The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-03-28
THE HALL OF SUICIDES.
Precautions Taken at the Bleominsdaie Asylum
with Patients who Have Suicidal Mania.

Precautions Taken ut the Bloomingdaie Asylum
with Patients who Have Suicidal Mania.
In the Bloomingdale asylum at White
Plains there is n ward. or bali, as 1t IL called.
In both the male and the female divisions. set
apart especially for the safekeeping OF patients
afflicted with suicidal mania. Not q move nent
of the patients confined there goes unobserved.
At 7 o'clock in the morning they are obliged
to vacate their rooms In a body. and the doors
arc locked bahind them. while they dress In
the corridor outside. They then repair to the
washroom In companies of three or Jour, &C.
companied by an attendant, who keeps them
under surveillance.
The meals are served In o light and airy din
ing room overlooking the asylum POUNDS.
AS the patients pass through tle door and take
tneir.seats 1t the tables they are counted. and
II ono Ia found missing an Immediate search is
begun. They have the saline food that is provid-
ed for every other ht in tho asylum. but are
deprived of many articles of table service.
Knives and forks are never seen In this hall.
The patients arc obliged to eat with spoons.
Glassware Is also prohibited. and they drink
from heavy china cups. While eating they
arc watched by attendants. whose duty 1t Is to
see that they do not take away anything from
the table, when the meals are over. In order
OF crockery is counted before ana after each
meal. Between. meals these articles are kept
About an hour after breakfast and dinner tho
patients are taken for their daily exercise IN
the asylum nr, grounds .hsis 1 ~sfHa shas b by attend ~ q.
most carefully watched. In order 70 prevent
sh.m from picking no any article which might
turned to the hall. Ono occasion q man
who was knSw1 TO- have 5nss. several vel at,
to the asylum. came very near eludinR the
vigilance OF his keepers. While walking with
the other patients in the grounds his eye
chanced to light upon a piece OF broken glass
to know that. Il, he stopped TO pick it up. he
and fell in q heap on the ground, securing tho
coveted article aud secreting Il In bis pocket.
hassi ses uraase On the ret suspIcion 70 Of .hs an att attendant lSsia.
He was searched and the glass was found.
Tho rooms are 80 arranged that an attendant.
bed IN eyery.room IN a direct line OF HE vision.
The patients ara Obliged to retire promptly at
Slos 2iaGs1' nia rns' sh ssia' are ei"en s them and nd
they 90 70 their beds in Q body, Their cloth:
ing 10 left on chairs In the corridor outside Of
the pillows until Il is time to rise in the morn.
hall. watch them. If one should move In bed
in q manner 10 excite the s9spieion OF the
70 { WHAT she Ke are Is 4 Ibo nhs 0e fhs strait, In mS Siacsd
so great that some of them are unabls to
Then thoy ask for q transfer to another hall.
or else resign.
looked after that none has yet succesded in
committing suicide there. There have been
suicides II, Bloomingdale. but the patients have
cidal mania has suddenly developed.
1t is a popularity OF patients no afhicted that
in q majority OF cases they arc TO all outward
Appearance perfectly sane. They speak and
act like rational beings. can carry on a CONVEX
the melancholy 0YDfaAai0u 0f their Cuunt6-
nances. give no evidence of mental disturb
ance. Suicide seems remote from their
that those ~patients who never refer TO their
designs are the ones who need the most careful
Watching. Indeed. attendants are less appro-
hensive for tho safety. or The patients suf-
tsring from pronounced. melanchoiia than
they are OF the apparently rational ones, for
the reason that their suicidal prCpensities are
not Of such an active nature.