The sun., 1892-01-31
oYERcRonDkD AsYLUMs
Mayor Granite Counni ssioners vnsss The In.
stitutions on the East River Islands.

1 .
stitutions ON the East River ISLANDS.
| From the results Of the visit Of the Ave Com
| missioners appointed by Mayor Grant to the
| Insane asyiums on Blackwells Island and
Wards Island yesterday II is probable that
come radical changes will be recommended in
tho city's methods Of caring for the 5000 and
more insane patients who are its wards
| through poverty. The work OF the Com
| missioners yesterday was in preparation
| for report on the condition OF our in
| sane poor that will be made to Mayor
Grant whom the Commissioners have
made thorough investigation OF all the
asylums for insane supported by tho
! city. Yesterday q Investigation convinced the
| Commissioners that the asylums at Black
| wells and Wards islands wero overcrowded.
| The Blsckwelrs Island asylum has now 1877
patients. with aocomm odatlons for only 1901.
and Wards Island asylum has 1890 patients.
with proper capacity for only 1900 The
city's insane have been increasing In number
every year. and Its asylums are now made
| auate. old. and out OF repair The county pays
moro than $500. 900 year for the care Of its
insane. In addition to As per cent. Of the total
cost OF the maintenance Of the States insane.
Last week Mayor Grant appointed Elbridge
| T. Gerry. ex-Mayor Franklin Edison. President
| E. +. Barker OF the Tax Department, School
! Commissioner William Lrmmis, and Oscar
Strauss. ex-Mlnister to Turkey. to make an
investigation and report whether 1t ia for the
interest Of the city and the State that the in
stitutional property should be transferred to
the State. or that the city should continue to
maintain its own insane. This institutional
property now owned by this county is worth
between $7.OOO.O00 and $S.000.0Oo. II the
city is to maintain Its own poor It must have
additional buildings. Mayor Grant thinks
that II the State is relieved permanently OF all
responsibility for the care Of our insane. the
city should not 1e forced to pay 45 per cent. Of
The iye' Uommissioners accompanied by
psf tSs RSsp 81 Of
o'clock on the steamboat Thomas Brennan and
visited first the insane asylum at Blaekwell's
lived it's usefulness. tho S!d madhouse. and
ssrueted sbst when the ' thermomster ' Outside SIDE
ands at ~ sbSys zero Tates VIII frssSS With
tfs tsat '9 9ss PLACED Ssvs SO oO
sSSerintenden. GALL Cd the sn s.tenson I saSS oi the
wards we're overcrowded. The payiions S 'eSe were
built to accomm odate. sixty patients. and now
each one OF them Is forced to shelter ninety
I'll The main asylum on Blackwell's Island is a
ties sna to
There are 300 patients IL this building which
Tas I'd for only ~ The COMMITS,
xsrs crowded. The old madhease Is now now
sewing. making baskets and rugs, and doing
sht w9s there Fey them
In the dinor0nG WRfda and in the nayiliOn
there wore seen all the various phases Of in
ty Sstsd In ths
with heI husband to visit her: The mother
S @ Ase hs5 eu.Red
roundl % nc When they entered anu Many sea q shem e
knew President Porter. and asked him about
imaginary fortunes. or when they would be
The lighthouses. kitchens. boiler rooms. and
al the m ;outhouses were inspected and then the
Island. pr. y. A. Macy is the medical super
asn% fS sssd
sane and sSole s the sss m%sS
Island: But here again there was the same
crowding In the words. Cots were placed In
besn ueasa for
Dr. I. F. Macdonald. the general superin-
SartRent q chsrties and corFee3on Il me every cry
year had preserved remarkably even ratio
to the increase OF population.
The absolute increase OF insanity" said
Dr. Macdonald. has been inconsidsrable.
The present methods Of examination and
enumeration are more efficient, and o consid-
cradle percentage Of the apparent increase is
thus accounted for. Again. with improve
ments in methods Of care and treatment In in
sane asylums. with more Intelligent under:
standing OF their purposes and conduct, and
especially with the growth in the popular
mind OF the idea that insanity is not a crime or
u curse. but q sickness to be treated and re-
to the asylums."
DR.. Macdonald has studied the question the
Com missoners were appointed to investigate
and says that two possible promises Of relief
from the present condition Of the asylums are
held out. The first Is q law putting II within
the power of the Commissioners Of the sinking
fund OF the city to appropriate money for the
erection Of public asyums, and to raise the
money by the Issuance Of bonds The other 10
the ceding to the city by the State OF the build
ings on Wards Island. at ono time occupied
by the clients Of the State Commissioners OF
Emigration. but now for long time disused.
The Commissioners found much the same
state OF things at Wards Island as at Black
wards They "sh viii sst Gss II isaed nsst
Saturday morning. and the Islp Asylum
probably week later.