The morning call., 1892-06-03
A STARTLING QUESTION.
Are the Insane ASylums Filled
Only With the Insane?
The Free and Easy Way in Which Warrants
Methods of Keeping the Records.

HOW many sane people IN Dan FRANCISCO
are sent 10 the insane asylums every year?
The question is a startling one. 1t is so
easy a process to secure a commitment
under loose methods of administration that
1t need not excite any wonder to fnd that
sane persons are occasionally arrested on
some frivolous pretext of insanity, and hur-
ried off to the insane asylums without any
hope OF rescue.
Given an INSCRIPTIONS clerk to prepare
the necessary papers, complacent Judge
to sign blank commitments, physicians who
are intent only upon earning their fees,
and witnesses ready to swear away the lib
erty Of the victim, and all the conditions ex-
ist to carry into effect. under the forms Of
law, conspiraces of this shocking character.
GROSS CARELESsNEsS.
A glance over the pages Of the record OF
insane commitments during the last two
months shows that gross carelessness pre-
walls. to say the least. in the matter Of keep
ing the records. Not one-half the blanks
are filled out. If the record is true copy
of the original papers. as IL should be, 1t Ia
evident that nearly all the safeguards of the
law are reckessly disregarded. In great
majority Of cases it is not stated In what
way the patient is dangerous to be at large
is often attributed to the most frivolous cir
cumstances. The blanks which ought 10 be
filed in answer TO the questions whether
the alleged insane person is homcidal. sui
cidal, destructive or filthy are often entirely
ignored. The whole business saVOTs OF In
decent and dangerous haste.
CASE IN POINT.
Very recently a case was brought to light
where an attempt was made to put out Of
the way the sister OF wealthy and infu-
entail citizen by securing her Incarceration
in a lunatle asylum. There had been no ar
rest or examination in her case. One of the
Judges, is is alleged signed a blank conf
mitment. The papers were given to officers
to serve, but the woman in the case was too
shrewd for her prosecutors and HID herself
for several days. When an expose OF this
transaction was about to be made the con-
spirators became alarmed and deslsted from
the pursuit of the unfortunate woman.
SLIGHT GROUNDS OF INSANITY
Since Sarah Althea Terry was committed
to Stockton on March 10 last about 40 per-
sons have been committed from this county
to the asylumS for insane people at Napa,
Agnews and Stockton. The record in this
brief period is highly instructive as show
ing the slight grounds that inspire pro-
cedure 1t is alleged against one man by
the police as grounds for his Incarceration
as lunatic that he came to the Central
Station for lodgings and while there acted
in an nsOleDt manner. As the cause OF one
woman's insanity it Is alleged that she is
jealous, and the complaint is signed by her
husband. A man picked up ON the streets
by the police is sent to the insane asylum
because he looks silly and refuses to answer
questions. The alleged cause Of his insan-
ity is set down as alcoholism. The answer
"canaot say" is written down opposite the
question: I'm what way dangeTousY
German salOon-keeper arrested on CON-
MI oil Of nj fa iG q a
Gus because he throws away everything"
SHE LOOKS AT NEWSPAPER PICTURES.
A woman, committed TO the asylum on the
complaint of her husband, is charged with
imagining that the papers commented IN
favUrsbly on party she attended, and that
some picture In the paper represented her.
a painter is immured at AgnewS because
he initiates different animals a woman,
committed on May Is, was discharged three
DAYS later. The Commissioners adjudged
her insane because she sat for hours staring
into vacancy. A young woman is found
insane because. it is alleged, she is addicted
to the opium habit a young man is SINH
larlY dealt with because he is victim OF
the morphine habit.
The record teens with this sort Of thing.
People who are suffering temporary
mental alteration on account OF whisky,
sickness or lack of nogrishment are
rushed off to the asylum by the
by physicians and Judges, the Legislature
at its next session will be called upon to
provide half a dozen more asylums for sane
people who, at the worst, are only little
"off."
HOSPITAL DELIVERY.
In the case Of Carl Brocker. age ST. whose
residence is given al the German Hospital,
the patient is described as enc who is
very violent at times, cannot be controlled,
sleeps great deal on other occasions, and
will not take his food, having to be fed"
He is not described as suicidal, homicidal,
destructive or filthy. The examining ply
sicians are Drs. w. ii. Hayes and E.
Windele. The order of commitment is
signed by Judge Z. r. CARRIER and is dated
May II, 1892
On May Is there is an incomplete record
1t is the case of Fritz Miller, aged "a, a
native of Germany, arrested ON complaint
of Amelia Miller None OF the questions
are answered. The pbysicians-E. Windele
aud j. Z. Lilienthal-are recorded as having
signed the necessary certificate. No order
of commitment is signed.
AT page 172 is a blank certificate signed
by Drs. E. Windele and j. E. LilienthaL
No complaint or order of commitment is
filled out, but the blank medical certificate
is very suggestive.