The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-09-13
: INSANE ASYLUN[S.
CAN THE UNFORTUNATE HAVE BET.
TER CARE THAN AT HOME?

Interesting Article on the Advantages OF
Hospitals For Those Who Lose Their
Minds - Trouble From Trying to Get
Along With Lunatics mt Home.
Tho following mastcrly and interesting
article written by DR.. Joseph J. O'Con-
nell, examiner of the insane for the de-
partmcnt of charities and correction, upon
"Asylums as the Proper Place For the
Treatment of Alienation of the Mind,
was published in the New York Medical
Journal. DIR. O'Conncll is ono of Brook
lyn's rising physicians:
Practitioners arc often called upon to
trcat patients with diseased minds and arc
then confronted with this problem: Is
asylum treatment moro beneficial, or can
they DO treated and receive equally good
care Mt home! l take tho liberty of an
swcring this question from my experience
us examiner of the insane for tho depart.
ment of charities and correction In Kings
county, in which capacity have commit
ted somo 4, 200 or 5000 persons to asylums
In Now York and vicinity.
The institutions in this state, both pri.
vato and public, arc under tho jurisdc
ton Of tho state commission in lunacy,
and the first important step in the nd
vanccmcnt of the treatment of the insane
dates from tho time when commissioners
were appointed to supervise the manage.
ment of these institutions. a few years
ago any person, whether physician or lay
man, citizen or foreigner, could establish
retreat for tho insane and employ what
ever treatment no pleased with the unfor
Inmates who came under his charge and
1t was not always so much question as
to the rccovcrics affected as it was ms to
how long could tho patient be retained
under tho plea of insanity-while the rev.
enuo came in
Tho amount of room allowed to each in
mate or the number over which each at
tendant should have Charge was never
considered. If patients were not over
crowded, it was due quito as much to the
lack of demand for tho extra space which
they temporarily enjoyed rs to the good
Judgment of tho person in charge. With
but fow exceptions tho state and county
institutions wcro no better governed. The
superintendent and suborlinatcs were
not selected on account of their fitness for
the positions, but were appointed through
political influence 1 am pleased to say
that at tho present day the public and pri-
vatc asylums in New York state arc equal
to ii not better than any others in tho
world.
Tho state commission does not grant
permission to any individual to conduct "a
private asylum unless it is in charge of a
physician who has had considerable OK
pcricncc in tho treatment of tho insane
and who is we'll qualified to manage such
an institution. These asylums arc licensed
for limited number of persons in order
that each may receive proper attention and
have proper accommodations. The food
must be of the best quality, and sanitary
requirements arc very cXactng. Asylums
are in tho treatment of tho insane what
hospitals arc to tho sck-in fact, they arc
combination of hospital and home
The insane are very cunning. They
often know that their ideas differ from
those of the persons with whom they con-
verse; that they arc alone in their belief,
and for that reason, when questioned by
physicians or others, will not answer nc.
cording to their belief, but in accordance
with the ideas of the questioncr. At home
tho family feeling toward them is well
known to them; they will refuse to do ms
those in attendance may request and will
impose upon the good nature of their rcla-
tives. If tho physician recommends GER
tain work for them to occupy their time
and to divert their minds from tho subject
of their mania, or If walks at certain hours
of the day arc advised, they feel that their
movements arc closely watched and it is
useless to try to convince them to the con
trary If these simple recommendations
cannot be carried out at home, how can
any systematic treatment be given with
out the use Of force? And tho continued
use of force with the insane so affects the
nervous system as to render ultimate re-
covery doubtful question. Tho principle
rule to be followed is that the insane must
be led and not driven.
The estimate entertained of tho insane
by tho public renders it all enemy to usy-
en1 fCI II
confined in building like wild animals,
who are restrained Mt night by chairs or
by some other means; that the mild and
the violent are placed together and that
the latter are always ready to pounco upon
Others when they approach them
1t should be considered that tho insane
are classified; that ON entering an asy-
lum they are placed in receiving ward
for several days in rider that their form Of
insanity may be studied by tho physician
in charge. They are then transferred to
wards set aside for tho treatment of their
special mental disorder, and rs they i'm
prove they arc gradually advanced Tho
erroneous idea of asylums entertained by
the public, rs have stated, prevents tho
incarceration of many of the so called
cranks who are allowed to roam at large
Their relatives think they arc not fit sub
1eots for asylums because they offer no vi
Olence to the family and do not break fur
niture or tear clothes. but only 20 about
ventilating their hobbies whenever they
can find listener. More harm has como
from this class of people during the past
few years than from any other class of in
sane. The attacks upon q banker in New
York and upon tho late mayor Of Chicago
are still fresh in the minds of tho public
In both cases the progress of the disease