Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1898-05-04
MENDOTA'S INSANE.
Since 1860 Treatn en-: Has Been
Given 7,4OO Cases.
"BURNETT" VISITS 400 LUNATICS.

One Of Two State Hospitals
Counties Also Have Homes for the In
sane-One in Every 700 People Are In
sane = Wisconsin Has 1900 = Over
worked Wives the Chief supply About
One-Third Recover-Death Ratio.
Madison, Wis, April 26.--William M.
Evarts the New York jurist, was once
going through an insane asylum with
@ friend, when they saw a male patient
astride broomstick racing wildly UP
and down the ward.
Stop! What are you riding that
broomstick for?" asked Mr. Evarts
who was there to study the workings of
dethroned reason.
That isn't a broomstick," the mad
man replied, scornfully, that's a hob
y-horse."
Can you tell me the difference, my
man, between q broomstick and a hob
by-horse?" asked Mr.. Evarts, who con-
ceived that he was getting some valua-
BILE data for the Legal Medical society's
| deliberations
Yes, You fool" cried the patient, as
ne dashed off again, when a mans
astride of hobby he can't get eff it,
1000 Lunatics Under One Roof.
The state hospital for the insane at
Mendoza, six miles from Madison, along
the edge of the beautiful lake, contains
about 400 patients. 1t is not considered
big one The Blockley retreat in Phil
adelphia has 1900 patients; and l,2O0 to
1880 are not an unusual population of
an eastern asylum The Oshkosh asy-
lum is somewhat larger than MENDOZA,
and 1t must be remembered that twen-
ty-five counties have local asylums, the
theory being that the chronic cases can
be there cared for more economically.
the acute cases and those who may re-
cover being sent to the two state insti-
tutions
The Mendoza asylum was opened in
1860. There is one insane person to
about every 700 in the state From 1860
there has been paid from the state
treasury for plant and current expenses
about A,0O0000 1t costs considerable
over 100000 a year for running ex-
penses.
1t is striking fact that the Ger
mans, Irish and Scandanayians impart
and transmit more insanity-three to
one-than the American born popula-
ton produce. Poverty and poor land
make much of the trouble, for Wiscon-
sin is characterized by larger poor
class. especially in the northern part of
the state, whose people, without means.
have settled on new and poorly paying
farms, where the life is made up of
hHrd work, exposure - a severe cli-
mate, bad and insufficient diet, cheer
less homes, etc.
The report for the last year available
QS96) shows that the ew-comers aver
age over one day. During the year
S46 patients were treated, of whom 1o4
were discharged recovered" 1874 dis
charged improved" and 1928 discharged
"unimproved." The death rate is some
thing less than one a week and seven
were found mot insane" In all the
thirty-eight years 1877 patients were
admitted, Of whom S69 died. Something
less than one-fourth of those who be-
came insane are attacked between the
ages of 80 and 40, and the decade be-
fore that, 20 to 30, is nearly as critical.
After a person becomes. 40 years of age
the chances of becoming insane rapidly
diminish. The nativity list shows that
the Germans contribute the largest
number the Norwegians are noL far
behind; then the Irish and English born.
About Five In the Hundred Die.
or those brought to the hospital
about one-fourth have been insane less
than three months About five in 100
of those treated die at the asylum, and
twenty eight In the 100 are reported
recovered" If the.' do not recover In
two years the chances are greatly
against them. OF those who die by far
the greatest number is from ''exhaus-
ton following MANIA" story of dis
tressing suffering. Suicides are report
ed as about one a year. AS to causes
of insanity, dread heredity leads; then
comes intemperance, epilepsy, mastur-
baton Q64 cases from beginning), in
jury to head, etc. What a group of
tragedies must lie behind these returns:
Domestic troubles, 122 cases; grief. 81:
fright, %; disappointment, &c. overwork.
20; pecuniary embarrassment, rs; relig-
ious excitement, 112; worry and anxi-
ETY., 66. La grippe, that new malady
of ten years ago, is credited with 81
cases.
AS to the occupations of those admit
ted in 1895. Q1D, by far the leading
number were housewives; then come
farmers laborers, and domestics. The
well TODD, the well-born, well-fed the
contented ecape to a large degree.
The heredity list of 100 for 1896 is sad
reading.
In one of the wards is an exhibition
of woman's handiwork; baby's slippers.
tides, lacas, crochet articles, etc. fer
sale. There is library for the pa
tients; books come from all over the
state; games are allowed. The women
work on hospital garments and men
are used about the grounds and in other
branches of the service. There is an
amusem ant hall, where chapel is held,
Madison preachers and others conduct
Ing service. Card parties and an or
chestra, dancing parties, etc, enliven
life for patient and attendant alike. One
woman imagines she is a queen, and
there is more than one who imagines
himself to be a millionaire.
There are two theories as to feeding
the insane. The small dining room
one to each ward-obtains at Mendoza.
The food as they say of boarding
schools. is plain but wholesome When
biscuits are served it takes 1900 to go
round. Baked beans are an inviting
combination of ninety-fve pounds of
beans and eighty-five of pork. The farm
produces potatoes oats and corn, and
there are large herd of cows to supply
the milk. The knives and other uten-
sils with which patients might hurt
themselves are carefully counted after
each meal and the clothing Of patients
is inspected to detect glass or other OBJ
jects the unfortunates may have picked
up outdoors with a sinister motive.
Insane Incapable of Combining.
There is less danger in caring for the
insane than is generally supposed. An
individual patient may plan a steal.hy
attack. bat demented minds seem in
capable Of union. The thirty patients
in a ward could, of course, overpower
the one or two attendants with whom
they are otter alone: but If one patient
should make an assault the others are
likely to take the part of the attendant
as their fellow; in fact more so. Each
ward has Its bathroom and closets The
death rate is three or four a month,
and in some cases no relatives or
friends appear to bury the dead.
Relatives of the well-to-dos Fay for
their keep in some instances, though
there is a disposition to let the state
do all II will The cost to the state is
ahout "a 90 nor week nor. nafinnt Eyery