The Portland daily press., 1888-01-14
THE INSANE HOSPITAL.
what the Visiting Committee Re-
port to the Governor.
How the unfortunates are Kept Hap
py and Healthy.
Games, Music and an Excellent Sill
of Fare.
Especial to the Press.]

Especial to the Press.]
AueusrA. Jan. 49, The visiting commit
| tee to the Insane Hospital have presented
their report to the Governor and Council
| The report follows;
To the Honorable Governor and Executive
Council of the State of Mdiae.
The committee of visitors to the Maine
Insane Hospital, have the honor to submit
for your consideration their report of the
condition of that institution for the year
ending December /, 1887
Visits have been made to the institution
every month by at least two members of the
committee at irregular intervals, and not at
stated or expected periods. We have found
the condition of all departments to be such
as to offer no opportunities for complaint or
suggestions; found the patients in healthy
state, well clothed and presenting personal
appearance denoting that they are conscien-
tiously and literally cared for. Much of the
committees attention has been given to the
patients, collectively and individually; en-
gaging them in conversation, listening atten-
lively while they made known their wants,
and have invariably found all necessary re-
quirements fully supplied. The letter boxes
have received our attention at each VISIT and
such disposition made of communications
found therein as their import demanded.
We have made special efforts to visit the
dining rooms at meal times, and always
found the food to be well cooked, quantity
ample and quality excellent. We give be-
low bill of fare such as is furnished the in
mates from day to day during the week.
Sunday-Breakfast, cold meats, hot brown
bread, white bread. butter, coffee. Dinner hot
baked beans, white bread, pickles, butter, apple
pie, tea. Supper, white bread, butter, sugar gin
gerbread, sauce or cheese, tea.
Monday.B Breakfast, hot brown bread, white
bread @ butter cold meat coffee; Dinnsr % steamed canned
tea. Suppdr, hot corn bread. white bread, mo-
lasses gingerbread, butter, tea.
Observation-Disclosures, hot brown bread, white
bread, butter cold meat, coffee. Dinner, soup,
bread pudding, white bread, tea. Supper white
bread, butter, molasses gingerbread or dough-
Wednesday Breakfast, hot brown bread, white
bread, butter, cold meat, coffee. Dinner, baked
fresh fish, potatoes. vegetables, boiled rice with
sauce, white bread, tea. Supper, white bread
butter, sugar gingerbread, tea
Thursday-Br Breakfast, baked beans, hot brown
breap, white bread butter, coffee. Dinner. boiled
vegetables or boiled eggs, white bread, butter,
ter, apple pie. Supper, hot rolls, white bread,
molasses gingerbread, butter tea.
Friday-Breakfast, cold meat, white bread, but
ter, hot brown bread, tea. Dinner, oyster stew or
clam chowder In their season, then pea or bean
soup, pickles, white bread, steamed apple pud-
ding with sauce, tea. Supper, white bread, but
ter, m0lasSes gingerbread tea.
Saturday-BrealSfast cold meat white bread,
hot brown bread, butter coffee. Dinner, boiled
cod fish, potatoes, vegetables, boiled rice with
butter, sugar or molases gingerbread, tea.
PRIVATE AND coNvALEscENT DEPARTMENT
Sunday-Breakfast, baked beans, hot brown
bread, white bread, butter. cold meat, coffee.
Dinner, baked potatoes, chicken or cold meat,
baked beans, white bread, butter, apple pie, tea.
Supper, white bread, cold meat, sauce or cheese,
cake, butter, tea.
Monday-Breakfast hot brown bread, white
bread. cold meat. butter, coffee. Dinner steamed
beef, potatoes, vegetables, pudding or rice white
bread, molasses gingerbread, butter, meat stew,
tea.
Tuesday-Breakfast, cold meat, white bread,
steak, soup, potatoes, bread pudding, white bread,
butter, tea. Supper, cold meat or hash, white
bread, butter, cake, tea.
