Gloucester County Democrat., 1898-04-14
COUNTY LUNATro ASYLUM.

COUNTY LUNATIC ASYLUM.
II is the opinion of many of the residents
and taxpayers of Gloucester county that
the insane patients of the county can be
! more economically cared for and maintained
lin an Asylum erected within the county
j than as at present at the State Hospital at
Trenton. 1t is also confidently asserted
by those who have given the matter some
consideration, from facts gathered from
those who have had experience, that 40
good medical treatment can bs secured in q
County Aeylum as at the State institut tiOns,
and that the proportion OF patients dis
charged cured from County Asylums will
compare iav0rably with like numbers dis.
charged from State Hospitals, and some
even claim that the Csunty Asylums can
Ishow q better record 10 this particular than
the larger Institutions.
With the view OF securing some in'orma
ton on this important sutjece, visit was
made to hs Camden Cum Avian, on
Wednesday last, by Steward George G
weatherby. ard Freehoders Edward G
Miller, Charles W Kright, Howard Hen
Erickson ard George E Pi~rson. The yisi
tors were courteously r.c4Ived aud royalty
entertained by the Camoen county author
Ii,ies. They were first shown over the Aims
House and Hospital connected Herewith By
Steward r bert ". Jsggard, who is faith
/ full executive officer aod q vetesa1 of the
late war, having been q member of old
Company from Gl0acester couoty. Clean
illness and good rder prevailed in all these
departments, and the inmstes seemed con-
tented and we'll cared for. The stock OF
hogs, cows, poultry, etc, gave every evidence
of good management, and the buildings and
surroundings presented very homelike and
t@- -s.Sh
specially impressed with the complete or
dgaujzation, diaci pline, good order and clean
illness maintained in the Lunatic Asylum,
and with ite general methode and arrange
ments for the care of the unfort unates
herein copfiued I1 Steward Charles F
Cnrrie they found an officer who seemed
specially fitted for bis position, and by him
| were giVed much valuable information as to
the management the institution Among
other matters they were handed copy of
letter which Mr. Carrie had written to Mr..
John TaVior, one of the Managers of the
Trenton State Hospital, descriptive of the
Camden County Asylum, with further re-
marks on facts which Mr.. Carries expert
epce led him to refer to with intelligence
and at some length.
The following is copy of the letter,
which deserves to be read by every tax
| UdyoE III oN0ly buWuoutV Au " OuCcevcd
county. il order that they may advise with
heir F.eeholders and assist them in arriv
ing a. a correct conclusion in references to
be future care of the INDECENT insane of
Gloucester County:
Hon. John Taylor, Trenton, N. u:
MY DEAR SIR:-Yours of third instant was re-
ceiyed this morning: cheeduly comply with your your
,OOO az near as can come at it, without having
the exact figures.
enclosedl. It is well heated and ventilated, is also
well drained, the sewage emptylng into small
stream in rear. It contains in all 1865 rooms; this
includes chambers, dormtores, sitting rooms bath
rooms kitchen, dining rooms and store room
We now nave l61 patients and can accommodate
200 comfortably. and 225 if really compelled to. As
cur fiscal year commences in May, will have to
take last year as basis for the information which
you desire. We received from State fund last ye-r
SIS 932.s5. There appropriated by Board of
Freehodere 50 600, making total of $24 482.s5. This
amonnt was expended as follows:
Flour, 1.765 SO
Meats. 2,Te3 81
Male Clothing, 309 20
Sundries, ia IS
Dry goods, T64 IS
Wood and coal, 1,s7s 40
Wages and salaries, 7,T04 90
Furniture 662 AZ
Repairs, 2,062 Sc
Medicines, $50 16
Total. 81. .ssc %
Leaving balance of 50 l26 70
dVof6R0
tents, at cost of fraction over $2.67 per week.
