The record-union., 1897-07-14

or any other State which assumes the
entire control of its insane
RELATIONS OF LARGE SEAPORT
CITIES TO INSANITY.
Second-The location of large sea-
port cities within the confines of a
State will make a marked difference in
the number of insane that the State
Will have to care for, and for the rea-
son that such cities contain a large
foreign element in their population.
Ihls being true, it will be necessary to
snow that the foreign population as
found in this country contributes a
large quota of our insane. During the
time Intervening between October /,
1880, and September 30. 1895. there
were 1O,903 insane persons admitted to
the New York City asylums. Of this
number 3,453 were born in the United
states, and the nativity of forty-eight
was unknown. The remaining portion
of the 10,903, that is, 1902, We're for
eign born. This clearly shows what
an important factor this large seaport
city with it's foreign population is in
estimating the causes which, taken to-
gether, contribute to the large number
Of insane found in the State of New
York. What bearing, If any may the
seaport city Of San Francisco have up
on the number of insane found in Cal
ifornia? During the fiscal year COM
mencing July /. 1895, and ending June
30, 1896, l ,145 insane persons were ad-
mitted to our State hospitals. OF this
number 517 We're born in the United
States, and the nativity of sixty-six
was unknown. The remaining portion
of the 1.14J. that is, 515, were foreign
born, and over one-third of the total
number committed, viz. BAG, were re-
ceived from San Francisco.
The above statement shows how i'm
portant it is in comparing the insane
of one State with that of another to
consider large seaport cities and their
population; and all other conditions be-
ing equal, those States having large
seaports viii be burdened with the
largest number of these unfortunate
people. If further evidence We're need
ed to impress this deplorable state of
affairs upon the mind of the reader,
would state that at the present time,
May 81, 1897, California is caring for
4,1S9 insane individuals, and of that
number 2,725 are foreign born. If
California was caring for those born
in the United States, it would only be
burdened with 2,064, or less than one
half Of the number above mentioned.
These incompetents, many of them con-
sisting OF the scum riff-raff, and dregs
of an oVerCroWded European popuIa-
ton, are burdening every State hospi-
tai for the insane in the United States;
but especially those situated in States
with large seapOrtS.
The above figures tell their own story
as far as California is concerned. This
State also constitutes the tramp's and
hobo's paradise. For almost twelve
months in the year they can roam from
one part Of the State to another un-
kempt and unclean. They usually need
no other shelter than the blue canopy
Of heaven. That which they cannot
beg from those more worthy than
themselves, they steal; and finally, in
not a few instances, find their way into
a State hospital for the insane, a bur
den still to the body polite
AGRICULTURAL DISTRICTS AS
NO-N1I - LhILAC w IL II 0111Eo AMI
THE INSANE.
Third-States with large agricultural
districts which furnish healthful out
door employment for a large number of
their inhabitants win have fewer in
sane than States with large and dense
ly populated cities, where thousands
are employed in pursuits which are
not conducive to physical health, and
hence often lead to mental impairment
The trend of modern civilization is tow
ard the massing of a great number of
people in our large cities.
In 1870 only one-thirtieth of our
country's population lived in cities of
over 5000 inhabitants; in 1890 nearly
one-third. In 1870 there We're only
six cities in our country with pop
ulation of 5000 or more, while in 1890
there were four hundred and forty
eight"
This condition of affairs, when once
known, cannot but attract attention of
every thinking man and woman. Just
what this means to the commonwealth
as a whole. and to each State. morally,
intellectually, and socially. will depend
upon how these great masses of people
live in these large cities. While the
wealthy have their sources of dissipa
ton and degeneration, which often lead
to insanity, still it is the poverty
stricken to whom we must look for the
greater number Of the recruits that fill
our State hospitals To substantiate
the truthfulness of the preceding state
ment, l will state that in 1890 there
were 81 $50 insane persons in the Unit
ed States: of this number SS,665 were
paupers, of whom 22,961 were foreign
born.
For the data showing how they live
in New York City, l am indebted to
statements made in the June number
of the Arena" 1897, by Professor W.
1. Hull, Ph. B. Mulberry Bend is
known in New York City as New
York's Italy" The name is sugges-
tive of the nativity of the inhabitants.
Extending in various directions from
the Bend are crooked and dark pas
sages. which are lined with towering
tenement houses. These are the
homes CD of the masses we are con-
sidering. Every race, every land, and
almost every nation, tongue, and kim
dred. are represented here. So great
has been the influx of people of other
nations into our large cities that some