Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-12-07
THREE CENTS PER cory.

judgment or restrain his passions. He
has mind sufficient 10 hate and 10 love;
he is filed with decisions ard Is ex-
ritabe, vindictive. and dangerous. The
IDIOT is without mind. timid. docile. tract
able, and harmless; to be made comfort-
able Is all that he wants. The lunatic.
In consequence of the aforementioned
traits, must be made secure or he may
10 irreparable damage. IL Is necessary.
therefore. that the place in which be Is
confined shall be as strong az a prison;
he must be closely watched and strictly
guarded. The cost OF proper place TO
make him secure Is great as compared
with the house which Is sufficient TO
shelter the idiot and make him comfort
able. A cheap building-not a prlson-is
sufficient; no guard Is necessary. only a
few faithful attendants to see after his
daily wants. OF the GOA inmates OF our
four asylums 1,50s have shown no dis
position to harm themselves or others
in five or six years. and II may be fairly
inferred that they will never do so.
THE INDECENT PATIENTS.
The very able Superintendent OF our
Western Asylum, whose report l take
pleasure In commencing 20 you. says
''In this institution we have many In
digent patients VINO have been here a
great many years. Since their admission
they have lost wife. children. and friends;
they have been broken up, and the habit
of exertlon for their own support lost
with no one TO care for them outside OF
an asylum. They are harmless, and to all
appearances sane, and would get along,
perhaps, I'm the world had they kind
friends and relatives TO take care OF tsem.
Should we discharge them and turn them
upon the cold charity of the world with
no one to love them and no means OF
support think not"
I agree with the Superintendent; we are
under "A moral obligation TO take care of
these unfortunate people. since we have
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 as businessmen,
acting as agents OF the State, and not
let this condition OF things contlnue2
They should. however, be transferred
from the asylums for the insane to COM
Portable quarters. which should be
called homes not asylums They should
not be shut up within iron doors and
grated windows. nor would II be ne
cessary To have the premises surrounded
by strong guard, but the place In
which they are held should have all
the comforts and the surroundings of
a pleasant home Everything necessary TO
make them comfortable should be pro-
vided; a nice yard for their exercise,
and a garden for them to tend. and for
their amusement. and a workshop in
which they might do something use
full TO tighten the burden on thee State.
These homes should be kept up until
all those we now have confined in the
asylums as lunatics have been removed
by death or their friends. These harm
less persons 10 doubt are idiots or I'M
beetles in great part. and can he taken
care of at much less cost to the State.
The lunatics who are dangerous should
be confined in one of the strongest asy-
lums. and there safely kept, and the
harmless idiots and imbeciles should be
taken care OF at the other asylums at a
greatly-reduced cost per capita. and
large number of attendants discharged
at saving of not less than $4,000 or
$4,000 annually.
THE EXPENSE ACCOUNT,
The payroll amounts TO about SO per
cent. Of the entire cost of maintaining
these institutions. If you reduce the
number of attendants you would greatly
reduce the expense. and be able TO take
care OF many more at a less rate per
capita, and YOU would be able TO crowd
the harmless persons together more
closely than you can the lunatics. and i'm
that way you would be able TO iind
n home for all those who are confined
I'm the various jalls Of the Common
wealth. Thus the expense would be great
~ reduced. and the comforts increased
1t costs about $50 per annum for each
person in the white asylums. ! am IN
formed that at a well-organiZed and we'll
managed almshouse the inmates can be
90 Ems "A
at A greatly-reduced expense; indeed, that
they could be taken care of and made
comfortable at an expense OF so per
annum, which is about one half of what
It now costs 10 take care OF the lunatlcs
in our asylums.
At the penitentiary they have about 1900
inmates: they have one physician. | hear
no complaint from the superintendent OF
inattentiOn. / do not see why one physl-
clan would not he sufficient for each ~
the homes in which IDIOTS and imbeciles
are confined. He would have no more to
do than the surgeon at the penitentiary,
with its 400 inmates. IL will thus be seen
from these facts that there Is an Oppor-
tunity to make an immense reduction or
the large amount of money now expended
in providing comfortable places for the
insane.
THE REMEDY SUGGESTED.
The party who is suspected of lunacy
should be examined in court of record
and by a judge learned In the law, ana
with the assistance of the Attorney FOR
the Commonwealth. The questions which
will come before him for decision are
often delicate and difficult. When there
IS doubt he should have the power TO
empanel a jury 10 assise him. Persons
have been sent to asyums as lunatics
Il rhgtIlt
ignorance IL may be, or Of malice The
law should be so framed that "a mistake
II this kind would not be possible, ana
II the decision IS prompted by malice,
the punishment should be exemplary.
This is serious charge. and should be
clearly and fully proven, before the party
is adjudged a lunatic. See the conse-
quences. II he II lunatic ne ~ deprived
Of all of his civil rights; he ceases to be
the head OF his family, and has not the
mower 10 control II; he has no right to
vote: guardians are appointed for his
children. and committee takes charge
OF his estate. He is deprived of his liber-
w. and becomes the inmate OF prison.
and yet he has had no trial, no counsel.
no court Of record to show what wrong
he has sunered-perhaps confronted with
no witnesses-and the unfortunate person
has had only IA private examination ac-
corded him; and all this IS done because
he is suspected" OF being lunatic by a
justice Of the peace.
PROTECT THE INNOCENT.
II Is the duty OF the Legislature 80 10
provide that this could never occur. This
should be dOne-first, to protect the inno-
cent and then to protect the State IL
has been said that out OF 20H persons In
the asylums of Virginia only One-fourth
are DANGEROUS, showing that a large num-
her of idiots or imbeciles have been sent
to asylums improperly, thereby doing IN
Justice to the State by creating an i'm
nroper charge on it's Treasury, 70 say
nothing OF the wrong which may nave
been done 10 individuals. II the laws
relating TO examination were changed, and
given 10 a Judge Of a court OF record,
10 enforce. rather than 10 justices, the
nrouer distinction would be made, and In
a short time there would be a diminution
In the number OF lunatics. and expenses
proportionately reduced. The counties and
cities would take care of these unfor-
tunate persons at "A much smalied cost.
and the State will be the custodian or the
unruly and dangerous lunatic
COUNTIES AND CITIES PAY.
In some Of the States the counties OF
cities from which lunatics are sent bear
the expenses The party Is examined. and
when the Judge declares him TO he luna
tic he Is ordered TO be sent to the asy-