New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-03-07
STATE CARE OF THE INSANE.
THE LATE DR. ANDERSON ON ITS ADvANTA-
GES.
THE COUNTY SYSTEM MORE COSTLY AND LESS
EFFICIENT.


Albany. March G.-scnator McNaughton, OF the
Rochester diraict today laid before the Senate d"
argument in favor Of State care OF the insane poor
in tbe form of a letter which was written I 'h III
November last by Dr. Martin b. Anderson, pre- NJ oil
the University Of Rochester who died IL fiori"a '"
DAYS ago. The letter read as follows;
In connection with a large proportion OF our ieHo"o
zens, have been deeply interested IN the ehor' "
State Of the insane poor In place oil the pios
Of care by the counties. 1t is weh'hho"h W ''o'
have given attention to the general subject c pap
that the principal Improvements in the Ne"'hoIA 9S
OF care for the dependent classes NAch ha'c " r
in the last twenty years have resulted from 'c 'sP
ton Of that duty by state In place oil tha' heroo'.
exercised by the counties. When the S'a'e n"a'.
Charities was Organized, the commissioners io""' ~
children, idiots and insane were quite sene'"'.' 80 -,
I'm the county poor.houses in mass, anu 'h'' si'
and suffering arose in consequence. vicious anu i-'o
moor families being permitted to take their chiufe WIN
IN, "a the county r-houses were found I" De qu''c
willing TO take up residence In them ci'her p''y
or during winter months. Thus their ehhufeh 'o'''u
their .ssociat6.s with the poorhouse, iost their SILT
snect and ultimately took on the habits ana 'iue"' "
their parents aud associates In poorhouse me
Idiots children and grown up men ana women "''e
found in considerable numbers III the COUNTY ho ~
their associations were the cause OF disgusting in
o and often OF the birth Of second generations OF s"
a,a likely to be diotc by the law OF here dity
large numbers also Il insane paupefs We're 'ouhu III
these county poor houses suffering from "''''" y, ~
ouote room and want OF intelligent c"r'' '"' W
enco q, the commissioners and their secretary III inc
,ua,,o, ~ these classes dependent poor led them
at once TO make efforts replace the county by STATE car"
in the cases Of children and insane, ana TO secure u
snccial asylum for idiot wome-i These c"orV' "'''
,,co,ousv resisted at nrst. and II was only aiFr SOU"
- -, .ro,, On zen. rating a healthy public opinion III
mo counties that these classes OF dependents were 'A
from the POOR houses By state laws ana pl'''' III up
nronrate asylu.n,. exception to THIS state a'''"
~s ,aeo n the case Of countie, which had rrectd III
,s,,o and rroyidcG for something Ike adelu""
attendance and medical care. But these 'N'eP""' ~
universal state care Of the insane nave hot " f
duc,ie Of the result. hoped for The care Of u' hSAn'
in these excepted counties. though an inp'o''~,. y" ~
ia ,oorhou.e accommodation has not been HAu-'''o''
This IA, not resulted fiom any want oil H'.''E VI w.
uar. Of those in charge but from these '1'''"'' '"
identified 10 a limited extent with Inc S'"' "''.'
the moor house: from inadequate ara hi-''r'"E'" "
nrs; from insufficient attending ana s""' "o''''''
for air and exercise.
N., ,f r,cse difficulties have arisen from failure Oh
the part Of supervisors 10 make Appropriations "a"
enough to meet the expense Of proper ACCOMMODATIONS
and care This deficiency Of apl roirauons j. III i'
countes acccuraf.icd by frequent changes IN auIl''
traton OF supfintr dents and Keepers WIN '"' "''o
T. associated the desire 20 'ontiol contracts Tor S'"'7
and c,r,in small amount patronage which change
., svstcn would remove from the county and pu' INTO inc
,,c. -, stat. officials When compare the but oi
these excepted rs Inns with the state asylum AT o'iu
fyilardN the superiority % the state INSTITUTION J. ""
in almost every particular. IN ''F' ="
t- ,,ntlation exercise. the separation "i p'''"'@ 'N
,,rinc various phases OF disease, the superiority OF III
otid institution j., marked and evident ON account ="
a. o isorv r,.dcuoc q insane Iaupers iDf TWO Yeas
IN one OF the state aylums for recent cases o INSANITY
those rat ,ferrcd 70 houses without beng essen
tally improved rated ny The county o'or'' a. N''
able and It l. assumed by these officers 'h"' an '"'
-. and facilities for the Of Insane persons
generally are uselcs, need no' be provided Tor i"'
suni ton ON the pant - the county authorities ana inc
,,s,n, I'm care The Ia.ent7 furnishes certain excuse
,, oui.slon of hose energetic measures 10 rI'ct
- ,rhteh onrbt 10 b. constantly employed In every
asylum If given humane and proper treatment
county care viii cost uan STATE care Thirteen year"
cxuernce on the Board Of Charities ha- lea ne 10 '
cru, conviction that interest Of tn state, a. well
.o,.fe.ra,l,, Of Lcn.volcncc, should lead
LEGISLATURE 70 abolish the present coLty system ana
rcrace IT. by comprehensive state system Of which me
institution at ovid as worthy and su'ceS'i"'
Illustration.