Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-12-18
insane OE ALLANAkEE
Governor Larrabes Reports on Con-
dition in the Allamakee County
Insane Asylum.
Finds a Distressing State Of Affairs
Among the Inmates Of the
Institution
Insane and Paupers Are Kept To
gether and Little Attention
Given Either.
ecial to Times Republican.

bee recently inspected the asylums of
and Linn counties, and has
made public his report. The Allamakee
institution appears to be in pretty bad
shape, but Linn county is given credit
for being one Of the best asylums yet
sss.siteds The ispolt Oh Aiialaahes is d.
follows
October visited the asylum for
the insane in Allamakee county. The
patients are kept ON the poor farm.
about six miles from Waukon. ". X. 4
Nelson is superintendent. He had one
female assistant, and one male assist
ant, his son, Is years old, and one
daughter, IL years old. Mr. Nelson had
some experience in charge of paupersa
some years before DIR. Crawford a
member of the insane commission for
the county, comes when called, as ply
stefan. They also call any doctor that
is wanted. The physician does not visit
the institution With any regularity. The
insane men and paupers are kept to-
fgether. One old gentleman complained
bitterly that he had To live with the in
sane. He seemed to be nice old gem
tleman, and had evidently seen better
days. He complained that the insane
made so much noise and disturbance
hiatt it made it very unpleasant and a.
very uncomfortable home for persons
like himself. The insane women are
kept apart from the paupers by Them
selves. The superintendent and family
are paid LOCO per pear, and their living.
but he pays for all help employed on the
farm.
They had recently changed matrons,
by order of the board OF insane com
missioners. having had some trouble
with the former matron. AZ nearly as
l could learn, she had abused the pa
tients TO such an extent that the CONF
missioners would not permit her TO re-
1 main longer. The physicians usually
| furnish their own medicines. No sup
1 ply of medical stores is kept at the n-
/ stitution, with the exception Of few
/ common articles. No record is kept of
1 cases. prescriptions or changed condi-
| ton of patients. Several rooms We're
4 provided with iron CRATES at the Win
1 dows and iron CRATE doors. They had
/ one set of handouts, which they use
occasionally. The superintendent said
they oughtsto have more. Restraint IS
ordered and applied by the superin-
I tendent. No record Kept of restraints
or OF punishment. Physician does not
/ supervise dietary This is left for the
SUPERINTENDENT The quality of meat is
4 said to be fair Pork and beef, and
Occasionally chicken. Fresh beef III
& winter. Buy a little occasionally. They
keep twent y-seven COWS; butter made
/ at the institutions; used on the table
twice day.
THE INTERIOR ARRANGEMENTS.
They had good iron bedsteads, straw
1 ticks. quilts, cotton and flannel, feath-
! er pillows and bedding changed once a
week. Water supply good. Have nc
ice. Facilities for bathing,none for men
have one bath tub for insane women.
EC;enerally two battle in the same water
No facilities for fire protection. Nom
ems outside clothing common ginghan
and calico. Thin flannel and common
4 cotton for undertaking; some do not
use any; food is We'll cooked: have
4 common china dishes; oil table cloths
4 and red damask; three meals every
4 day; no cases of abuse by attendants
or ANYBODY. About thirty insane are II
A the institution. There seems to be nc
a record kept and the superintendent was
4 not entirely clear as TO the actual mum
+ Der. Four epileptic patients. few o
q them get violent or ugly, as the super
Eintendent called L, occasionally; tvs
very filthy; one old man has hardly
bsen out of the building for abou
seven wears; sits in his room most o
the time. Such as We can get out hay
regular exercise was the reply OF tn
!. superin,endent. Men are kept separat
LAND apart from the women. NO ciassi
Z fication of patients, except at the tapl
Lin the dining rooms. Men work on IN
farm and about the house and barn
Women assist some about the work
No amuseme1lts are provided. In
priest comes frequently to visit the IN
stltution. Three religious papers sen
!, / here from Des Moines: no library. In
cost of support last year was abou
i | Il 20 per week. The superintendent
! stated that they had it down to Sill
$ and that ii was up to 500 at one time
S bad management, he supposed. III
superintendent thought that include
all expenses. Have farm of rs acres
t buildings heated by hot air and lisiate
9 by oil Buildings of brick and wood; j
r good condition. One building for TN
moor. ana the superintendents family
! One for the insane women and one TO
y the insane men and paupers
t zone man locked in room, iro
: CRAZE door. One woman locked in
room. lying on the wire springs of tn
o bed without any bed clothing what
a ever. Said she tore up the clothing $
:. badly that they had to take 1t ava
from her. a woman a about % years oil,