Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-01-17
WESTERN HOSPITAL.
ANNUAL RePoRr OF supeR,NreNp.
gNr BLACKBOARD. N. ..



misleading Communication -rrsatnssnt Of
Aissgsa Harmless fanatics.
IN the courss Of his annual report for
the year ending September 30. 1894 Su-
psrinteudent Blackford. OF the Western
State Hospital. says:
The Committee on Asy,ums OF the I.e-
gtslature visited this institution during
the month OF February. 1884. and made
thorough inspection Of the various de-
partments. After inspection, Chairman
Lovenstetn called the committee In ses-
SION. for the purpose of getting an ex-
preston OF views and opinions in regard
10 the needs OF the insane hospitals. and
the care and treatment of the insane
Of the State. and also to the recon-
mendations Of Ex-Governor Mckinney re-
lattng to the care OF the insane. in his
annual message to the Legislature. lie
then proceeds:
1t Ia the part OF true wisdom to attack
. great evil. not In its developed form,
but at Its source. To prevent insanity is
better than to cure II, or to care for 1t
humanely. II incurable. The prevention,
? or rather the dDinution, OF insanity In
. community can only be permanently ef-
fected by increasing the moral and men,
tai strength OF the people. and by i'm
proving their habits. This country IS be-
coming o land OF insane hospitals. be-
cause the people have become surrounded
by the excitements of a so-calied civiliza-
ton. without having had the moral sense
and the religious feelings strengthened to
endure the tension. A great and wise sys-
ten OF education, which would give to the
humblcst members Of society a righteous
eelf-respect, and entail upon them the
practice OF virtuous and wholesome
habits. would alone render the further
enlargement OF insane-hospitals unneces-
sary. The quality Of education to be de-
sired for the people Is that which will
train the greatest possible number OF
them 70 be good Christians and good
citizens That alone will have the power
TO forestall the ravages Of insanity and
the spread Of crime.
II Is, however, one thing TO show how
the increase Of insanity might have been
prevented. or how in time to come II can
be prevented. and quite another thing to
discuss the practical measures which the
existence Of the evil presses upon those
who have authority.
A NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..
Our esteemed OK Governor Mckinney. in
his annual message TO the last Legisla-
ture Of the State. recommends that there
be separate ssylums for dangerous luna
tics" and harmless imbeciles and idiots"
Evidently. the recommendations OF the
Ex-Governor were based upon a misappre-
hension Of terms. He undoubtedly calls
many cases of chronic dementia "imbe-
Giles and idiots and his whole re-
ference regarding the patients in the asy-
lums has been largely brought forward
through a misconception OF the true char
acter Of insanity.
The lunatic not dangerous TO himself
or others" Is an absurd fiction. A person
actually insane can never be pronounced
harmless. unless by the assumption OF
O profound knowledge and foresight into
all possible stages and processes OF dis
eases OF the brain. of which the posses
sion would never be arrogated except by
the most ignorant or most dishonest pre-
tender TO cerebro-mental science. The
term harmless lunatic'' Is inapplicable TO
any person who Is not helpless from
bodily infirmties or total loss of mind.
II can be only used with propriety as
relative term. meaning that the patient
IS not so dangerous as others are. or
that ne In not known to be refractory or
suicidal. II should not be forgotten that
the great majority of homicldes and sui
c.des committed by insane persons have
been committed by those who had been
previously considered harmless. And this
IL readily explained by the fact that those
known 10 be dangerous or suicidal are
usually guarded in such manner as 10
prevent the Indulgence OF their propensi-
ties. while the so-caled harmless lunatic
or idiot has often been left without the
care which all lunatics require. until
some mental change has taken place, or
some unusual source OF irritation has been
experienced. causing a sudden and la
mentable event. In an asylum such pa
tients may be truly described as 'Sot
dangerous to themselves or Others" be-
cause they are constantly seen by medi-
cal men experienced in observing the
first symptoms Of mental change or ex-
element, and in allaying them by anpro-
pirate remedies. They are also !. iced
under the constant watchfulness and care
of skilful attendants. and are removed
from many causes of irritation and an
noyance TO which they would be ex-
posed IL at large throughout the State.
MISLEADING.
The report of the commission upon
which Ex-Governor Mckinney based his
recommendatio regarding the care of
the insane in his message, was calculated
20 be misleading. The report assumed that
the so-called harmless lunatics would re-
main harmless under all circumstances,
whether confined in an asylum or not,
and recommended that they should be
removed at once TO State work.
house." or homes for the poor" as re-
commended by the Ex-Governor, certainly
q misnomer II intended exclusively for the
chronic insane. who are now confined in
the insane-hospitals of the State, thus
putting an afflicted and unfortunate class
OF our fellow-citizens under the ban OF
pauperism and incurabihty. 1t may be
unfortunate that 1t should be so. but
nevertheless. in the public mind a certain
tgnominy and degradation does attach
to the pauper class and IL is lamentable
that persons who become insane, In most
cases through no fault of their own.
should be classed with and placed amid
The degrading surroundings Of the real
pauper in poor-houses. Hence. in order
that any measure OF real reform in this
direction may be obtained, 1t is Of prime
Importance that there shall be an entire
separation. legal, moral, and actual. be-
tween the insane, as a class. and all
other classes OF the States dependent
citizens. Into the problem OF caring for
the insane In the most humanitarian,
and. at the same time. the most truly
economical way, the poor-house and the
adjuncts Of pauperism should not be
allowed to enter as an appreciate factor.
This Is the opinion OF the New York
Lunecy Commission.
SUBJECT TO PAROXYSMS.
The fact of their being well-contented.
pacific. and usefully-employed while in
the asylums. under vigiiant and conside-
rate management, is no proof that they
are proper subjects to be removed. In
deed. most so-called incurable lunatics
are irritable In temper. SO as to be easily
provoked. and. with all our care. are
subject at intervals to paroxysms OF vio-
ience, rendering them dangerous alike 10
friends and enemies.
Chronic lunatics who are harmless.
tranquil, and even happy. under the Cir
cumstances which surround them In a
well-conducted asylum. where the dietary
IS good. their habits regulated by ex-
perienced attendants. their occupations
and recreations rightly ordered. their
mental and physical symptoms watched
with skilful care. become. II these cir
cumstances are changed or reversed,
morose. irritable. and far from harmless.
STOOD THE TEST.
The faculty Of DISCERNING difficulties ana
objections IL more common than useful
For the information OF such persons as