New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-02-01
CARE OF THE INSANE.
: BAD CONDITION OF COUNTY AsYLUMs.
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE STATE BOARD OF
cHARITrEs-NEw.yoRK BEHIND OTHER
STATES IN CARING FOR THE INSANh''

NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. BEHIND OAiii1
STATES IN CARING FOR THE INSANE.
Albany. Jan. s1.-The twenty-sccond annual report
OF the state Board Of Charities has been lad peioio
the Legislature, accompanied by an exhaustive rePOr'
of the standing committee of the Board on the insane
These documents confirm the statements made oy the
State Charities Aid Association last summer as 10
neglect and abuse of patients In the small county
asylums During the past summer the Committee on
tho Insane Of the STATE Board OF Charities maae
thorough inspection Of all the insane asymms OF tho
State Their official report proves that legislation
removing the insane from these poorhonse asylums
IS imperatively needed. These asylums retain not
only their chronic pauper nsane but In violation OF
law because 1t is cheaper keep acute cases OF INSANITY
thus deprivng those poor people Of inc curative treat
mont of the State asylums, and their chance Oh re-
covery. 1t viii also be found that the rules ana
regulations Of the State Board of Charities as regards
attendants, ETC.. have been violated In almost every
instance 1t is notifying to find New-York far DO
hind the younger States, such as Ohio, Illinois,
Indiana, Kansas Minnesota, Mississippi and Dakots'
where the principle that the insane are the wards
of the State, and entitled to the best caro- and inc
mes; advanced medical treatment. Is fully recognized
by efficient legislation.
The following are a few sample extracts from tho
reports county asyhlmsi
at the Wayne County Insane Asylum on August
20 he 1% nss Of %as patients ~, was II SS
patients twenty the number Of female attendants
one There Is no written approval OF these attendants
written rules, and there IS no defined system of
practice, such as rules should provide for and require
The diet is that of the ordinary pauper IN the poor
house. There is no proper classification. There Is
one ward for men ana one ward for women E sch
other. In one hall of each ward the majority OF tho
Sst class Of patients are d e%s t Which
Inadequate, and from and into its said connected ha
With those not filthy and without night attendance.
There amusements. There are no occupations,
except that men .S more s 81 5o s N b .nI
and one woman assists In the laundry Ihc sewers
empty into the Erie Canal put are proeag I NV NV
dreadful odors IN the sink room Of tho poorhouse
On Nav "a, Elizabeth shaw and Elizabeth Cunning
ham occupied bedrooms Just large enough 70 aanse
bed and allow person to turn lou1S DgS sIsts IN
the door; and Elizabeth Cunningham continued 10 ~
cupy one Of these rooms August 10 Between san, ~
dates, idiot woman, who has been an Inmate t VI
the poorhouse proper for several years gave ortn 70
child whose father has been patient In the insane
AZ ths onondaga County Insane Asylum, visited
July 90, patient had died the night before ana tw9
patients were very Sick said to DO suffering with
inflammation of bowels the day Of the Visit. But
the medical officer, though complaining severely Of his
can. who resided within half mile; II Is said that
there printed rules, copy OF which II irhlsheo:
will be hereto appended; but there is NO spprON Va
same by physician
There Is an organ In the sting-room OF the women,
se,Ss women who never and about twenty other
women who seldom, 60 outside the high Enclosure OF
SsraS sn1 r anc. or twice weeS About two
thirds OF the women work In tho laundry ktchen anu
halls at general housework aud In the sewngroom
nler with little occupation in winter There Is no
case book There are on file In the ASYLUM no Ger
,tifcates Of commitment, and 1t was sta'ed ny tne
keeper that no acute cases are kept ,,..A
The Ulster County Insane Asylum was v rs SG
attending physicians whose stated visits 1.s Are ony
Scs Week ss number Ts 1 U mse II e tho
number Of female patients Is the anproV
Of attendants by physician file There Is no night
attendant or watch. In addiuog 70 5n ts one 90
seeper Who WI states that he may spend three -four
hours the wards but that his 2Seslbe sp dS, n
, psnpep 81 and Si0 insane sane departments
The ground floors IN TIE dssgsS rd0s
Ing with the dormtOes 90 the upper nOo c ane
used as GAY % ms al are n sn Sa chairs and
two narrow benches without backs capable Of hold
Ing each sss sss Or sbSn .sss bs MAKING ass II
Seats for thiyons patients while IN SAID ward no u:
sa iSs pnc ars no ns ehsS SsnsSo bes Or
pieces Of furniture EXCEPT bedsteads In the day hal
chairs and 20 other seats and no tables. or other
furniture for thirty patients while IN thsir Pn
bureaus stands ether pieces Of turnltare except
Be s FARM and Sst oe queen ba" mt" every
ether day that about two-thrds OF the women WORK
he iau SSne oansr than sH' ass rev
week owing to lack OF attendants 10 accompany them
The water IS from wells under the building and
as stated by the keeper is good and sufficient Bnt
ne admits that four patients are bathed In the
same water And there f. but one bath room for
the three wards including that occupied by paupers
A new poorho,se Is building. which the keeper
says is 10 be Of brick and of dimensions two stories
high; and 100 by 40 feet on the ground The old
repulsve than they were prepared from previous
reports to believe. 1t is tensnted by the pYnpers
asylum. The rooms inhabited by some Of these In
firm paupers in most filthy and disgusting con-
dition.