The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1894-09-22
OUR GREAT ASYLUM.
Description of West Yirginia's
Greatest Public Institution.
shepherastown Register.


opine, who have never seen it, hay'
an idea of what splendid institu-
tion West Virginia possesses in it,
hospital for the insane at Weston
1t was a revelation to the writer
when he visited it a short time ago
The buildings are imposing and ad
mirably adapted to their purpose
The main building is a magnificen
structure of stone, over twelve hun
dred feet in length, with wings a
each end extending back from the
front A beautiful lawn, adorned
with trees, shrubbery and flowers
and in which the walks are artist
cally laid out, extends along the
front and at the sides Of the build.
'pgs, the whole enclosed with sub
stantial iron fence. The entire prop.
erty is in excellent order and shows
the management is first-class. 1t is
just west of the town of Weston, in E
charming location at the base of &
great hill.
DR.. Crumbacker is the superin
tendent of the hospital, and a most
efficient manager he is. He sue
ceeded DR.. Lewis year or two ago
and because he was not a native
West Virginia there was consider
able opposition to his appointment
His peculiar fitness for the position,
however, and the perfect success Of
his administration has long since
silenced criticism and justified the
selection. DR.. Burdette is his able
assistant and Miss Biddy the capa-
BILE matron. The management OF
this vast institution is admirable in
every respect. Everything is syste-
matized and the business moves
along like clockwork. The estab-
lishment is model of cleanliness.
1t cannot but be qualification to
those who have friends or relatives
there to know that the patients are
so well taken care of. They have
the best of medical attention; their
mental infrmities are treated with
scientific and kindly intelligence;
and their bodily needs are carefully
looked after. They are made as
comfortable in every way as their
unfortunate condition will allow
That the patients receive the best
of care and treatment is shown by
the high percentage that are cured.
OF the number received in the asy-
lnm q per cent are discharged
cured. In our own community some
who have received the treatment of
the best private institutions without
improvement have been discharged
cured from the West Virginia asY-
lum. The per cent of deaths of the
number treated is 23 Exhaustion
is the chief cause of death. Ohio
county has 81 patients in the hospi-
tai, Harrison 40, Wood 46, Marion
80, Lewis 80, Jefferson 81, Berkeley
%, Morgan 6; there are but two
from Clay county, the other coun
ties ranging from A to 30. OF the
supposed causes of insanity of those
admitted the past year, q were he
reditary, IA from epilepsy, 6 from
domestic trouble, from disappoint-
ment in love, 3 from dyspepsia, l
from fright, 3 from financial trouble
3 from hard study, s from oyerwork
Fifty of those admitted we're farmers
"a were laborers, A were locomotive
engineers, merchants, l printer.
One of the reforms instituted by DIR.
Crumbacker is the dispensing with
all the mechanical restraints.
Straight-jackets, handouts, cribs,
dark rooms, ard so on, have been
done away with, and in place of these
the attendants are required to give
the unfortunates closer personal at
tention. 1t is said that this new de-
parture has had marked result for
the better. The patients are more
tractable and cheerful and decided
ly more clearly. Many other re-
forms have been put into effect by
the present management, and the
institution is up to date in all re-
spects.
The evening the writer spent at
the asylum the inmates had a dance.
A large hall was devoted to this pur-
pose, and many of the patients were
there as spectators and participants.
1t was funny and interesting, yet
withal pathetic. Several hundred
patients sat on the benches, the
males on one side and the females
on the other, enjoying the gayeties-
some solemn, Others laughing, many
with slight apparent interest. The
music was furnished by an excel
lent orchestra, composed mostly of
the attendants. Fifty or more pa
tients danced at time, the attend.
ants being dispersed here and there
among them. They acted very much
as people usually do at balls. Some
of the dancers were quite stately
and carried their heads high as they
moved with dignifed steps. Others
simpered and smiled and airted and
hid their conscious faces behind
fans. There were Il few who danced
with great seriousness, as if it were
matter of business, while some
were gay and gallant and extremely
polite. It's no reflection on the at
PENDANTS to say that one could moi
always tell which of the dancers
were the insane ones. After quad
rifles, there were some solo dancers
A nimble-footed patient took thu
floor and danced jigs and hornpipes
in the most approved fashion and
with the greatest skill. He was fol
lowed by mike" an Irishman who
it was said, would never be satisfied
without his own particular dance
heavy, awkward stride up and down
the floor, with the stiffness of a pc
ker and the grace of rhinoceros
Following Mike, a figure like Me
phistopheles darted out on the flool
"a tall, fine looking negro who hail
ed from Greenbrier county. HI
danced like a fiend, attired in rec
suit that was skin tight In a clog
dance his feet fairly twinkled, witt