The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-12-07
OUR COMMONWEALTH
econtinued from First Page,

riobD hut the idiots are charge upo
the counties or cities III they are nos ~
IN surport themselves. rms " aiso ~
bu. n Is contrary 20 the "a" 10 aui"
idiots into the asylums. OF 10 NED . a.
,here The law requires th"t an 'u,o
81, ,o cent back 10 his home ana IN
80, ., renewing him shall be charge
sss own estate. n he has any III no'
:. snau he paid by the county or CIT
from which he has been sent
should Not Re Kept Together
,,,a,,cs and idiots should not be KEEP
together in asylumS. =.
First. because there Is no law Tor IL
without going into the question OF I'M
$3.50 and the evil results OF such
svsfem which are obvious. and the dis
ae~seabie nature Of the association OF tn
he-rnIcss idiot and the fierce and dan
efrous lunatic. This question l VII
leave 10 the discussion OF doctors anc
experts. and will only discuss IT as o
question Of economy.
In nv Judgment and for the sake OF
economy in expenditures. as well as OF
comfort 10 the patient there shouiu De q
change IN the present system. Iuhs TIC
"a one who has mind but no reason; that
has been dethroned. and there is nothlng
20 guide his Judgment or restrain DIS
missions He has mind sufhcient 10 nate
and TO love: he is filled with deluslohs
and Is excitable. vindictive, ana dan
gerous. IN.
fractable and harmless: 10 be made COM
Portable IS all that ne wants. The luna
tic I'm consequence OF the above-lnen-
toned traits must be made secure, or ne
may do irreparabe damage. IL Is :ieces-
sarv. therefore. that the place IN which
he is confined shall be AS strong as a pris-
on; he must be closely watched and strict
~ guarded.
The cost of a proper place TO make
him secure Is great as compared with ;he
house which is sufficient TO shelter the
idiot. and make him comfortable. a cheap
buiiding-not a prsOn-is sufficient; no
guard Is necessary. only a few faithful
attendants TO see after his daily wants.
OF the 2.Os4 inmates of our four asy-
lums. 800 have shown no disposition
20 harm themselves or others I'm five or
six years. and 1t may be fairly inferred
that they will never do 80.
The very able Superintendent Of our
Western Asylum. whose report l take
pleasure i'm commenting TO you. says: I'm
this institution. we have many INDECENT
patients. who have been here a treat
many years. Since their admission they
have lost wife. children, and friends; they
have been broken up, and the habit Of
cxertion for their own support lost. with
no one TO care for them outside of an
asylum. They are harmless. and 20 all
appearances sane, and would get along,
perhaps. in the world, had they kind
friends and relatives to take care OF
them. Should we discharge them, and
turn them upon the cold charity Of ihe
world. with no one 10 love them. and no
means OF supporti think not"
| agree with the Superintendent; we are
under a moral obligation 10 take care of
these unfortunate people since we nave
kept them so long that their friends are
all gone, and they have lost the habit Of
eXertion for a support.
But should not this teach us a lesson MS
business men, acting as agents Of The
State. and not let this condition OF things
continue? They should. however, be trans
ferred from the asyums for the insane
10 comfortable quarters. which should be
called homes, not asylums.
They should not be shut up within iron
doors and grated windows; nor would Il
be necessary TO have the premises hur-
rounded by a strong guard. but the place
In which they are held should have .ill
the comforts and the surroundings of a
pleasant home. Everything necessary 20
make them comfortable should be orovid-
ed; nice yard for their exercise and a
garden for them TO tend and for their
amusement. and work shop i'm which
they might do something useful 10 tighten
the burden on the state.
These homes should be kept MP until MI
those we now have confined I'm the asy-
iums as lunatics have been removed by
death or their friends These harmless
persons. no doubt, are idiots or .mbeciles
In great part, and can be taken care of at
much less cost to the State: the luna
ties. who are dangerous. should be con-
hned in one of the strongest asvlums
and there safely kept. and the harmless
IDIOTS and imbecles should be taken care
OF at the other asylums at greatly re-
duced cost per capita, and a large num-
Der OF attendants discharged. at a pavine
OF not less than fifty or seventy-fve thou
sand dollars annually.
The Expense Account
IL costs about $50 per annum for
each person i'm the white asylums. I nm
Informed that at a well-organized and
Weil-managed almshouse, the inmates can
he cared for and made just as comfortable
NJ greatly reduced expense Indeed |
that they could be taken care of and
made comfortable at an expense of s75 !
per annum
Al the penitentlary they have about |
I'fVO inmates: they have one physician |
near no complaint from the Superintend |
ent, OF inattention. ] do not see why ono
physician would not be sufficient for each
ot the homes in which idiots and I'M |
beetles are confined. He would nave no |
more TO do than the surgeon at the peni-
tehtiary, with its l.l00 inmates.
rhe H. medy.
The party who Is suspected Of ,unac,,
should be examined I'm court of record
ana by judge learned I'm the law. and
with the assistance of the Attorney .or
the Commonwealth. The questions which
VIII come before him for decision ara
oi'eh dehcate and difficult. When there IS
aouot ne should have the power 10 en-
pahei Jury to assist him. persons have
Deeh sent TO asylums as lunatics when
,ney are not iunaucs-the result of ig-
norance. Ii may be, or of malice.
The law should be so framed that n
mistake OF this kind would not be possi-
DIE, ana II the decision is prompted by
malice the punishment should be cxem-
plary.
This should be done. first. to protect
the innocent, and then 20 protect the
state 1T has been said that out of 2.O44
persons In the asylums of Virginia. ONLY.
one-fourth are dangerous. showing ;haf
a large number OF idiots or imbeciles
nave been sent 10 asylums improperlv
thereby doing injustice to the State bv |
creating an improper charge on its Treas
ury. 10 say nothing Of wrong which NAV
nave been done TO individuals.
Should not Counties and cities Pave
In some OF the States. the counties or |
cities from which lunatics are sent bear
the expenses. The party is examined |
hn 9,aIs.