The herald., 1896-08-16

sire 70 keep patients here longer than
benefit can be done them. Still, every
patient, as soon as he becomes conva-
lescent Immediately petitions for a re-
lease IT 1t is not granted he considers
himself greatly aggrieved and becomes
impressed with the idea that he is being
jobbed," and detained by some design
ing person or enemy.
The deluson of conspiracy and perse-
cution is one of the most marked char
acterfstcs Of the insane. and is nearly
always present in all forms of mania.
If they are not permitted to go when
they consider themselves cured they will
abuse the institution in the vilest terms.
and give many evidences of a character
calculated to indorse, the wisdom of the
management in their retention, and
certainly indicating that they are not
ut persons to be at large.
LOST THEIR SPEECH.
There are some very peculiar cases of
mental decay at Highlands. There are
some six or seven patients who. when
they f1rst entered were the most profane
takers and whose tongues were con-
stantly wagging, but now their mouths
are sealed like the proverbial clam.
They suddenly made up their minds to
stop talking, and for months not one of
them has articulated. Nothing can per-
suade them to speak They can hear
everything that is going on around
them. but it is as IL 1t fell upon deaf ears,
as far as their tongues are concerned
There is a patient who is constantly
ringing up an imaginary telephone and
ordering things. In another instance
the patient thinks he dropped out of q.
balloon. One inmate imagines that he
is being prosecuted by William H. Van
derbilt. The man who ina gined that he
was Jesus Christ hung himself from his
iron bedstead which he sat on end, using
the sheet as rope. He accomplished
self destruction in about fifteen minutes
between the half hourly inspections of
the night attendant And so one might
enumerate all the various hallucina-
tions of the unfortunate, but the facts
would scarcely be of interest.
CIVIL SERVICE.
I should think that no one would gain
say the proposition that civil service
rules should govern in the case of at
taches of institutions of the character
of this one where they come into direct
contact with the patients. With a few
exceptions the positions here are only
such as can be filled by those who have
had experience and who have given
study to the duties and requirements OF
the post
In the eastern hospitals where civil
service rules apply the best of results
have been obtained, so / am told. In
asylums where the spoils system still
governs in the matter of emloyes the re-
SoNciS idte IL Sdlu 10 De IHucn lower.
NEW YORK'S EXPERIENCE.
In New York state the number of in
sane cared for is quite large. The in
stitutions are all of high character.
however, and some excellent results
have been attained in the matter OF
scientifically handling all forms Of men,
tai arrangement. A tax levy of one
third of mill on every dollar of assessed
valuation is levied to care for the in
iey IIxyv tee
Prior to 1894 New York, Kings and
Queens counties had asylums Of their
own, maintained at county expense,
and conducted independet of the au-
thority of the state. In $780, however,
the legislature of the empire state en-
( acted state care act" and all of these
institutions were then placed under the
states supervision. Results have been
most satisfactory, and improvement
has been brought about in every way.
| The per capita cost has been brought
, down to $184, a reduction of SCI per year.
The fact has been clearly shown that it
| is impracticable for the counties to
/ properly or, economically care for their
| insane, though many patients are un-
| doubtedly sent to state asylums who
| should be cared for at county hospitals.
In New York are some of the finest
hospitals in the country, notably the ono
at Utica. which was opened in 1S43 1t is
Z,
| under cultivation. About one thousand
patients are maintained there. The in
dustry of comb making is employed
to keep the convalescents busy.
INSANITY IN CALIFORNIA.
Both DR.. Campbell and DIR. Dolan deny
the statement often made that insanity
| exists to greater degree on the Pacific
| coast than it does elsewhere through
out the United States. This is popular
lo fox
the disease, for prior to the discovery
of gold insanity in California was
practically unknown here. Civilization
favors mental arrangement. 1t is even
said that there is an intimate relation
between genius and insanity; heredity
is the great cause of the spread of in
sanity. If this were not true insanity
| would now be rare, if not obsolete.
There are about 5000 insane main
tanned in this state at a cost of ap-
proximately $4,000 per week. A great
many of these patients have been insane
in the east and after their arrival hero
further developed the disease. Tho
proposition is steadily maintained, and
proven beyond doubt, that brain trou-
California than it is in other
sections. and this contention is
supported by statistics. The fact
that Southern California is sanitarium
for the world also gives it an undue
proportion of mentally afflicted in its
population, as compared with the show
ing made by eastern states.
THE FEMALE DEPARTMENT..
The women to the number of 161 are
cared for at Highlands according to the
! most approved methods. The attend
ants, all women, are under the general
direction of matron, Miss Sarah How
ard, who occupies the same position
to the female wards that the, super
visor does to the male. Miss Howard
has had long experience and is said to
me a most efficient and capable direct
ress. / had the pleasure of meeting the
lady upon several occasions during my
stay at the institution and was i'm
pressed with her kindly manner and
her evident thorough appreciation of the
duties of her position. AS male pa
tient, of course, have had no opportun-
ity for observation of the female de-
partment as no males, either employees
or patients, are permitted upon the fe-
male wards. excepting the physicians.
MORE STRUCTURES NEEDED
While the buildings at Highlands are
handsome and commodious, as far as
they go, the additions designed should
be constructed as early as possible. The
present structures are Inadequate to
accommodate all who are committed.
and as time passes they will become
more Congested.