The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1891-05-20

the chair. DR.. w. B. Fletcher of this city
is the chairman OF the committee having
the question IL charge.
Dr. A. X. Noulton. inspector OF institu-
tons. state beard OF lunacy and charity in
Massachusetts, READ valuable and meaty
paper on Commitment and Detention OF
the Insane"
The insane being sick, should not be sub
iected 20 lega, forms Of cinltTent 90 rigio
In their requirements a. 90 lnluTe tae pr.gnoslS
of an individual case, and there should ~
three forms OF commitment Of pEseEiE TO hos.
pitfalls designed for theiT care, va: voluntary,
judicial and emergency commitments. The
first should apply TO those who are on the verge
OF insanity oreppreciatng the vital 49, portanoe
OF early treatment are cCmpst,n M 10 apply tor
as. JuG6 al eonmitms It's should be made on
physicians oertihcstssefnbta-iag q It'll history
Of the case, ard in emergencies the patient
might be committed by Ibe seiscitnen upo5 an
agreement that the sufferer should receive
proper examination as soon therester as possi-
bile. The power OF discharge should rest Ia the
hands Of the institutions Trustees primarily.
although the superintendent might parole
suitable convslescent patieotE permitting them
TO visit friends for slated periods.
la cooperation with ihe hospitals the work
OF boarding cut patients in private families
should lie pursued by central board. Suoh
patients should lie uaQ9r close medical ODacr-
walton ADD visited frequently.
Ia connection with tbs prison OF the stats
should be hospital for the treatment Of the
conTict and criminal insane who do not belong
with those who have led blRmeiess lives. Pri-
vats ssyluns should be subject 10 the same
rules and regulations as the public institutions.
and the gUperintendeDts OF all hospitals where
insane are cared for should make weekly re-
turns to the state board of all movements Of
population. These remarks apply 10 the insane
under certain conditions and are not intended
20 do more than point 20 q law essentials tmost
of which are embodied in the Massachusetts,
lunaey lave, which work sGtisfsetoril5 IN thia
community for our class OF citiEense
DR.. Dewey, superintendent of the Kan
kakee, III asylum, discussed voluntary or
self commitment TO insane Ssylnms. He
said that self commitment had oeen known
In eastern states and expects thBt such an
action will come under his observation in
Illinois. Some people can tell for them
selves when they are becoming insane,
and il is believed thst il q person could
be admitted when he finds insanity COM
ing on him the per centaee of cures would
be largely increased. d.. Dewey thinks
that when more natural conditions s1r-
round the treatment OF the insane the
practice of voluntary commitment viii ba-
come more general.
Dr. w. 3. Fletcher offered the following
paper on detention Of the insane:
The question Of detention and oare Of the In.
anne, DIR. Fletcher said. was one Of paramount
importance in al civil governments. There
were n any persons whose insanity dev loped
in suoh n manner that the necessity Of placing
them IN hospitals ~ guiTi against injury
70 themselves or Others was beyond
question. No more difficult medieo-legaI
prohlen vas ever presented than that of de-
iermiuinz how 20 deal justly with minds dis
eEsed. The speaker then pointed out tho
evils OF the present laws governing the adj
Judgment IF the insaas and the diticnlties In
volved in N king such decision. A large
number 81 cases Of temporary insanity which
were n rely fr ncsioral distuI Dances should be
treated at home. the whole point resting on
the recognition OF the cause Of insanity. II
the present sentiment regarding the danger
and persIstence of al forms Of insanity In
creased during the next half century "a il has
in the past, DR.. Fletcher asserted, the
entire revenues OF the state would
be insuficient 90 maintain per
sons Of recognized defective minds. ASS
remedy for the allure ci too frequent detention
&C public charge, the speaker suggested thai
each state have . board OF experts. who CO u d
be called TO examine ell questionable cases be-
fore the last resort 10 legal proceedings. The
insane should be detained where tbey can have
the most freedom, the least personal restraint.
the best climate aud food. the N ct fresh air
and the fewer keepers. aud the medical super.
intendent of such hospital should only be a
man who had given years % the study OF
psychiatry and mental diseases. The larger
amount Of the abuses and general neglect Of
the insane came from the appointment Of per.
sons unfit for such duties. The way 70 remed!
Continued on sixth Par..