New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-10-28
COLONIES FOR INSANE.
AN INDUSTRIAL FARM ON LONG ISLAND.
a NEW TREATMENT FOR POOR PATIENTS WHICH
THE DEPARTMENT OF CHARITIES is
ApOIiT TO ADOPT

NEW TREATMENT FOR POOR PATIENTS WHICH
ruE DEPARTMENT OF CHARITIES is
ABOUT TO ADOPT
Less than two hours ride Newyork. on the Long
Island Railroad is the little town OF Isp where inc c''y
is preparing home for the insane poor Inc roau
passes through the pretty and growing towns IN which
10 many people make their summer homes ana
ct this Of the year the foliage is oyeo win Oh
the varying shades from the bright cardinal OF the
sumach TO the soft golden yellow OF the maple. Beyond
Babylon the country rolls away like piece OF Western
marie covered with light growth OF scruboak and pine
The soil is the light loan sand gravel which Long
Island farmers made fruitful for NewNork mar
kets but the country is almost wild 1T Is the hunting
ground Of Long Island Only few New Workers know
OF the several hundred deer which there in wild
state unrestricted by fences so near the largest city OF
the continent For days Of the year those who
know OF the sport busy time deer stalking. In
the period just closed than hundred deer
were taken as trophies by the hunters
The land which the city purchased three
ago for s25 600 farm for the insane, lies the
border of this hunting ground almost in the
Of the island 1t comprises than thousand
acres is mile wide and miles and half long The
Department OF Public Charities and Correction, which
has control OF the poor and the insane OF the city, is
carrying out this tract plan for the treatment
Of the insane. and the Board OF Charities given
this project its direct supervision The buildings
the islands in the East River filed with the
insane poor. and In preference to building additional
structures Of brick and stone 1t proposed by the
asylum methods and industrial farm be secured
which those patients whose lives to be passed under
public might be removed much possible from
the association OF stone walls and iron bars Many Of
these patients have intervals Of partial sanity and when
their time is occupied with small employment they
contented and quiet. Commissioner Porter became
deeply interested In this method Of treatment and
warmly supported by DR.. Simmons and Commissioner
Brennan 1t time before the plans took definite
shape The land secured in September 1885, bu,
II vas not until year that the Department with
the aid Of Mayor Hewitt who also became interested in
this method obtained the money begin the work the
buildings
Dr. A. e. Macdonald the general superintendent OF the
Institutions for the insane of the city. had
with this plan from the first The work has been done
under his direction and his experience in the Of
insane patients has shaped largely the whole enterprise
The germ OF the idea is one that developed
Institution for the insane. Manor Atsherbitz near
Leipsc In Germany. There few cottages were erected
near the main buildings. and the patients who were
placed In them under less direct surveillance were found
10 become much more tractable and contented. with
slight notifications this idea has been adopted in other
places and the highest medical authorities regard the
treatment as the advanced and the best for such
Tauents While the Scherbitz idea has been adopted
IN the Isfp Farm the methods belong entirely 10 the
department OF Charity The farm the colony as It
is termed is not adjunct but separate institution
Inc hrst colony is now approaching completion and
IN rev weeks the pioneers for it will be
The asylum on Wards Island their new home. The
buildings on the farm onestory cottages with a
foundation OF brick and concrete and an air space be-
meath them TO prevent dampness These cottages are all
OF WOOD. with shnged roofs and high ceilings. They
will be lighted and ventilated in the most perfect manner
broad road runs from Islip through the centre OF
the grounds and the groups of cottages at the northern
emu come suddenly into view presenting the appearance
OF little village This has been the purpose in the
arrangement The colony will consist Of about 300
patients. and the homes their attendants are
arranged in three groups pavions SO placed as TO
form crescent Each includes dormitory ssx25
feet attendants rooms. single for patients and an
assembly or day built in octagonaI shape so
ss to secure sunlight from all sides space of 300
feet separates each from the other give better
light and air ana for safety fire but
covered passageway connects the side groups with
central arc TO permit OF communication between them
without exposure in bad weather In the central group
also the large brick ovens the kitchen where the
cooking Is done for the community and adjoining the
kitchen is the dining where the patients Of each
group will take their meals in To each group
Of about thrtyfve patients there viii be TWO ATTENDANTS
and the former will be permitted fullest liberty com.
patibe With their conditions The buildings are painted
inside in bright pleasant coors and the walls lined
for six feet above the floor with twed instead Of
plaster
Every effort has been made remove much as
possible the regulation asylum appearance and TO give
the buildings homelike air. Each community will
have its workshops and amusement hail. system
Of pipes supplies the buildings with the purest water
forced from the wells few hundred feet away another
system Of pipes will distribute the
through the colony and still another system will carry
away the to tank quarter Of a mile from the
houses where 1t will be filtered through charcoal and
distributed into the soil of the farm by process OF sub
irrigation. The engines which pump the water and the
fire which provides the heat VIII furnish the power and
light for the electric lamps in each building In addition
10 the homes Of the patients, stable laundry
storehouse engine house, and the administration building
The last is two-sory cottage at the north
the grounds in which the superintendent and his medical
stan will live.
bult ny
c. withers. Of Withers & Dickson. architects and
general Of the grounds planned George
T. Radford the civil engineer of the firm of Radford
NauN. landscape architects. Of nearly 100000
appropriated this year Cor beginning
grounds and $3.50 900 has been asked for by
department. to continue the work year The build
ings Of the first colony, which Will be finished this fall
VIII accommodate 300 patients. They will occupy but
small portion Of the OF the the
OF a new colony Of Ike number Of buildings will begin
in the spring west Of the present and to the west
OF Carletonave the road which from Isp through
the centre Of the farm The heating and power plant
Of the present colony be extended small cost
and will do quite well for several colonies the
that IL does for Additional colonies may be
oddcd future the success OF the enterprise or
the needs OF the Department are thought by the COM
missloners to require.
'rro coup which ready with the excep
zion Of furnishing. will be occupied by hirtynve able
bodied who do general work, and by the time
they have become horne the other groups
az buuulnGs VIII De III shape
colony will be coonsts and pioneers in large app
cation OF these words Among the patients at Wards
Island mechanics gardeners and representa-
lives OF nearly all trades and employments. Most OF
these patients work for portion of the day and de-
pleasure from being employed in such work
hey familiar with Their skill will be employed under
proper direction in gradually clearing the land about the
rildnes turning IL agriculture, raising fruit vegeta-
and the necessares OF life which be produced from
SOIL and in converting the grounds around the build
ngs into gardens and park.
Dr. Mac Donald In speaking Of the scope OF the project
asst week. said
IL is. first Of ALL the rational and natural way
II caring for the insane but which is not practical
large city where limited and patients going
md coming continually. But apart from that IL viii
prove, think the most economical OF caring for
number Of patients satisfactorily The and