The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1894-11-29

these could be canned successfully the
acreage could be increased and large
supply stored for future use.
win the constant increase of the in
sane IN Texas and as a consequences the
increased cost of their maintenance 50
prominent before us, it appears that any
pan that would decrease either would be
very acceptable. The insane are a part
pl every state; they are not producers,
DuC consumers; III one sense they are a
necessary burden on every government.
! Ihey are the debris of too rapidly de-
| veloping civilization, but like the barna-
cles that hang to the ships hull, they
nang on to the body polite and must be
taken care of. The dictates of humanity
demand that this unfortunate class be
cared for; public policy demands that
they be cared for as economically as is
compatible with their welfare.
Texas cannot afford to house her insane
IN shanties or novels, neither can she
afford to provide them with palaces. A
happy medium must be found which,
While being comfortable, safe, etc., is at
the same time reasonable as to cost.
In this connection 1 can do no better
than to repeat my suggestions and recon-
mendations to the last legislature:
There must be reform in asylum
construction. The day for palatial struc-
lures for the pauper insane l hope has
passed. The main object in erecting
asylums should be safety and comfort and
this can be attained at much less cost
than heretofore. Where is the good
sense or reason in placing a class of peo-
pie who have always been accustomed to
the simplest dwellings, in magnificent
structures, mt for kings and queens?
"Everything should be done for these
comfort and that will send ray of sun
shine through their darkened and miser-
able lives. Give them more comfort, more
amusements, better food and less pala-
tial asylums. By these means cures may
be effected in cases that would otherwise
go down into oblivion and drag out mis-
cradle living death, dead to themselves,
dead to the world, and dead to their
friends and loved ones.
Recent experiments in the provision
for the insane have demonstrated the
fact that asylums built on the cottage
plan are the most economical and COM
Portable, and that the patients in such
institutions are better and more comfort
ably cared for, and are better satisfied.
Now for something feasible. 1t is evil
dent that Texas must do something for
these people. They can if properly man
aged be made very largely self-sustaining.
The state should purchase in some of
her agricultural districts large tract of
land and erect thereon buildings on the
cottage plan sufficient to accommodate
1000 insane. Let this be for the chronic,
more especially, but have q few wards for
the acute cases. Let the asylums now
built receive the acute from throughout
the state and transfer the chronic to this
new asylum where they can be made
nSnfnl oil
sorts of industries could at trifling cost
be established that would give all who
are able employment. When constantly
employed either on farm or in shops,
their health is much better and a great
pleasure is added to their lives, and their
enforced confinement is rendered less
irksome. The majority of them will take
great interest in such work. The working
classes furnish the greater number of the
insane in our asylums and it is a very
valuable aid to treatment to be able to
give them some good, healthful, outdoor
employment. 1t not only does the body
good, but takes the mind off their deIus-
ions and troubles and directs their
thoughts into different and diverting
channels. believe that it is safe asser
ton that there are hundreds of asylum
made lunatics. Cases that are kept
locked up in magnificent edifices, who
become chronic by gazing day after day
at snow white walls and polished floors.
The tedious regularity of modern asy-
lums soon becomes unbearably monoto-
nous. This burdensome routine is detri-
mental to numbers of cases of insanity.
Change is what is required and the best
manner of securing it is by giving the in
mates diversified employment and by
stimulating an interest in their work. Asy-
lums founded on this plan are a success,
both economically and from therapeutic
standpoint There are so many insane in
Texas that it behooves the state to util-
ize their labor as far as possible to their
support. This is best for the state from a
business standpoint, and is best for the
insane, for it gives them outdoor exercise
and as consequence, better health and
happier lives, and lessons to very great
extent the burden of their affliction."
l have recently addressed letters to
every county judge in the state, making
inquiry as to the number of insane in
each county. One hundred and ten have
favored me with replies. The aggregate
number of insane reported is 452. As not
quite one-half of the counties have been
heard from, it is safe to estimate that
there are fully 1000 insane in the state
being cared for by the counties, relatives,
of