The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1897-05-31
THE HALL OF SUICIDES.

Precautions Taken Al BioomIngdaIe VITA
Patients who Have Suicidal Mania
In the Bloomingdale asylum at
White Plains there is n ward, or
hall, as IL is called. in both the male
and the female divisions set apart
especially for the safe keeping Of pa
tients afflicted with suicidal mania.
Not a movement of the patients con
fined there goes unobserved-
At z o'clock in the morning they
are obliged to vacate their rooms in
q body, and the doors are locked be-
hind them, while they dress in the
corridor outside. They then repair
To the washroom in companies Of
three or four, accompanied by an
attendant, who keeps them under
surveillance.
The meals are served in light
and airy dining room overlooking
the asylum grounds. AS the pa
tients pass through the door and
take their seats at the tables they
are counted, and il one is found
missing an immediate search is be-
gun. They have the same food that
is provided for every other hall in
the asylum, but are deprived OF
many articles of table service.
Knives and forks are never seen in
this hall. The patients are obliged
10 eat with spoons. Glassware is
also prohibited. and they drink from
heavy china cups. While eating
they are watched by attendants,
whose duty il is 10 see that they do
not take away anything from the
table when the meals are over. In
order to be doubly sure of this,
every spoon and piece of crockery Is
counted before and after each meal.
Between meals those articles are
kept under lock and key.
About an hour after breakfast and
dinner the patients are taken for
their daily exercise in the asylum
grounds, accompanied by attend
ants. During these walks they
have TO be most carefully watched,
in order to prevent them from pick
ing up any article which might be
used to commit suicide after they
have returned to the hall. On one oc-
casion "a man who was known 10
have made several attempts at self
destruction before being sent 20 the
asylum came very near eluding the
vigilance of his keepers. While
walking with the other patients in
the grounds his eve chanced 20 light
upon piece of broken glass lying
near the path. He was cunning
enough to know that if he stopped
to pick il up he would be observed,
so he fcigned to stumble and fell I'm
n heap on the ground, securing the
coveted article and secreting il in
his pocket. His actions on return
ing 20 tho hall fortunately aroused
the suspicious of an attendant He
was searched, and the glass was
I found.
The rooms are so arranged that
an attendant sitting at one end of
the hall can keep every bed in every
room in a direct line Of his vision
The patients are obliged 10 retire
/ promptly at o'clock. They strip
of every article of clothing. night
shirts are given them and they 20
TO bed in a body Their clothing is
left on chairs in the corridor out.
side of their rooms. and the doors
are securely locked.
From the moment they lay their
heads on the pillows until IL il time
TO rise in the morning two attend.
ants, one at each end of tho hall,
watch them. II one should move in
bed in a manner TO excite the suspi.
cion of the watchers, they are at his
bedside in n moment TO see what hs
Is about. The strain placed upon
the attendants in the hall Of suicides
j. 80 great that some Of them are
unable to stand 1t for more than q
few weeks at q time. Then they
ask for a transfer TO another hall OF
else resign.
So carefully are the patients il
this hall looked after that none has
/ yet succeeded in committing suicid,
there. There have been suicides IN
Bloomingdalc, but the patients hav,
been inmates OF other halls in whom
the suicidal mania has suddenly dc
veloped
1t Is a popularity of patients 50
afflicted that in a majority Of cases
they arc to all outward appearance:
perfectly sane. They speak aud act
[ like rational beiups can cnr-ry- ON q