The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1890-01-09

The Maine Insane AsyIun.

! ''fo anu fbyt0F1t
, few fac:s regarding the Maine Insane
Asylum az Augusta. 10 which the good
people Of the STATE have ~ deep con
cern, may ~ Of Interest " the readers Of
the REPoRTEE
he resident officers are Dr. Bigelow
Sanborn, superintendent. DR.. II. B.
Hi, Dr. o. {. s. Davies, Or. Mary
Chandler Lowell, Dr. George D. Rowe.
assistants John W Chase. steward and
treasurer; Miss Alice e. Twl,chell. ma
iron. The subordinate officers are Man
nihg D Campbell, hospital clerk George
Is. heene, assistant; Oscar l.. johnson.
superintndent'- clerk Charles V. Laid
store clerk ". L. sampson. engineer;
WIN. Alien florist and gardener HOr-
ace Il. cony, farm superintendent; with
the male and female supervisors, night
"atchmen and attendants ~ the various
WARDS, and those employed In the Kitchen
laundry and farm and in the other de-
partments, inside and outside the hos
pltAL Inc whole ngmber of employes I.
ABOUT 80, varying a. the needs al the
various seasons Of the year require. The
whoie number Of patients al present IN
oergoing medical treatment i $50.
Advantage Of the nne weather This fall
ma. been taken, 70 place in comple,. re-
par the drains and sewers Much and
deserved attention has been gwen 70 this
important subject by the superintendent
EuIargemeuts and improvements are con-
unuaily being made. The abundant sup
ply Of pure water furnished oy the Argus
"a Water Company, ~ all parts Of the
buildings and grounds, enables them to
cause the sewers To be flushed as often a.
they may require il.
The buildings. and grounds adjacent.
are amply lighted by the kennebec Light
and Heat Company, and within the past
lew months contract has been made
with tie Augusta Lumber Company 10
furnish steam heat 70 the buildings.
which II Is expected will be Of mutual ad-
vantage TO the parties concerned.
/ There Is large laundry connected with
the Institution, on the lower door Of
which there are an extractor furnished BY
the Empire Laundry Machine Co, four
wash tubs Of very large capacity made by
the Standard Machine Co., six soaking
tubs. SIX hand tubs, one large iron kettle
for the manufacture Of soap, and one
Turk 5 water motor and ventil.tor wheel
TO force steam and yapors out of the
rooms. On the second floor there are a
large mangle, two ironing machines and
the necessary tables. Miss George
/ Coombs, with thirteen assistants, has
charge Of this room. Adjacent to this is
the steam engine, which furnishes the
necessary power 70 run the machines, etc
And near are the boilers which were used
70 heat the buildings. under the charge Of
W. L. Sampson. engineer.
The ususl work incident to the season
OF the year IS being theoretically carried
on about the greenhouses, lawns. gar
/ dens, orchards and farm. Twenty-Five
acres Of land for the vegetable garden
are ploughed, manfred and placed in first
class shape TO De ready for the spring
cultivation. Extensive grading and i'm
proyements have been made the past sea-
son to increase the mum Der of acres IN
der cultivation, that the liberal Supply of
early vegetables and green STUFF may De
continued TO the constantly increasing
numbers under treatment a. the hospital
Last season two acres Of strawberries.
and three acres of blackberries, currants
and rasp5erries, were under cultivation
These and the extensive and well kept
five acres of lawns about the buildings
also the M deru brick greenhouse 10 #
by -. with the latest improvements, fur
nish an abundant supply of flowers At all
seasons of the year for the different
wards and the amusement hall. The we'll
cultivated farm of 500 acres is divided in
to tillage and pasture.
The most modern and improved farm
ing utensils and agricultural implements
are used, it being considered that the
most profitable and economical results are
thus obtained The barns are commodi-
Gus and convenient for the purpose for
which they are used.
The following are among the products
Of the farm the past season 6j. 90 quarts
of milk; $50 tons of hay 250 bushels of
oats; 100 bushels of potatoes. loo bush
els of onions; % tons Of foddering corn !.
large quantities of, early vegetables and
garden stuff.
In suitable weather, 81 proper seasons
Of the yesr. some of the male patients
spend portion of their time in aiding in
the work of cultyating the garden and
farm. this out-of-doors exercise being
considered by the superintendent one Of
the most fruitful means of restoration to
mental and physical health.
Some of the female patients. for the
same reasons, are employed 81 the laGn-
dry and in the mending and sewing
rooms, sni here are manufactured very
many of the articles required in the
household departments. Miss Alice G.
Twitchell the matron, superintends the
entire Housekeeping department.
bakery each and every day to supply the
needs OF the institution.
The two new pavilions are being com
pleted by The contractors, B. N. Dixon
of Lewiston for the mason work and
John A. Greenleaf of Auburn carpenter
work. a. fast As is consistent with good
aud faithful work, and when finished and
furnished will relieve the present crowded
condition of the main buildings.
There is q large library attached to the
hospital, 3 large part of the funds for
which were furnished through the liberal
ity of the LATE Col. Blsck of Ellsworth.
Books are furnished to the patients week
ly, and large number of daily and week
~ papers aud periodicals are also taken
for the use snd amusement of the pa
tents, and distributed in the various
wards.
Under the direction of the superintend-
ent. DR.. Ii. B. Hill has sacred music and
presides st the piano. Especial attention
/. given to this department by a tine guar
tet choir which furnishes music of high
order at the Divine services held each
Sabbath and st the concerts. Rev. j. B.
Jordan is the hospital chaplain. The
religious services are held in the tne hall
connected with the institution. which ha.
recently been elegantly decorated by
Major John W. Berry of Gardiner. max
ing it one of the finest frescoed halls of
its size in the State.
Entertainments are held in Amusement
hail, twice week or ofteuer, which are
much enjoyed, and believed to be Of
great benefit to the patients, DR.. Mary
{. Lowell. in addition to her other duties,
has charge of the female patients in the
pavilion.
No one who is not in some degree IA
mliar with the institution, would realize
the immense amount of labor cares and
anxieties which continually devolve upon
the officers and employees in the discharge
of their daily and nightly duties.
am Informed that the friends of the
patients are informed As to their condition
by Dr.. Sanborn As often as may be neces-
sary. This part of the work of the SUI
perintendent is by no means small The
patients are each visited twice each day
BY the doctors in their various wards or
oftener and have rides or wslks and 9TH
er exercise every suitable day.
have thus endeavoredto give your
readers some information in regard to
this deserving institution and the devo-
ton of its officers and employees to the
wants, and moral and physical welfare of
those under their care, believing that all
will be interested in this importont sub
icct,