The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-10-26
WESTERN LUNATIC ASYLUM.
Annual Report of Dr. benjamin Black
ford. Superintendent.

WESTERN LUNATlC ASYLUM.
Annual Report of Dr. BeDjam Black.
ford. Superintendent.
DIR. BlaokfOrd, superintendent Of the
Western Lunatic Asylum, in his annual re-
port to the Legislature, makes many valua-
bic suggestions. He calls attention TO the
necessity Of providing suitable residences
Tor the medical officers and their families,
within the asylum grounds. The increased
number of patients renders the duties Of the
assistant physicians more eXacting, and re-
quires closer attention. DR.. BlackfOrd
recommends an administration building"
for the accommodation Of the officers and
their families, such as are used in other
asylums.
MOVEMENTS OF POPULATION,
October lst, 1889 there were in the asy-
lum 299 males and 3O2 female patients: to-
tai. Col. For the past twelve months l25
were admitted-G1 males and - females.
Twelve males and four females were read
mitted' Total number under treatment
during the wear. I2G, Of whom 3G6 were
males aud 800 females. Number discharged.
30, Of whom 30 were males and 40 females.
Number discharged as cured, $40 males
and 36 females. Did during the year, %
males, 10 females. The largest number in
the as,lum during the year was July 81,
1880. G2j, the smallest number, November
3 3, 1850 Jfi. The number of patients ad-
mitted from 1927 to 1890 Were 4,2lS. OF
this number 1.2l7 have died, 2,4l7 have been
discharged. leaving in the asylum col.
The total capacity Of the asylum Is 592
beds, but 10y judiclOus arrangements made
IN the Improvements and repairs Of the
main building ten beds have been added.
one patient died during the year, seventy
nine years old, who was admitted in 1916.
lie was forty-iour years in the asylum.
one, aged seVenty-fiye, was admitted IN
1916, and was fOrty-three years in the asy
lum. About G2l applications for admission
have been made TO the three asylums of the
state. OF t0is number, 32G were admitted,
leaving DOS ''unpr0yided for in the State.
When We consider the large number Of old
persons in the asylum. the death rate il
small.
CHANGING THE LEGAL TITLE.
The report continues: II beg 10 call your
attention 20 the pr0priety of eliminating the
word 'lunatic' from from the legal title OF
this institution.
"a lunatic,' says blackstone, is one
that hath had understanding, bat by dis
ease. grief, or other accident hath lost the
use Of his reason. He is. indeed properly
'lt luNi MAUI iNNlu iIAii bi6f oVihtAiihto VIZ
loving his senses, and sometimes not, ard
ihst frequently upon the change of the
MOON
'Ihe common belief in connection te-
tween the acccssiOns Of madness and the
phases Of the moon was long ago exploded,
and III medical Technology lunacy has been
displaced by the better term insanity. Luz
macy in its proper acceptation referring TO
Out a single phase OF insanity, has gained
more conspicuous place in legal practice
than any other term.
"Tne word 'unatic' is not only distaste-
ful to the patients in an asylum, but to thel
friends and relatives and the public at
large throughout the State, and is a relic OF
past superstition, which should be elimi-
mated from the legal titles Of all Institutions
where the unfortunate insane are cared for I
and under treatment The great state OF
New York. approaching the more humane
and advanced conception Of institutions Tor
the care and cure of her insane, has recently
passed a law authorizing the changing OF
the legal style and title Of the state Luna
tic Asylum at | tica to the Utica state
Hospital and this has led to the remaining
of all similar state institutions in that
state. They are now called state hos
pitfalls instead of 'lunatic asylums.' Other
States are maSing similar changes.
IL therefore respectfully suggest 10 your
board the prOpriety Of making application
10 the next session OF the Legislature TO |
change the legal style and title OF this in
stitutiol. and remaining it Western ln-
sane Asylum or Western Asylum for the
lnsane,' Western Insane Hospital or
Western Hospital for the INSANE Staun-
ton, either one Ot which would be
more in accord with the advances
of mental science, and the progress
,,,.;ltzn4fon tho nYngpnt
name. Western Lunatlc Asylum The
belief that there ~ q connection between
the moons phase and the mental condition
Of the insane, seems now so absurd that the
word lunatic, in when that belief was en-
bodied, has come to have ludicrOus ass0cla-
lions, TO which the insane are painfully SEN
sitive.
go continue ite use Is needlessly TO add
TO suilurlngs which are IN many cases
already heavy enough, and cannot put
believe that the suggestion | make, embod-
led i'm the form of motion, will meet the
hearty approval of every member OF the
Legislature.
10 tRtESRs AND THEPUBLlC.
Under this head DR.. BlackfOrd calls al
tention TO beneficial influences on patients |
of attention from relatives and friends, and
iudicious treatment on the part OF the pub |
lie. The Doctor says. ut is II mistake to
suppose that insanity implies an intel |
lectlal blank. That attention in the way |
If visits, segHlar leiter-writiDg from home.
and such like recognition on TIE part OF
friends. are great help.'
DIR. BlackfOrd urges with great earnest
ness that cases Of insanity be treated as
other diseases, and promptly submitted Tor
attention and treatment. BY this money
is saved the state, and many more cases are
cured.
RESIGNATION or CAPTAIN HARTMAN.
Captain Lewis Hartman, who has been
at the asylum for the past eighteen
months, resigned the list of October.
Dr." Blackfogd speaks OF Capt. Hartman
i'm the highest terms AZ az officer :" VINO
ALWAYS looked 10 the interest of The asylum
and the comfort of the patients in the dis
charge Of the responsible duties OF his
Office.