Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1893-04-14

Care ~ the Insane.
TIE grand jury Of ,ae Marah term Of
the Circuit Court for St. Mary's county.
which adjourned on March s0th ult
submitted. upou the several matters
which came before it fir consideration
lengthy and an unusually -tFong and
intelligent rePurt Among other sub
jects it touched upon the important 1ies-
ton Of the care Of the insane
Of that eopaty in the following
,srse language, suggestive Of practical
IDEAS IN the subject;
"Tlo proper care and protection Of
that unfortunate class Of people Cinsane
rauper.) which humanity dictates should
reesivs every attention possible, Is a
matter that should claim the immediate
action Of our County Commissioners -
We are informed that the State instiiu-
tons devoted to the care Of these uufdr
tunate indivi luals are now over crowded
to such ~ extent that further admission
thereto has been deuied. anil that some
counties have been sompeIed'to coa6ne
their inane m the county Jail. The
ea0ditiou Of our Alms-housc is made
quAte for the requirements Of Ibis class
Of individuals aud We woph suggest
either the enlargement Of the same for
the care Of our insaae or that a cenfer-
enee be had with the four Inwer counties
IL Maryland locking to the construction
Of hospital at some central point in
this section sor the care Of insane and
that our next representatives in the frrg'
stature be importunef tn secure an APP
propriatina fun the State for the cree
ton Sf such a building Ey this action
We could care Tor our insane at bome, as
it were. where they would be within easy
geaeh Of their friends, tue money annu-
ally paid out Of the county for their
board would be kept in our midst; new
-Asrket to certain extent for our pro-
dscts poeh be established and many
0her local advantages would arise
therefrorB"
St. Msy's. like this county, has no
place to care for its insane except in its
Alms-house, which by reason Of a want Of
room, and the necessary uppiianees rse'l to
reat that class Of snfo -tunaie human be
ings. Is totally unfit for the purpose and
has been rgt to straights to find an in
ssiiution wiling 10 aeeep, its patients and
through It's grand Jury new suggest the
plal. time and again advoca'ed b the
hDEpgSBgST. for the four counties Of
this section to club together ar4 con
s.ruct an asylum oftheirowu. Many ef'he
larger counties Of the si,te have boen
farced 10 DO 20. AMI since, have not re-
GREETED the step. Baltimore. Frederick
End -tlieghsny rourfies. in
sane asylums. which have proven no I'M
reasonable charge to those couaiirs.
and there Is 40 good reason why South
ern Maryland should not outsider is in
terest more siosely and follow their ex
ample.
As our ucfyhbar county has taken
the advance step IN this highly com
mendabEe and progressive movement the
phn 81 procedure should be for tlr
County Commissioners of thai county tn
open correspondence with the
County Commissioners Of the nther eoun
ties Interested, at once, AMI appoint
committees to meet at some convenient
time and Plan aud devise the manner Of
raising the money necessary for the ron
struction of the buildings, etc. apl
agree upon site for the hospital Nol
much msney will be required in the FIRST
instance. The plan Of treating the in
saae has changed If late years. Nc
large bniEliag and dark cells are neeled.
Expert physicians in treating this dis
ease now ssro- small rnmy catiage,
with all the opsn air exercise possible
The first. and greatest cost. would be
me purchase Of the land; the buildiBgr
eauld be erected few at a tine as need
ed. So far as egood derived from tht
Alms-huuses Of the Southern Maryland
counties IRE concerned they might be
dispensed without inconvenience or re-
morse Of conscience and Ne proceeds de-
rived from the sale applied to heiter
charity. and the money now annually
appropriated for their support would be
slruOss. II lot quite sufficient, to maiOtain
sjeiaa insane asylum.
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Under a Gland.