The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-03-24
NEEDS OF TBE INSANE.
What the County Officials Say Abou
Their Care.

What the County Officials Say About
Their Care.
The matter Of providing a suitable place
for the detention of the oounty's insane
while waiting an opportunity TO be ad-
mitted to the state asylum is arousinR gen.
eral interest 1t is recognized that the jail
is not the proper place for these unfortu-
Mates Sheriff Roman has repeatedly so ex-
pressed himself. While he ,soea everything
in his power for the comfort 81 the insane
committed to his care, yet he says they can
not be given the close attention which their
condition requires.
Sheriff Roman thinks the proper thing to
do would be TO erect q temporary hospital
here and have it so arranged to care for
violent as well as harmless lunatics, There
is no provision made for their food
besides the ordinary fare given
to criminals, and oftentimes the sheriff fur
nishes food to the unfortunstes from his
own table. He hopes, since the question
has been agitated, that the authorities will
soon take steps to remedy the evil
At the last session Of the legislature an
effort was made to secure an appropriation
to enlarge the asylum, but the economists,
without any reference to the necessity Of the
matter or the growth of their state, killed
the measure on the plea that they wanted
to keep down expenses. At the next session
another effort will be made in this direction
by Chatham's representatives, which they
| hope will be successful as they will be
backed by facts which cannot be easily
overlooked.
In speaking of the matter Of combining
lunatics in the county jail, DR.. Chisholm,
county physician, said yesterday
The lunatics confined in the county jail
cannot receive the care and attention they
should receive, from the lack of proper
surroundings and adequate facilities.
I'm the first place the Jail is an improper
place for the confinement Of insane persons,
and while every care and attention in the
power Of the officials in charge is shown
them, they come in contact with all sorts of
characters there, whose influence is, to say
the least, not refining even to an insane
person, but degrading.
There Is no doubt that some other pro-
vision should be made for the proper care
Of those lunatics for,whom there is at press
ent no room in the state asylum. Is Is a
matter which Of course should receive at
tention from the Legislature, and really the
capacity of the asylum should be increased.
The county commissioners may take
| some action in the matter before long, and if
they are unable from lack of funds to con-
struct a temporary asylum for the oondne-
ment Of suoh lunatios here, the best thing
to do, l think, is to employ two
trained nurses, male and
female, to care for and attend
these unfortunate beings. Left without
constant attention they often grow violent
! aud strip their clothing from their bodies.
With constant attention from one of their
own sex they are far less apt to have these
violent spells or 10 injure themselves"
The question Of better temporary care for
these unfortunate creatures, seems to have
brought forth no little comment, and 1t will,
in all probability, receive the early atten-
ton Of the county commissioners.