Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-01-28
An Appeal for the Insane.


temptation. if not an already developed
tendency, TO measure our place In clvillza-
ton altogether 10y our personal ana nation
al possessions Our railways, our eIectri-
city. our sumptuousness oil dress. equlpaSe'
and dwelling-these are the things upon
which We rely to give us proud place
among our sister States IN a century OF
wealth. and of invention which transmutes
wealth into luxury.
Yet. in an age OF less comfort but of even
larger display. il was given TO the Oriental
monarch hlmself to discern that right
eousness exalteth a nation ~; not con-
nnests. nor Jewels, nor cloth OF gold, nor
the beauty of its women. nor the glorles OF
its uncomfortable temple. but SIMPLY
fright eousness "-right-thlnklng followed
by right-dOlng. =,
| suppose IL this luxurious despot could
be aroused from the long slumber OF we'll
nigh thirty centuries and could be shown
our railways, our electric lights, our tele-
phones. our modern palaces. our exposl-
lions. he might still, overwhelmed with
wonder as he wonld DO. abide by his old,
well-considered opinion that righteous
ness exalteth a nation" de would, per-
hans. tell us that some outside show, even
some modern improvements might well be
sacrificed to the more real proofs OF CIVIL
Zation and of Christianity--the enlighten-
rDent of the ignorant and the relief OF the
suffering.
Or let us imagine that another than Solo
mon Is called TO judge this glorious nine
teenth century. Suppose. Hin who went
abont doing good to be treadlng our
streets, aud standing in our Legislative.
halls. Suppose we should ask HIS OPINION
of our growth and prosperity. Would lie
look at the yestibuled trains and the float
lug palaces; at the number of railways IN
our States at the beauty and luxury and
fashion of our large critics anu our summer
resorts. Would He not hold mp before our
abashed vision the Ignorance, the poverty.
the crime. still permitted IN our Christian
land? And here. III the Legislature OF Nlr-
cinia, would He not plead for the two hun
dred insane of cur State, now lying in Jalls
and poor-houses. covered with yermln. ex-
posed TO every form of disease and degra-
dation. because we, n Christian people, have
not provided for them proper care and pro-
lection!
There is bill now pending before our
Legislature appropriating $4,000 for addi-
tioual buildings ID tho Southwestern Luna
tic ASYLUM There is every reason why
this bill should pass. 1t is simply duty OF
humanity to provide accommodation Tor
the two hundred unprotected insane. III is
duty of economy rs well, tor III the carry
stages of insanity so or CD per cent. oil the
cases are curable while under the present
system n patient being admitted only after
| LONG waiting has frequently passed into tine
incurnble stage before receiving proper
| treatment and ia, therefore, burden upon
| the State for life At the Southwestern Asy-
| lum the several plants of light. heat, and
water are more than ample 10 supply tue
additional buildings desired, while the
present executive department can serve at
| least twice the number of patients now ac-
commodated. The Appropriation would
| therefore not only relieve the State from the
odium of gross neglect of her most pathetic
and helpless sufferers. but would diminish
the relative expenses of the Southwestern
ASYLUM, and would be true economy IN
more than one direction.
Moreover. there Is for the large class OF
epileptic insane absolutely no provision
made. For three years the writer cease
| lessly Knocked at the door of every asylum
| IN the State in behalf of q poor epileptlc
girl. utterly destitute and unprotected.
| The reply has always been: " For such
| patients we have no place" The late DR..
| Black, of the Southwestern Asylum, car
ried with him 10 his grave burden OF sor-
row because of his inability to pI otect and
care for this class of patients. His ears,
| like those of his successor, were ever open
| to the silent eloquence OF suffering. and
| from the very valley of the shadow OF
death " he pleaded for the enlargement OF
his asylum.
But" it is urged 1.-THE State Is poor:
and many are the claims upon her slender
finances.n Very true: but what is the
first claim? IL we pretend to be Christian,
if we pretend TO be civilized. is it not our
very first duty, our very highest privilege,
to care for our helpless insane? We can
do without many thing; not what we
have, but what we are is our Kingdom"
One thing we cannot do without-the
consciousness that We decently care for
our saddest sufferers.
When | think of those 200 insane, cast
perforce into jals and DOOR houses, ne
elected. filthy. often stepped III degrada--
ton, recall an old story of medieval
priest, who, as he was about to pass into
the church to celebrate the Eucharist, was
beset at the door by "a crowd OF diseased
ard starving paupers begging for AID and
aims. The good father stopped. My
friends" he SAID to his waiting congrega-
ton, II cannot pass into the church over
the body of my Lord"
If our Legislature listens to any other
appeal rather than to this OF our sorely
afflicted sufferers ls it not passing over
the body of our Lord? Is he not SAYING
To us in the persons of our two hundred
uncared-for insane. II was sick and IN
prison and 20 visited Me not. lnasmuch
as We have not done il unto one Of the least
OF these We have not done it unto Me"y
Very truly yours,
NJ. GORDON PRYOR RICE.