The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-12-01
A Word to Philanthroplsts.

Two or three weeks ago bequest OF near
ly million dollars was left for the foundn'
ton OF new hospital to be known as the
John Pyne Memorial Hospital. More re-
Gently it was announced that by the will OF
the late CHARLES Is. BECK some nine hun
dred thousand dollars each was left to two
very wealthy hospitals In this city, the
New York and the Presbyterian. II would
almost seem as II the wealthy people Of the
city did not know what to do with their
money. The tendency in all OF them is to
leave their fortunes either to some al
ready enormously rich general hospital or
to found new ones of the same kind. to per-
petuate their memories. We have no fault to
find with this instructive desire to be well
remembered through donations to public
charities. 1t is not the giving that we criti-
else. but 1t is the wasteful use OF wealth In
misdirected and indiscriminate charity. We
wish to see these fortunes guided into bet
ter channels. We have already in the city
magnificent hospitals. There are already
more hospitals than are needed; indeed.
twice as many beds. II not more. as ore
required to meet the demands made upon
them by the poor OF this city. for
whom they are intended. Other ave-
nues are open to philanthropists. There
are institutions sorely needed. whose Gre
alton would reflect honor upon their Gre
ators and confer endless blessings upon
multitude Of unhappy and miserable NOR
tails. To two Of these in particular we
would call the attention OF such as con-
template benevolent legacies.
In the first place. there is crying need in
the midst OF this city. for psychopathic
hospital. or In other words q reception hos
pital for the acutely insane. 1t should
be situated say in west Central Park. 1t
should be constructed on an ideal plan for
the reception Of this particular class OF pa
tients. not like an asylum. but with the
unprisonllke aspect OF general hospital.
1t should DO furnished with the best
means and appliances for treatment. known
to modern psychiatry. such as cleo
trical apparatus. hydrotherapeutic de-
vices. and the like. There should be at
tached to it Il staff Of competent physicians.
including specialists in all departments OF
medicine; and clinic for the instruction OF
practitioners and students should DO an
integral part OF the plan. The main ideas
OF such an establishment would be to Sc
cure early and immediate attention to those
who become insane; to give them the best
treatment the world affords. in order to re-
store their reason II possible; and to in
struct medical men fully In q branch of
medicine little understood and often neg
lected. In this way not only would the
patients themselves be directly bene-
flied. and often saved the stigma OF having
been inmates OF an asylum. but vast num-
Of oil fnu 20 tn al
ties would be indirectly favored by the
widespread dissemination among general
practitioners Of practical knowledge OF in
sanity and its treatment. A training school
for nurses should be part Of the scheme /;
and pathological laboratory. fully
equipped. and q competent pathologist arc
disiderata not to be forgotten. 1t would be
impossible to estimate tho good that might
In this wise be accomplished. As it is now.
the unfortunate patient who becomes acute
ly insane Is. in most cities In this country.
sent to a Jail or station house pending the
preparation OF the papers necessary for his
legal Incarceration in an asylum. When he
reaches the asylum he finds himself con-
fined in an institution with between two
hundred and two thousand other inmates.
most OF whom are chronic and incurable
cases. with whom he often shares the
neglect that a crowded asylum and its
overworked and underpaid medical staff
entail. Let some fortunate philanthropist
take this matter to heart. ponder over It,
and perpetuate his memory forever to an
Rppreciating posterityl
The second channel into which some OF
the wealth Of the rich should be detected is
one to which We have in these columns
often referred before. viz. the creation OF a
colony for epilepties. The public has be-
come. OF late years. quite familiar with the
pitiable condition of many epileptics. There
arc probably twelve thousand OF them In
this State. Their malady usually prevents
them from receiving an education In the
public schools. and from keeping any sort
Of employment. They are socially ostra-
eized. Yet the majority OF them are as
capable Of acquiring knowledge and Of
carrying on trades and arts as their
more fortunate brethren, II tho oppor-
tunity DO given to them. Epileptio seiz-
ures are often very infrequent. and con-
seriousness is usually interrupted for but a
few minutes. 1t has been found most pTac-
ticable in other countries to COLOMBO such
cases. 10 establish them in village by
themselves as 1t were. superintendent Of
course by some charitable organization, and
by physicians. teachers. and other en-
ployees. Here. without that feeling OF
social Isolation that causes them suffering
in the outside world. they enjoy life. and
study. play. work, and demean themselves
as II their disorder had no existence.
Two years ago the State Board OF
Charities was appointed a Commission
by the Legislature to select q site and
prepare plans, on the colony or village
system for the euileDtlc moor Of this