The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-02-26
ABOUT CRAZY FOLK
CAN THE UNFORTUNATE HAVE SET
TER CARE THAN AT HOME,
Interesting Article on the Advantages Of
Hospitals For Those Who Lose Their
Minds Trouble From Trying 20 Ges
Along With Lznasics Mt Home.

/ Inc following rIlaSterfN ara interesting
article, written by DR.. Joseph J. O'Con-
nell, examiner Of the insane for the de-
partrnsnt OF charities and correction. upon
"AsylUms as the Proper Place For the
! Treatment OF Alienation of the Mind q"
! was published in the New York Medical
/ Journal. DE-. O'Connell IS one Of Brook,
/ lyn's rising physicisns:
| Practitioners are often called Upon 70
! treat patients with diseased minds and arc
! then confronted with this problem; Ia
/ asylum treatment more beneficial, or can
+ they be treated and receive equally good
care at homer I take the liberty of an
swering this question from, my experience
as examiner of the insane for the depart
ment Of charities and correction in Nir;ys
! county, in which capacity have commit
I ted scIne 4, 600 or 5, eco persons 10 aSyluIns
/ in New York and vicinity.
/ The institutions in this state, both pri-
I vate and public, are under the jurisdio-
/ tion Of the state commission in lunaoy,
and the first important step in the ad-
vancement OF the treatment of the insane
] dates from tho time when commissioners
/ were appointed 20 supervise the manage
.aent of these institutions. a few years
ago any person, whether physician or lay
man, citizen or foreigner, could establish
retreat for the insane and employ what
ever treatment he pleased with the unfOr-
tunstes who came under his charge, and
It was not always so much question as
Z TO the recoveries affected as il was as 10
how long could the patient be retained
under the plea OF insanity-while the rev.
enue came IN.
The amount Of room allowed 10 each In
mate or the number over which each at
ten6ant should have charge was never
considered. II patients were not over
crowded, il was due quite as much 70 the
Lack OF demand for the extra space which
they temporarily enjoyed Us 10 the good
Judgment OF the person in charge. With
but few exceptions the state and county
institutions were 10 better governed. The
superintendents and subordinates were
not selected on account of their fitness for
the positions, but were appointed through
political influence. l am pleased TO say
that at the present day the public and pri-
vate asylums in New York state are equal
20 if not better than any others IL the
world.
The state commission does not grant
permission 20 any individual TO conduct
private asylum unless it is in charge of a
physician who has had considerable ez-
perienoe in tho treatment of the insane
and who is well qualified to manage such
an institution. These asylums are licensed
for limited number of persons in order
that each may receive proper attention and
have proper accommodations. Tho food
must be of the best quality, and sanitary
requirements are very exacting. Asylums
are in the treatment of the insane what
hospitals arc to the sick-in fact, they are
a combination of hospital and home
The insane are very cunning They
often know that their ideas 6iffe- from
those OF the persons with whom they con
verse; that they are alone In their belief,
and foY that reason when questioned by
physicians or others, viii not ans,Ser ac-
cording to their belief, but in accordance
with the ideas of the Questioner at homo
the family feeling toward them is well
known to them; they will refuse to do rs
those in attendance may requess and Will
impose upon the good nature of their rels-
tives II the physician recommends GER
tain work for them to occupy their time
and 10 divert their minds from the subject
of their mania, or if walks at certain hours
Of the day are advised, they feoi that their
movements are closely WATCHED, and jt IL
useless TO try to convince them &c the con
trary. IL these simple recommendations
cannot be carried out at Es.ne, how can
any systematic treatment - given with
out the use Of force? And the continued
use Of force with the insans 50 affects the
nervous system as 10 rendSr ultimate re
covery q doubtful question The principle
rule to be followed is that the insane must
be led and not driven.
The estimate entertained OF the insane
by the public renders il tn enemy To asy-
Iums. They are supposed to be a wild set
confined IN a building ike wild animals,
who are restrained at eight by chains or
by some other means; that the mild and
the violent are placed together and that
the latter are always ready TO pounce upon
others when they appioaoh them.
II should be considered that the insane
are classified; that CD entering an asy-
lum they arc placed in a receiving ward
for several days in orier that their form Of
insanity may be studied by the physician
in charge. They arg then transferred TO
wards SIT aside for the treatment OF their
special mental dia,rder, and as they inn
prove they are gradually sdvanced. The
erroneous idea OF asylums entertained 10y
the public as i haze stated, prevents tho
Incarceration OF many of the so called
Their relatives TANK they are not tit sub
jects for asyluns because they offer no Vi
olenoe u the family and do not break fur
niture or tea clothes. but only 90 about
veutilating t1eir hobbies whenever they
can find listener. More harm has come
from This class Of people during the past
few years than from any other class 81 In
zane The attacks upon banker in New
York and upon the late mayor Of Chicago
are still fresh in the minds % tho public.
In both cases the progress o. the disease
was slow. but so veil marked that the %
culiar actions and ideas Of the individuals
were known 70 the relatives and friends |
months priy- % the commission Ot thel- !
crimes.
Il must not oe forgotten that insanity I
IS ofte5 communicated from one member 4
q the family 20 another when there - a .
hercsltary basis for IL Development In 4
such families pruuV p sc1ion = uecessary. 4
Two cszcs Illustrating this came under 1
NY notice as examiner q the insane One 1
was that 81 a young widow who had been 4
living alone Tor SIT months Ia . snai! .
shaaiT. During this time she hecaue az 1
fectsG with parsnOls and gradually gre@ 4
vorss Until her Deighbors summoned SIS !
~ - ere To- Eer This sister. a crief, I
Intelligent 81, took charlse Il tho Insane 4
woman Tor four wec5s- when ste aiso ~, 4
came he subject II the same form q in I
sanity. ana both we're committed 20 a. ssy- |
lu1n- Applications have ben received a; /!
the dcpsrtuc1- from ucothers 20 have their
dauyhtc-s committed 70 an asylum fog tAs Z
insane, aDd when tAEy hare bsen visited i