Wednesday Breakfast, cold meat, white bread,
hot brown bread, doughnuts, butter, coffee. Din
ner, baked fish. beef steak, potatoes, vegetables,
white bread, butter, apple pie, tea. Supper, hot
rolls, white bread, sauce, cake, butter, cold meat,
Thursday y-Breakfast. hot baked beans. hot
brown bread, cold pleat white bread, butter, cof-
fee Dinner, boiled corned beef or sausage with
butter gravy. potatoes vegetables or boiled eggs
bread, cold meat or hash. doughnuts, tea.
Friday-Breakfast, cold meat, white bread, hot
pFOWH DTedu. DutItT cOutt. DlllutF, OySbcIo OF
clans in their season, pea or bean soup, beef
steak or baked lamb, white bread, butter, apple
pie, tea; Supper white bread, cold meat cake,
Saturday-Breakfast hot brown bread, cold
meat, white bread, butter, doughnuts, coffee.
Dinner, steak broed Goldfish, potatoes. yegeta-
bles white bread, butter. tea. Supper, fish hash,
cold meat, white bread, cake, butter, tea
In addition TO the above, special diets are
supplied in all cases where their use is
indicated. Among the most important arti-
..la ra 70 nj inn h. mill
flour Cruel, eggs, dry toast, milk toast,
chicken broth, beef broth, steak oatmeal.
A large per centage of patients have been
engaged in the different departments of labor
Of the Institution, and, in the opinion OF
the committee based upon information re.
ceived from the superintendent and other
medical officers and our own observation
not only does healthy and judiciously-s select
ed manual and mental employment afford
dered mind of the individual is turned in
different channels from that of dwelling
upon himself; but often acts as powerful
agent in restoring the diseased brain to its
former strength and vigor.
The system of amusements, which consists
principally of dancing musical and dramatic
entertainments through the winter months,
and open air concerts by the Hospital Band
during the summer and early autumn, has
been entirely carried out.
We find that music has become very
necessary adjunct in the treatment of the in
sane, and too much cannot be said in favor
of supporting means with which to furnish
suitable and frequent musical entertain
ments, both vocal and instrumental. There
are several pianos owned by the institution,
located in the wards and chapel, which !.
afford much pleasure to such patients as are
competent to use and in suitable condition
to have access to them.
Much inconvenience has been experienced
by the suspension of religious exercises. and
secular to some extent, in consequence of the
renovation and enlargement Of the chapel;
but all concerned must be fully rewarded for
their temporary loss by the increased COM
forts and accommodations resulting there
from.
We find that during the year large num-
Der of patients, accompanied by officers,
employees and the Hospital Band has made
several picnic excursions to near and appro-
pirate localities. Also some of the con-
yalescent and more quiet and appreciative
class have attended religious and secular
exercises in the city occasionally.
Games Of various descriptions are fur
nished throughout the wards very literally.
and are enjoyed by large portion of the
inmates; indeed, quite frequently officers
and employees find it interesting to join them
in these amusements.
Reading matter is abundantly supplied,
and in addition to the hospital libraries, we
find that patients have access to all OF the
leading weekly and daily papers of the State,
as well as several copies of leading maga-
zines and illustrated periodicals.
Patients are visited by physicians twice
daily, and as much oftener as their indiyid--
ual cases may require, in consequence of
sickness, unusual excitement, etc.
We are glad to observe that the uniforming
of attendants has been adopted during the
year. We believs this to be very essential
and agreeable feature, as it has tendency
to institute better regulation, and attend
ants are more easily recognized by visitors
and official visiting committees. We hope
the rules governing this custom will be en-
forced.
Important and much needed repairs, inn
provements and new additions have been
progressing quite rapidly during the past
twelve months, and are now nearly c0nsum-
mated by which, the laundry, engine house,
kitchen department and chapel are greatly
enlarged and made much more convenient
for use. Also large number of extra sleep
ing rooms have resulted from these addi-
tions, which afford more ample and agreea-
BILE accommodations for employees, and,
cause their removal from other localities,
some of which can be quite readily prepared
for occupancy by patients. Among the
most important of the repairs and improve
mente are the ron nstruption of six narlOrs or