness OF acci lent, they
have responded promp ly upon oeing notified
aud their treatment has b.eG effective aud
thcent.
In consequence of the alterations
and Improvements which were beng
carried on in amu-ement hall and
chapel during the earlier part of the
year and the outbreak of diphtheria soon
after their completion the patients have been
unavoid ,bly deprived Of the marked benefits
winch have heretofore resulted from select
anc juiiciously conducted system of enter
tainDents.
The suspension of reli4i services has
also taken from the i1mt'r- source OF com
fort AMI jty Yole Comntee have Oh.
served them While attending r-liSi rus eIsr.
els :. ini thew have oeen inp-.s-ei With sur
prise al sJul At the perfect or Ter winch
unexceptonally prevailed ami at the strict
attention given 10 the speaker, apparently
grs. ping AL giving the Discourse n con.il-
GRAFTON iat would be in a h gn degree com
/ pimenlary To sane au'iiencs.
| In consequence of dIphiheris, also has
the opp irtu ,ity for manutI labor ard exer
else ben restr ctel to con-i itr,ble ex
tent, AS the Super, ,nten1ent has been obi ID
10 exercise great csuti ~ ard ia lgneut III
organizing parths for farm Il garden work
a. veil as In the numerous other industrial
| departm ,nts OF the lu.itntiun.
! Thus il viii b. en. and extremely re-
9retIei, that the Superintendent has been
p-ived of the most essential, i'm. Ortant
anr curative tca'ures in the treatment OF
| the insafe. for II IL universally conceded by
Atieni-ts that divertinS iuh ifncrs AMI ample
opp irtunities u Engage IN mln a. and out-1f
door employ ment are productive of NOR
| bench Iai ne iults than any Othtr el.meni
known in the treatment of insane peope
| The epidrmlc of diph,heria which has
sifi cted the ll-,I.utlOn since mil sum u r 10
the prescott time, with a subsidence of only
a few weeks, has hal its depressing effect.
upon the whole hvusehjll, and east shiie
of gloom AID sadness over the entire Insti
tuition.
After making careful inyesiizati1ns, and
many inquiries OF the Superintendent and
other officers. we are sstisf Il beyond q
doubt tia nothing is left undone VIII ch cAI
in any manner adj to the treatment, we'll
being and comfort Of those afflicted with the
dread disease.
We are of the unanimous ouinion that al
precautionary measures and preventative.
T. orn 10 medical science have been applied
10 stay the rsvages Of this direful disorder
and tn the officers and employees have no
bl' and faithfully performed their several
dutes during the epidemic there is no op
p1rtu1ity for doubt
The appointment for one or more physi
clans upon the Board of trustees Is. ia oaf
opinion. wise on Ia fact essential. a. ba,
been foreibiy demonstrated during the epi-
demc.
Dfs. Thompson and Dearborn have de.
voted large portion Of their va liable tims
To the | sutuuon since diphiherA occurred
thereby sacrifciDg their respective income,
from extensive ss,d lucrative practices.
We cannot speak in terms suisi .ienty
commend4tory in com .e,ion With DE-. San.
bora, the 5aperiatenient of thi, great, no
bic and deserving charity.
HIS conduct ander the trying ordeal Of "
rnsnv Increased burdens ami Ferpis Z xinz cares
oeeasiDne Dy the outbreak If 4 On her,4 al e
men'sisd By sJuow and pain eaus d by n.
illness of bis mosg eIcelIsnf wife and tn.
.epsraiDa from his fam Is. furnishes an er
smple of sach noble and upselh,h fortified.
that 40 person can fail 10 zdmire a0d re
speet il 10 the highest degree.
May that possr, who in His Divine wis
iicm, saw Fl to visit tn Institution with tbi,
greai calamity, soon h8d j, IN accordance
rith His will TO have sunshine and gladnes
reign where soro~ and suffering nos pre-
vail
Oae of the most noticeable and diszdysn
tszrous features Of the Institution that ha
come under our observation. and which cal
sif ct the patients IN no other manner than {,
r-tsrd improvement, AID be dstdmeBtsl 3,
their weil-beIng AID comfort, 10 the nsces
sity under winch the Superintendent 4
placed Of canng for so large q Surplus o.
. patients over shat the capacity Of the Hos
p',al will comfortably and conveniently &C
commodate.
At present there are about i2s more r.