This you will by above statement included every
expense.
ticed in the of patients for the purpose of
saving. Every article of food that we have put-
chased has been the best that could find. There
is no limit as to the amount of food patient is to
have. They allowed plenty to eat and plenty of
time to eat it.. Our bill of fare consists of bread.
meat vegetables, poultry, oysters, fish, fruit, and in
season ali the berries that they want. Las year we
fec them 1900 quarts of strawberries. SEQ quarts of
blackberries and SEQ quarts of raspberries.
We raised all of our produce with the help of one
hired man aud the aid of our PATIENTS Every pa
ient has two uits of clothes, one for every day and
one for extra days. Every patient, except our de-
structlve ones has spring bottom bedstead and
Arst-class mattress. The mattresses are made in
We have two large recreation yards which are
nicely laid out and in summer are beauti6ed with
plants of all kinds. In these all tho patients are al
lowed free access when weather will permit. We
also take them outside for recreation. We have
amusements of some kind for them each
month, also religious services. Our patients are
called at O'Clock M, breakfast at O'Clock, din
ner at 11.30 O'Clock, supper at B 80 O'clock and re-
tire at O'Clock.
need one. We have an attending physician who
visits the institution every day and remains two
hours and often longer. he comes oftener ie we
need him. We are connected with his office by
phone and can get him in fifteen minutes.
we " 5 nave an exceaens wa.r pans S Win sanap,pe oe
gallons per minute capacity. Have water pipes
throughout the house with hose attachments and
The house is lighted by oil lamps.
| We have twenty-four names on the pay roll The
superintendent receives salary Of $l,2OO. out OF
$500; the assistant matron receives $23 per month:
four other female attendants receive SIS per month
charge of dining room, SIS per month"; one night
watchman, $l8 per month; one laundry-woman SIS
per month"; (balance of help in laundry patientsl
one cook, $50 per month; one assistant cook, $2S
per month"; [balance of help In kitchen patiensG
two engineers, $40 each pei. month; one night
watchman, VINO also runs heating boilers at night,
S26 per month, and one supernumerary engineer
$55 per month. who also looks after recreation
grounds and keeps them In order; farm hand at
$50 per month: balance Of help on farm are patients
There are four male attendants at SIS per month.
We have eleven bath rooms and twelve closets In
house. Every patient is bathed at least once wesk
and many oftener-
Our bniding is heated by steam, direct radiation,
mes san Vennsfns ues rnn from u caves ,v 81 build
ing down through every room in building to con-
7 dnt in centre of building underground to heated
stack. Every room contains q ventilaaing register
: let ntn 1ues above mentioned. Our laundry, which
is outside of building, contains wash room dry room
and ironing room.
r / have now given you ali the points thst csn
think of concerning the management Of this inst-
tuition. Everyone in Camden county who is ac-
quainted with the facts is fnly convinced that the
Board of Freehoders performed q wise act when
they concluded to care for their own insane at home
If you should advise the Freeholders Of your county
e gestion, they would not only perform act which
would prove big saving TO the taxpayers of the
county, DuI WOniu prove n1gnly Denenclal 10 tner
. patients.
Ia Sometime after you were pleased to hand my COM
j. I9funication to you to Governor Griggs, called on
him and we talked over the subject. At that time
be requested me to give him my views in writing,
4 which promised to do SO, however, it was an
uounced that President Mckinley had rendered the
Cove rDor Cabinet position, go did not do it.
| My suggestions to the Governor would have been
e something like the f0llowing Instead of making
any further appropriation for enarging the ready
too large State Institution would encourage coun-
ties having 100 or more patients to for to bu
| their own asylums and care for their own insane
ther on.
Z In selecting a site for these county asylums,
would suggest getting as far away from the large
citizen possible, for the purpose of saving annoy
1 ance from idle curiosity seekers would also sug-
gest that each county asyum have enough land az
tached to it to be able to raise ali of ther own pro-
duce, and to give employment to all male patients
physically able to labor
My observations have been that fully seventy-fve
per cent of our patients chronic casss of the
different forms of insanity, and believe that VIII II