Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-09-05
HUMANITY'S NAME.
Continued from First Page.

these new ideas, it followed that the
insane. instead Of being locked in
filthy dungeons, or tied to trees.
should be treated IS nearly as posi-
BILE as were people who we've afflicted
with other diseases. But experience
soon showed that it was more diff
cult to care for an insane person
than a patient otherwise afflicted and
that there were times when An insane
person actually needed restraint, and
that consequently it was difficult to
properly care for them in private
families. especially in cases where
families we poor. Then the more
enlightened governments took upon
themselves the care of the insane
and began to erect asylums for them.
As may readily be supposed the first
efforts in this direction were very
crude. and in many cases the build
ings erected We're mere prisons and
not homes, and as the subject in
general was not fully uuders TODD and
the care of the Insane was in most
cares left to incompetent and i'm
proper custodians, il followed that
many of the early insane asylums,
and in fact. some of the more recent
ones, became the scene of indiscriba-
Die horrors. But the world pro-
crossed in this as in other lines
Intelligent aud humane men and
women gave these matters their at
tention. Efforts were made to throw
as much daylight and rs much sun
light as possible, not only into every
asylum, but upon its management
and its general routine, and with
each exposure Of cruel methods came
more improved ways of dealing with
these unfortunate people.
One OF the things which distin.
guishes the enlightened government:
of this age from the governments Of
former ages, and that shows the
progress of man in civilization and
in humanity is the effort that i.
made to care for sll of the unfor
tunate. who by reason of some ply.
steal ai!ment, are incapacitated tc
care for themselves. Man has final
| ly recognized at least in part tha
he Is his brothers keeper. Til,
recognition of the fact that we ar.
all children Of the same God ha,
inspired man with a new sense o.
duty toward his fellow man.
Ininoia In tn. Front Rank.
In the work Of this new civiliza
ton the great commonwealth of Hi
nois stands at the head. With
most lavish hand has she aimed t,
provide for her unfortunate children
Aside from her great reformatory
and penal institutions, and aside frou
her great educational institutions
she has aimed to provide for the car
OF the blind. she has a great institu
ton for the care and instruction o
the deaf and dumb at Jacksonville.
homo for soldiers orphans at Bloom
iDgton, q home for old soldiers aut
sailors at Quincy, a home for feebi,
minded at Lincoln. q charitable ey,
and ear infirmary at Chicago, givin,
free treatment to thousands anl
thousands Of poor, and we have al
ready four large insane asylums; on
at Elgin with about twelve hundre'
patients, another at Jacksonvill
with about twelve hundred patients
one at Anna with about a thousan,
patients and one Mt Kankakee wit
1920 patients, and this year the stat
is founding two more asylums for it
care OF the insane, one of which i
located at Peoria, and we here lay tn
corner stone today for the other.
1t is matter of congratulation TO
every citizen of Illinois that in eff
cheney aud usefulness the charitabl
institutions of this state are unsur
passed upon the globe. There are
\ few institutions in the east and j
J Europe which make more display
which maintain q great deal NOR
pomp in administration; that is, til
officers have more elegant quarter
and live in grander style, but NJ
where is the care and the comfort {
patients more earnestly looked ate
than in our state.
These institutions are not partisan
They are maintained by all of on
people and they should be the prid
Of all of our people. Every citize
Of the state has a right to know bo
they are administered, and will sa
that we are making every effort I
run the administrative department,
Of these institutions upon purel
business principles aud at the sau
time to bring the institutions up I
the highest possible scientific stant
ard. The aim is to buy all supple
of the lowest bidder. to have nobod
on the pay roll who is not absolutel
needed and to keep no man on tt
pay roll for an hour after it is di
covered that he is incompetent An
the inilexible rule is to prompt
discharge any employe who is car,
less in the discharge of his duties Q
is rough or brutal in dealing wit
patients.
Three years ago l instructed II
superintendent OF each charitable IL
stitution in the state to investiga,
the best institutions similar in cha
act-r to his in this country aud
Europe and also the results Of Il
: latest scientific researches as ,
methods Of treatment. ETC.. aud
! compare methods Of treatment the
I with those in his institution aud