St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-01-18
THE INSANE AsYLUMs.
j. FL. James. OF SC. Peter, Dis.
cusses Them.

know that one of the methods you sug-
gest for improvement in this direction
has been in operation about nine months.
In July last succeeded in carrying out
plan which had long contemplated,
and organized school for attendants
which, though voluntary on their part,
mas been constantly increasing in MEM
5era and interest ever since. At the
annual meeting the board took action
upon 1t, and subsequently made such
appropriations as We're necessary for its
expense, and adopted the plan which
had been laid out in regard TO the course
OF study. Its influence is already ap-
parent In the greater intelligence and de-
votlon of the attendants and their ambi-
ton to stand creditably in the school.
1t will be far more effectual when made
obligatory upon all, and when promo
ton and compensation are made to de-
pend on their training, efficiency and
falthfulneSs. As yet. membership in
the school has given them no preference,
and it is greatly to their credit that they
have been willing to add to their work
when they could see no advantage to be
derived therefrom, but their better I'M
Outstanding of duty and increased abil-
Ity III It's performance. Human nature
in asylum employees is the exact count
erpart of thatin other classes of workers.
and they should not be expected to be
more fond of effort without hope of re-
ward" A step in this direction will no
doubt be made in due time. and will add
greatly to the influence. and aid materi-
ally in accomplishing the aim of the
school.
It's mistake, however, to suppose that
any anouns OF training can raise the
service in insane asylunS to the same
grade as the service of trained nurses in
other spheres. Many circumstances and
conditions initiate against such result.
Skilled service has not heretofore been
required for the insane, and attendants
enter upon their work with no prepare
ton for it.often ignorant of the simplest
principles of order and discipline.
Everything is to be learned alter they
have taken the responsibilities upon
themselves, and while they are in dis
charge of duties which can only be per-
formed by calm, educated, self-con-
tro!led Judgment. consequently much
crude work must be accepted. Again,
attendants do not enter insane
hospitals with any intention of
making it a life-work. The incen-
tive TO do this is very small:
The wages offered are no compensation
for skilled attendance; the personal
sacrifices to be made are many, trying
and constant; the hours of duty exceed
those of any 9th 5r service: the vigilance
demanded is unrenitting; the trials OF
temper, of courage, of forbearance, of
ingenuity, of every sense or decency
often. and of Observation-Disclosures are un-
ceaslng. They are never free from con-
tact with their charge. The worn split
never has chance to rally, save in their
one or two evenings of recreation in the
week. They eat the same food and in
the same room with their patients, and
sleep i'll the same wards liable at all
times of the night to calls for assist
ance from the night nurses. They know
that, from the nature of the case. they
will be subjected to all manner of com
plants and misrepresentation from
their charge, and that for the first
proved act of uncontrolled temper,
no matter what the proyocation, they
will be sunmarily discharged and
branded by the public as maiciously
brutal ana wicked. Once deprived of
their position they are at a loss. and
must seek some other kind of employ
nent. for there is no demand for this
service. however Skillfui, outside the
wards of an insane asylum. In the con-
structiDn of our hospitals there has been
no thought of the comfort or interest of
the attendants, and no arrangement for
making their life in it desirable no
room for their general use and enjoy
ment, libraries, or other means Of self
Improvement, and there has always
been in the public mind an unjust and
baseleSs suspicion of their fidelity and
Kindness. 1t is useless TO expect them
to rise to very much higher degree of
excellence than the public concep-
ton of their value and the
honorabIeness of their vocation. So
long as the public, retains the
idea that all phiianthrophy and sympi-
thy for the insane is outside the walls
of the institutions where they are cared
for, so long will the day for highest eX-
cellence be delayed. Our institutions
have suffered from lack of public senti-
ment, which should be satisfied with
nothing but the best results. Our leg
ISiatureS have cut appropriations to a
figure that forbade the employment of
enough of the best help. and tine pur-
chase of the necessary appliances for
the best treatment of the insane. They
have crowded our wards, with a Singu-
lar apathy to the comfort or possible re-
cuvery of the patients, till the fact that
suicides and hOnlicideS are not of daily
occurrence is an unanswerabe argu-
ment for the fidelity and vigilance of
attendants.
The physicians, who have daily and
hourly opportunities, and who know. as
no one else can, their duties and trials,
know that the instances are rare when
attendants upon the insane are not self
sacrificing. honorable, patient and kind.
1t must be borne in mind that protested
phiIanthrOpiStS do not seek admission to
insane hospitals, but eXpend their eff
forts and energies upon more respon-
sive and appreciative classes of suffer
erS. Nevertheless the walls of our
wards often witness the simple, unaf-
fected discharge of diSagreeable, thank
less duties, with cheerful patience and
kindness that the owner little suspects
is real heroisIn ami philanthropy.
a better day we trust is at hand. The
cry of forward" is all along the line of
this department of philanthropy. Much
Thought is now directed to the best
methods for the treatment of the insane,
and the near future will see long strides
of progress. The best endeavorS of
| those who devote themselves to this
work will only be thwarted by lack of
means to carry them to a successful
issue. The public, we believe, are
learning that the insane are not only
sufferers, but that they are entitled to
every means which may possibly effect
their cure. and juster sympathy for
them will show itself in more generous
appropriations for their recovery; or.
failing in that, for their comfort and
happiness.
/ In conclusion, let me say that so long
| as the parsimony of our legislature pro-
VideS accommodations so insufficient for
the require. ents that nearly all single
rooms have two beds. that many pa
tients sleep on the floors of the wards,
and that 80 per cent of the aceommo-
dation is dormitory. whereas all author
tiles on the subject agree that 80 per
cent is the utmost that can be utilized
with safety and advantage. so long Is it
| idle and unjust to criticise the results
brought about by conditions so antag-
onistic to recovery. l cannot better
express the inevitable results of
this so-called but false economy
than in the words of another
| we'll qualified to speak, who says, Ito
have natients Sleen in large dnrmitn-