Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1896-11-26
The Asylum Investigation,
- METHOD or CARING FOR
7ur STATES INsAHE SEVERE
~ CONDEMNED BY THE in
yrsTIcATINo COMMITTEE.

rologipg is tae full report of the
r.irf Speeigl Con miltse appointed by
oo'S .rsreagd HOUSE 70 investigate lhe
", H. apaiust DE-. W II GidGings
SnrfraeIdeu q the State Asylum ol
Ls 1nsaru az Wal,rgur, ca. was reac
Monday before lht two houses
r., -ur HONORABLE SENATE AND HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES,:
TLa Soeeial Joint Committee appointed to
;rta consideration, investigate and report
laNs tbs management OF the Vermont State
Ipg5Ion for the Insane at Waterbury, and
Aall,,isrly the treatment Of the patients that
arr ~, ar now are, confined therein, res
pqetfully reports
~ baye attended to The duties Of our appoint
Int al fullr as the limited time has permitted;
w. have injured Of the trustees, supervisors,
es,intaudeut the employees and al other
,a5rcas. ms fully as was within cur power. We
acted ioiutly giving TO the superintendent
u1ll La management of the Asylum full oppor-
ai'a to be heard. The superintendent has
{ll,'5 rsu,sssnted by able counsel; the trustees
snJ s1reryiso1s have also been present or rep
,5ssnfad IN all hearings before us, and the
.timoly has been taken as nearly as could be
:osaeoriauce with the rules governing courts
has been the aim Of the committee TO
.isrt5in fIe facts. aud TO that end We have
3,ksn I'M means which have suggested them
n Ind endured from all sources which
nd IN promise reliable information.
T6a committee have visited the Asylum and
srspt a full day ia an examination 81 an IT'S
jrartIUsuis: IN this examination every eour-
e..y ras shown MS by the management and
I'M opportunity was afforded ms TO learn all
,Egrgs could by such "a visit.
H. dop8t regard IL our duty 10 report upon
h. matters which come within the scope of
,ba examination made by the Committee ON
gs Insane. We made DO critical examination
aft6e books kept hy the management, to test
is correctness Of their account OF eNpendi-
trss However, nothing occurred during our
:sstisatiou 10 lead ms to think that the money
o..onnfs have not been honestly kept. We
grs ngt entirely satisfied with their system OF
/ ia,E-taapiue. and recommend that some
method he adopted by which the books may
Ia kent In q more systematic manner and
a Inv which their accuracy can be verified.
Ne are Of opinion that the system OF yentil-
alton in tie south wing Is inadequate and steps
oght to be taken TO put in system That VIII
rroperly yentilate that part OF the asylum.
Chr Investigation was more particularly
Aractsd 10 the treatment and comfort OF the
rgiiepts al tteasyum since il has been in oper-
atom and especially during the period It has
lssn under the supeliutendency OF DIR. Gid
anna Upgn this subject a large number of
witnesses have been examined and large
amount Of testimony taken (which is herewith
INA. consisting Of 1926 ordinary typewriter
t3gr, and considered by the committee.
THE ASYLUM BUILDINGS.
TaiplIy understand the findings of the com
nifee, II should be borne in mind that the
aSm Is comparatively a new institution.
Reconstruction Of IL was commenced under
be authority of an act OF the general assembly
dN~ BIZ which SlOO,00l was appropriated
irhe purpose: followed by an additional APP
norliation Of $4,000 in 1850; Sji,O0O in lss2,
mi :lNuOuin 1898, making a total OF SOD
DIT
The south wing was constructed first, and
completed for occupancy III July of 1871. The
h5mtents we're received therein in August,
M During the winter Of 1882, the asylum
y& Miel the supeTintendency OF DIR. Sylyes-
Vi IA contained about two hundred inmates.
lhda spring of lsg2, DIR. SYLVESTER signed rs
superintendent and DIR. Giddings thereafter
acted . superintendent until u, cember l,
h!, aghch time he was appointed superin-
sld5at and has acted as such since that time.
lhs central or administration building was
es1ucted during the years lS93-.4, and form
aEeared on May 81, 1894.
ld y and opened to receive patients IN May,
fS During the years '93 and ~, the aver
~ number of patients treated was about 2OO;
during May, 1896. about DO During May
g1Jue, 1886 25Opatients were received from
DaltleborO retreat, making the total number
Inmates june 50, 1896, 49S. The corps OF
Attendants has usually averaged one to each
AIaents \ little more than half the pa
nats are females. They now occupy the
Gih wing and the males occupy the south
ing Two assistant physicians are employed,
ne Or each wing.
HE asylum IS heated by steam, by direct
1i indirect radiation. In the winter of 1891
~ V, the system Of heating was found to be
Aasquatl Ter the purpose of maintaining a
Al1l temperature in the south wing, that be
ue only part then in use. Some slight
llss were made in the fall Of lS.l2, but the
Stm was used during the winter OF 92-93, in
santlaIly the same condition as when at
Reconstructed
INADEQUATE HEATING.
the fall of ISIS, an expert mechanical en-
aFF was consulted and a comprehensive plan
Improvement recommended by him; slight
lgaIy changes were made ut his sugges-
oat the original system was used during
sH'eI Of 1854, except the changes before
-lohed' In the summer Of 1879. the inn
-Ni'a suggested by tile hiecndHlcal eHEt-
geie made at an expense of about $4,000,
ne new system has been in use since that
With 1t the south wing could be properly
esi but in extremely cold weather the
-1hlahon building was not sufficiently
-sa We do not mpute TO the MANAGE
any fault for the original defects in the
al OF heating, but lis inadequacy was
aTlaied during the first winter it was
II was continued in use as above stated
Nequence of its continuance the inmates
suffered to greater or less extent for
~ artificial heat This might have been
uy more prompt attention to the mat
Dlng all the winters the asylum has
u.s. the steam has been reduced at
ana IN some cases entirely shut off from
Nv ~ which the patients were kept, and
WINS NL4isJ steam only went to the administra-
20 consider that steps should have been
e an earlier period to remedy the de-
ule heating system, and we cannot APP
Al ihe custom Of reducing the amount of
FINISHED dunn & the night, especially dur
Nhtef OF leg5-9l, as it is shown that at
w u the female natients at times dur