New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-03-23
PITIABLE INSANE PAUPERS
REPORT OF AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE

the pauper Insane in the citys institutions and con
slider whether Is advisable and feasible to continue
the present system. or whether il would be an ad
vantage to them 90 the care OF the State nm
the provisions Of recent legislation made its report
the Mayor yesterday. The Commission was com
posed Of Elbrdge T. Gerry. Franklin Edison. Oscar s.
Straus, Edward p Baker and William Lummis The
report, which WAS signed by all the Commissioners
covers Iiir7y seven large typewriter pages Tho
Commissioners advise against the transfer OF the
city's insane the state, and make numerous recon.
moudatiOns for the better care OF them Involving a
number OF change in the law and the system Of
maintenance. ON the gene11l subject of the report
the Commissioners say
The number of Insane in public institutions in New
York City, october l, 1881, was $3.50 as against
5O47 october /, 1880, OF whom 2,419 We're men and
against l9l, the increase Tor me preceding year.
The recoverleS for the year were 1870 and the deaths
5l4 for the preceding year the recoveries were 273
The insane under care January 80, 1892 were
1913: on Wards Island, 1919; Harris Island,
1919 and at Central lslp. 432. The total cost to
100000 per annum. IN addition TO which it mast
be borne in mind that The city pays 45 per of
charge OF the state i'm the various insane hospitals Of
the latter, amounting to about 100000 per annum
The condition Of these people is thus summed up
The condition of these insane poor is pitiabe Their
accommodations are a reprOach 10 humanity. over
crowding exists in every building OF every department
and their wretched existence il rendered sum more
ings of proper accommodations of every kind and by
o IN the case T Of many e we o
There is also the danger Of fire. which in the IN
fammable wooden buildings would be certain to result
In large loss of life.
The Commissioners give exhaustive statement
Of their observations the various institutions, all
of which they visited and carefully inspected OF
Backwell's Island they say
Here 1878 female patients are cared for while
proper accommodations exist for only 1.09l. Aside
from the main building there are ten paNihohS each
built TO accommodate sixty patients, out III eaeh VI
which ninety are crowded. The patients are eA-
ercsed hour In the morning and one holir III me
afternoon by walks, limited to that portion OF The
ISLAND occupied by them. In this main building there
are 800 patients while there accommodations
for only TO In the small rooms four and five beds
are damned together The hospital ward. where the
sick are accommodated. is also oveUrOwdod. Inc
pavilions originally erected about the year Io1
to provide for the overcrwdinS at that Ine. ton VI
stoves I'm one OF these insufficient TO keep IL Oh
proper temperature. The patients here are en-,
feebled old women, many beoneng To what Is MOTn
as the filthy class-so 0ementcd that personal cle3h
uess seems impossiblity. The beds are placed 80
close together that the unhappy inmates can Only
get into them by climbing over the foot or else 10y
having an attendant assist them. There IS no place
runs between beds in the contre, a d there hey
do sit all the day long, excepting when sAeiU,sh pl
wooden shanties with the walls and foundations rotte
and falling pieces. The floors rest directly On Iro
ground without any air space underneath, ano UO
OF them are 30 dilapdGed that they are propped up
and held together with difficulty. The f0undanons
are so decayed that the wood may be picheu apar'
with the fingers -.
TIE Wards Island buildings, where only male
patients are received represented as being IN goou
condition, needing only moderate amount OF h'oues
and a reduction in the number Of inmates to make
these institutions credit TO the city, The report con-
tnues
At Harris Island $50 patients are distributed III
half dozen buildings intended 10 accommodate Only
IO99 Three OF the buildings are one-atory frame
structures the woodwork Of which Is fast rotung Inc
walls wood and w,ltewashed ara IL Is wi.n "9 nc
greatest difficulty that the stoves create any degree VI
heaf
packed The beds close together, aud in the daS
1me fop eie the patients hudded
gether on benches in the centre OF these pavo t
as they are called without any comfort ana win aDSp
utely ventilation The plumbing disbursements srs nrS
erected during the late war about 1861. as temporary
barracks for soldiers. Resides these pavions there
twosory brick one tTostory WOODEN u o
2T5 patients. with only room Tor 70 IN the mv%
room for ONLY 5so In these barracks unfit as they
are for occupancy by human beings the unior 'N"'o
insane are compelled to eat drink aUd sleep
An interesting description OF the city's farm AT
Central Islip is given and the State Institution at
Binghnmton and the Willard Hospital, which the Com
mission inspected with the systems followed there are
compared with those Of New York
On the main question Of turning over this class OF
paupers to the Of the state, the Commission Il
clearly of the opinion that it is not desirable at the
present time to transfer 10 the o'a'e '"o '"'o " u"
city insane.
The Commission recommends first, wider separ7l-
ton between the bureaus Of Charities and Correcon
The Charities Bureau includes insane asyums' ihsu'u
lions for children all hospitals and almsl1onses' anu
the Correction includes the penitentary. workhouse
and all city prisons.
The Commission suggested that the appropriation
for supplies be made more definite. that each insu
ton should receive specific amount otlef sugse9'
tons
The annual estimates which the Commissioners q. o.
Charities and Correction submit u Inc BOdIu Vi -
mat AppOrtiOnment
on the actual number in tie asylums Ut tne ulie ~
il made but 10 anticipate additional yearly IN
crease Of 900. The per capita allowance Tor main
tenance OF the insane at these Institutions sho" oe
The insane should be removed from the neighborhood
Of the convicts and paupers. They should be gwen
Relieved Of the ioca that they under restraint;
They should be given all the comfort p0ssip@' a
with The lot OF these attendants Is not pleasant
one: they removed from tie brglt sac 81, vi ane
world and charged with the responsibility oil me cae
Of the unfortunate Their pay should be adequate
and their quarters pleasant Meat sh09id De ~
better quality Every straw oeo shou without
delay. Icehouses should be CONSTRUCTED III tie ~ re-
unity of each institution Of sa,e, tp in bnR 50
that whole meat may be utilized as deslci iOih ue "
time instead Of being furnished as 1t Is now DAILY Ny
INC the general medical superintendent should be clothed
with the power OF approval on appEn'et anu
to the general medical superintendent ana ms asso
ciates should be at least equal 10 tn paT he e state
paw. its medical officers in It's institutions wiat "ou
be regarded by many as ample up na ~ az ono
medical supentendents receiving from w 300 u oooo
per wear and the assistant physicians recc'Ihf sum
ranging from 81 900 down 70 about Sioo w., ~
urovIded with furnished apartments and MANI anVe
ON the other hand. Dr. Macdonald IN the uaS, VIZ" re
ccyes a salary Of only $500 with maintenance. my
result OF The liberanty OF the state system 49, Ii
experienced officers remain longer IN the servce VIII" t
doctors leave the city TO take employment III tlac
state and Dr. Macdonald loses the best ma. TIM
cause they can secure better places elsewhere. i.o
happened only week ago. when two OF his oe' ,h
sstants left him TO so TO the suIerin"huei' VI ''
The Commission would also commend nigt ,ie
the project OF a colony extension OF the ciy
insane ssablSbment al Central lslp ana ~ 'p ~
urges the enlargement of the plant at uat PM so,,
speedily as possible, as sure menS vi 'o' IL the ac
Commentators there provided were doDlea -, ynnld
,rLilni he