New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-11-25
BETTER CARE OF THE INSANE.
NEW MEASURES ADOPTED BY THE STATE
COMMISSIONERS OF LUNACY.
RULES CONCERNING PATIENTS WHO ESCAPE
LETTERS WRITTEN BY THE INSANE MUST
BE SENT TO THE PERSONS TO
WHOM THEY ARE ADDRESSED.


BE SENT TO THE PERSONS TO
WHOM THEY ARE ADDRESSED
Albany Nov. "a (specaD.-The recent tragedy at
the Flatbush Insane Asylum in Kings County. when
of the young physicians OF that asylum was muir
dered by an escaped insane patient named Dougherty
has prompted the State Lunacy Commissioners to take
step which they have been thinking on taking for
several months This action is embodied In an order
to the superintendent of the various insane asylums
that, whenever patient shall escape, "prompt and
vigorous shall DO taken for his return and
furthermore that relatives or other persons re-
sponsible for the commitment Of such person DO
notified in writing, and when possible by telegraph
and the date OF the escape and proceedings taken
thereto must be entered In the case-book at once
Accompanying this order several Others OF
much Interest. One OF these declares that each insane
person must be permitted to write to relative or
friend every two weeks that all letters written by
them addressed to the Governor the Attorney General
judges OF record distrctatt0rneys the State Com
missioners Of Lunacy, "must be forwarded at once
without examination All letters of patients do
tanned because OF obscenity profanity for other
reasons, 1t is ordered shall be forwarded at once to
the State Commissioners Of Lunacy for examination
The general orders Of the Commissioners which wcrc
issued given below:
1t having been made appear that (a) custom has
long prevailed without authority Of law although sane
TONED by long In various institutions in the State
for the care and treatment OF the insane OF permitting
patients to temporarily leave the institutions to visit friends
or to go out ION ra for time not fixed and entered on
the books OF the Institutions and extending indefinite
periods sometimes even than year and 1t having
been made to appear that N diligence has not always
been exercised to discover the whereabouts Of insane
ents who have escaped and to promptly secure their re-
long intervals often elapsng between the date Of
and return and c) patients suffering from insanity
being liable to any time, and deprivation Of
liberty being ustnable only long insanity exists
where long intervals permitted to elapse between
date Of parole and the date OF return OF
Institution, the possibility may arise Of their
being reconned when not insane Of recovery
during such intervals IL is hereby ordered:
That patient, while In the custody Of In
stton permitted to parole who, in the judg
ment the medical superintendent, is homcidal sui
cda destructive dangerous either TO himself others
@ That no parole granted for q greater period than
thirty days. exclusive Of the date thereof and that the
following entries relating to said parole be made In the
patients history In the lease book: Date OF parole,
place or places patient and, II parocd to
the Of person. the and residence Of such per-
SON. and the date when such parole Is to end
upon the escape Of patient prompt and visor-
be taken his return relatives
other persons responsible for the commitment of such
Immediately be notified in writing, and where
possible telegraph and the date OF the and
ceedIngs in relation thereto must be entered in the
lease book'' at once.
patient who has been paroed or who has escaped
returned to the Institution the theth day. exclusive
OF the date Of parole escape must be discharged from
the books upon that day. and thereafter notice OF such
discharge by parole must be forwarded TO the
Commission but otherwise and such patient must not
lie readmtted except upon new medical certificate q
unacy the cost Of which and the return OF the patient
except in the OF private institutions by specal
agreement) must be borne by the institution
s. But nothing in this order contained shall be con-
strued justify the relaxation diligence at the expiration
thirty days from the date Of to secure the appre
henson of escaped patient in the case OF patient
hospital shall this order be held to JUS
y charging the highest rate by Of return upon
new medical certificate made necessary by absence for
greater period than thirty days upon parole or escape
time OF such absence shall be estimated as part Of
the time during which the highest rate can be charged
the escape or parole occurred during such time.
O. Nothing In this order contained shall be construed
permit patient held terminal order' to be paroLed
or discharged in case Of escape