The Indianapolis journal., 1890-10-16
CHARITY AND ITS AGENTS
Taking Care the Dependents in County
Asylums and by Other Systems.
Ideas on Various Topics Relating to the Work
as Suggested by Those Who Have Had
Long Experience in It.

At the morning session. yesterday. of the
State Conference of Charities, John r.
Elder was elected president and Alexander
Johnson secretary. Superintendent Leath-
erman, of the Elkhart county asylum. read
a paper on Economic Financial Manage
ment," in which he expressed the belief
that the poor could be better and more
economically looked after when a large
farm was connected with the institution
than when such was not the case, and cited
the fact that of l23 acres the Elkhart cOun-
ty asy lum had one hundred under cultiva-
tion. He held the purchase of supplies to be
the most important duty of a superintend-
ent, and advised against buying cheap
goods. Superintendent Williams, of the
Marion county asylum, agreed with Mr..
Leatherman, and said that this county
should have four hundred acres under
cultivation instead of 220. as was the case.
He also believed 1t was economy In gen.
eral to purchase good goods, but in Marion
county 1t was not policy to do so because of
the large number OF transient inmates. The
cost of running the sylum in this county,
he said, was about SS3 per capita per year.
Upon reassembling In the afternoon Pres
ident Elder called Timothy Nicholson. of
Richmond, to the chair. The session was
Hamilton county asy ylum, who, in the ab-
sence of Superintendent Hull. of Vigo
county, talked on the Cure of Insane and
Idiots in County Poor Asylum Mr.. Hull
was on the program for paper on this sub
ject, but failed to put in an appear
ance. Mr.. YOung's remarks were of q
general character, and showed an intimate
knowledge of the subject. on which. how
ever, he had not come prepared to speak
other than briefly. Mr. johnson explained
Tn "a a afa n III af
Wisconsin county asylums for the care OF
insane and idiots, and the subject was dis
cussed at considerable length.
Care of Helpless and Sick Inmates" was
the subject of a paper by Otto Williams.
steward of Mama county asylum. Mr..
Williams said the subject could only be sat
isfactOrily treated under two distinct
heads-hrst, the care of sick inmates, and
second, the care of helpless inmates. The
first thing necessary in the care of the sick
is the provision of suitable quarters. the
selection of which should be attended
with great care and Judgment.
The hospital should be located
on the ground floor and competent per-
son chosen 10 take charge OF it, Great
care should be exercised in the selection of
a nurse or attendant, for a.good nurse is
just as essential as good physician. Proper
food must be an object of concern, milk
and soups being about the most satisfac-
tory and nutritious as well as the most
economical. Mr.. Williams gave some re-
cipes for good soups which he has used to
advantage and urged the free use of milk. as
the stomach will tolerate that when it will
retain nothing else. Clean and comfortable
clothing is an essential. Cleanliness. Mr..
Williams urged, has a moral as we'll as
healthy effect, and there should be bath
room connected with every hospital ward.
Much also depends upon the cleanliness OF
the room in which the patient is kept, and
there should be a: all times means
of free ventilation. Plenty of
fresh air is great thing. The
temperature should be kept about the same
all the time, day or night. In the care of
helpless patients Mr.. Williams recommends
the placing of their apartments on the
ground floor for the same reasons assigned
for placing the sick there. A ward should
be set aside for their use. and competent
person put in charge. The same rules laid
apply to the helpless. with the single
exception of diet which must. of course. be
plain. In conclusion, Mr.. Williams urged
that after providing literally for the COM
fort of the sick and helpless it is desirable
to add to their enjoyments. and thus make
them more contented with their position.
To this end a good supply of
reading material should be pro-
vided. The county asylums of Ohio
and Illinois are literally provided with
libraries, while similar institutions in
this State are largely dependent upon the
respective superinteDdents for proper lit
erature. In fact MIR. Williams had not
heard from a single county in Indiana
where the commissioners have made any
provision whatever to supply the unfortu-
nate inmates of county asylums with
reading matter. He thought the COM
missioners in each county should provide
small fund to be used each year by the
superintendent of county institutions for
buying few books to esta Slsh library.
which, once started, would be increased by
Christian people adding such books as they
no longer need.
The discussion of this subject took wide
range, and occupied the remainder
of the afternoon, the remarks not
being confined to the topic alone,
but covering such points as the ability of
the inmates of county asylums to aid in
carrying on the work necessary to the sup
port of these institutions, the prevalence
of the tobacco and morphine habits and
other matters. On motion of Mr.. johnson
the hours for adjournment were fixed at IL
o'clock noon, 4:30 and 9:30 p. NJ. The con-
ference then adjourned until evening.
At the night session the hall was well
filled, and although only two papers were
read and discussed, the programme was one
of interest. George w. Breckenridge. trus-
tee of Wayne township. Allen county, read
q paper on Travelling Mendicants." He
treated of beggars as class. and dwelt
upon the difficulty of distinguishing be-
tween the deserving and those who impose
upon the public. The class of travelling. or
n0maUlc DeggarS, ne SAID. Is Dy no means
small one, and. without due attention from
the proper authorities, its tendency will be
to increase.
J. +. Wright, formerly of the trustees
Office of this township, read q paper on
Investigation and Records He spoke of
the valne of looking up the records in
doubtful cases. Such investigations, Mr..
Wright said, are evidences of good busi-
ness sense. and no one should believe
i'm the average beggar's story. The
tramp evil is largely due to the
fact that officers of charity and the
public generally contribute to their sup
port. ''It is the duty of every township
trustee and disburser of charity funds"
Mr.. Wright said. in closing, Ito make q
rigid investigation. and. above all things.
to be careful. Poverty is honest. but
pauperism is a crime. and to give to paupers
is to foster a crime"
An hour was spent in discussing the two
no