St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1896-11-27

Al
,,,,Iat;,,s had .a,, I,,t'J fa,. tI ;,',,,,.,',,I
s,,,',,t ~ H.. osi,,,, a,d f,,. ooJ,,o,;,,
T. 49,, ,,,,, L,,;,, 81 ~ :.;t,t7
ZION Pan3 ba oa,,'r,ittoa ,~nra ,,nalI td ,iain
,,, nf,,,,+;,,, III ,,,,r1 y, .ia oo,,j;t;",,s
Of , ' snnor AMI Ji..b,rre of natien+s
or that any had been fixed by the trustee.
In the appointment of a superintendent the
provision that the appontee should be eX-
perienced in the treatment OF insane was
ignored, and there has never been any steward,
matron attendant or assistants appointed by
the board Of trustees. The duties east upon
the trustees by these two sections. so far as
they have been performed with the exception
of the appointment of superintendent and
assistant physicians have beed left by the
trustees to be discharged by the superintendent.
These duties necessarily have engrossed con
siderable of his time and attention, which we
think should have been devoted to the dis
charge of his duties rs superintendent, and we
consider that the board Of trustees were remiss
in the discharge Of their duties, by not reliev-
ing him of these added burdens. and that some
of the abuses mentioned in our report might
and probably would have been avoided, if the
attention of the superintendent had not been so
much engeossed by other duties and cares
Watnrbury. bnijdin~ ooeratious have been in
progress Tor greater part o. the tiihe, ana TO
the hlahasGhleh' Oh lhoSo ail"'i' thc trustees
nave given thelr ptS' attention, anu 80 lar 10 tle
committee were aoie TO ihVestigl'e 'l'e matter
OF building the manner VI "l!ch we trustees
nave uiSch'ige" Ine'r "u.eS III 'ii't iespe .-
nittee.
We consider that they have been vigilant in
looking after the best interests of the state;
economical in their methods and attentive to
their duties with reference to the construction
of the buildings and their failure to seasonably
and properly remedy the defects in the system
of heating the buildings, when il was found
inadequate for that purpose was, doubtless due
to a Discrimination on their part to incur the
necess Try expense,
We regard this rs Il mistaken policy, but the
fact that large appropriations were being asked
for for the completion of the asylum, should
be considered in eXtenuation of this fault.
We are convinced that the trustees acted ac-
cording to their best Judgment for the best in
terests OF the state III what they did with re-
ference to the heating system, but III forming
their Judgment they made the idea OF economy
to predomin3te'and sub9rdinated 100 ihuch the
comfort and health OF the patients OF the asy-
lum. This we regard as a mistaken policy
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. >.,,,,, r,,,,>-,
SUI hhN 'oON0 Nr"li"HNi'
Tho Snnervisors of the Insane are reouired
Inv statuta to examine fine condition of said
osvIum fine management and treatment of the
n MaIt;"mts thera;n hear gIievances of patients
p pn.rt IRON, tbe officers and keepers. and i'm
a tbe coses That in their INDICTMENT re-
,n;rs snac;nl Investigation. and parscularly to
dasoa,.+o;n ,yLother n@rsons are confined in such
" ,svTn''''" hn nucbt t0 ba DISCHARGED The
oTid i .bous tba+ the snneryisors visited
tbis asvlnm from time 10 time. but we conld
u ,l' loar S From than that thew had any ade-
" ''US Lnnwindcn Of how the nntients were
H Ha;no, fnJ NV oIntLed or how they were being
traatad nv. tha attendnnts or musicians.
certniH 3 Il on NV aImses were goinr ON in the
asylum, OF whether pa''ehtS were eo II,al ~
the asylum VINO ought 10 nave pee'' "iHI""lS
ed; and we hnd that' without complain Was
made to them, or some ABUSE OF lrleEu'r ~,
was called partcuiailY TO 'I'eir "''ei'''o"' '''
supervisors made no Investigations
We would suggest an examination by som'
competent board TO ascertain whether there l.
not number of idiotic or demented person,
being supported rs insane, at the expense Of
the state, who should be discharged and here
after supported by the towns charged by law
with that duty. We are OF the opinion that
more should be done in the way of giving the
patients open air exercise. We do not find
that there is any system OF airing the patients