Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-10-23

menace to life and property, and, by
their restlessness, actually mar and
destroy the happiness Of the hearthstone'
al the same time aggravating their own
mental disease.
The health Of the inmates Of the in
stitution is reported as being good du-
ring the year. There has been no cpl
demic or general sickness Of serious
nature.
The report notes the visit OF Chairman
William Lovenstein and his co-cOmmiitee-
men Of the legislative Committee on Asy-
lums and Prisons, made TO this institution
In February last when President Beck
ham. Of the Board Of Directors.
told the committee how the institu-
ton had. by the new buildings, In
creased it's capacity 10y one third. and
that. too, without any special appropria-
ton.
PART OF WISDOM.
Speaking generally of insanity In the
State and in the country, Or. Blackiord
saws: 1T is the part of true wisdom 10
attack great evil. not only in ia ue-
velopmeut, but also at its source. 10
prevent insanity is better than to cure IT.
The prevention and dimunition OF IN
sanity In q community can only De per
manently effected by the Increase or the
mental and moral strength Of the people
and by improving their habits inns
country is becoming land of lunatc-asy-
lums. because the people have become
surrounded by the excitements of a So
called civilization, without having the
moral sense and the religious feellilS5
strengthened to enuure the tension!
"A great and wise system of education
which would give to the humblest mem
bers of society righteous self-respect
and entail upon them practice OF Nirtu-
ous and wholesome habits, will alone rem
der the further enlargement Of insane
hospitals unnecessary. A plea is made
for the true education. above and better
than books teaching the head ana heart,
the duties TO ones self, to country ana
to God which system alone Will make
good citizens. good Christians, alike htting
men for this world and for the world TO
come"
The suggestions OF Ex-Governor +. W..
Mckinney Of the establishment of sepa-
rate asylums for dangerous iunatics
and harmless imbeciles and idiots the
reports says, is founded on a miscon-
ception of terms, thinking the eX-GoV-
ernor calls cases OF Chronic demenuon
"imbeciles and idiots" and remarks that
a Iunatic not dangerous TO himself ana
others is an absurd fiction" a person IN
sane can never be called harmless. save
by an assumption of profound knowledge
and foresight into every future phase or
mental disease: and the possession or
prcscience never 20 be assumed but by
the most ignorant or most dishonest pre-
tender TO (cerebro-mentaD science"
harmless insane" being only applicable
10 those wholly helpless in body and mind.
and can only be used relatively, as that
one individual case Is not SO dangerous
as another.
I'm an asylum patients may be truly
described as not dangerous to themselves
and others. because here they are under
the constant surveillance Of attendants
and medical treatment is ever at hand at
the first premonition OF outbreak.
THE EFFECT.
Governor McKinney,s idea that the So
called harmless insane shall be put In
a workhouse and differentiated from the
acutely and dangerously insane Is char
acterized as a plan that will bring shame
10 the unfortunate and 10 their friends.
the report too. ably discusses the mat
ter OF segregating the chronic and the re-
Gently insane. and opposes the idea as
extravagant In point OF money-cost ana
bsleful 10 the interests OF the insane
themselves. and cites numerous IN
stances where such segregation has peeh
tired and wholly failed.
COMPARISON is made OF the per capita
cost OF caring for the insane In virginia
In the asylums In 1871. when the anhuai
cost WAS $zsi, with the cost for the yea.
,sae when IL was reduced to WI. anu
mi. with Increased efficiency and com
fort for the unfortunates. In fh~ VIZ