The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-02-07
as much as scarlet fever, Bright's dis
ease, or others.
ETIOLOGY AND PSYCHOLOGICAL
ASPECT.

Inc ratio OF insanity to the population
should be one of much satisfaction to
the community, even though it is On the
increase. as it is the world over. Look
at us, cosmopolitan crowd gathered to-
gether from everywhere on the face of
the earth; the intermingling of all races,
in all stations in life, of all trades and
occupations, from the grossly ignorant
to the most intelligent Take these fac
tors with the understanding also of the
different ways of, and reasons for, their
coming here, such as emigrants by the
hundreds TO plantations, with the bright
prospect held out to them of making
money in the new land; the crowding to-
gether on board ship and changes in
; manner of living. The excitement of in
dividuals in their eager search for work,
and fortune, in the far away little group
of Islands, SO far away from home; the
political strife of late years, with also
war and rumors of war, not omittinG the
passage of troopships bearing men to
the front, a very few of whom (three or
four) have been cared for at the asylum.
Also appreciate the fact that tie ex-
element of the epdemics, both of chol-
era and plague, are much more felt in
small community like this and nave been
directly traceable as responsible for sew
eral cases of mental alteration.
Take these factors, and it is remark
able that our list is so small, for it is
recognized that just such conditions as
these are prone to cause psycholog; cal
disturbance associated with certain
pathological states.
Among the most common of the ratho-
logical states are the alcoholic habit and
syphilitic LESSONS. Our institution is no
exception from others in the world,
where the blame from one-half to two
thirds of the diseased brain is laid at
their door Here l wish to mention the
49,
the scientific explanation that could be
of so much value, and that is, in the en-
tire absence of the family history. for
how can we ascertain the antecedents
of some plantation Jap with no friends
or relatives here, or who could extract
anything of scientific interest in the life
history of the Gilbert Islander from his
unin teligent friends or family?
Another obstacle to research has been,
as all acquainted here know, the antip-
athy of all nationalities to the perform
ance of autopsies on the remains of their
friends and relatives, and until the last
few years 1 was unable to make these
examinations except in those cases
where no one claimed the deceased.
1t is noticeable that acute mania has
attacked Hawaiians, Chinese and Japs
chiefly and that the Hawaiians have al
so a large number of chronic mania; for
this they can thank the progress of civ
ilization with its concomitant vices.
The acute form attacking the Asiatics
has already been accounted for.
Daring the term of the past FIVE
years, thirteen cases were received that
should not properly belong to the asy-
lum. Three or four showed no signs of
any form of insanity, and after different
periods of time, during which they We're
under observation, were discharged. Sew
eral were cases of mania-a-potu that
could have been withheld from the asy-
lum records, and one a case of eroto-
pathia. Again, there We're a few who
were old, helpless and infirm with no
home, no one willing to care for them,
and who are still with us, contented and
cared for, because there was no one VINO
was willing, or able, to do So
COMMITMENT OF THE INSANE
This draws attention to the subject of
commitment of the insane, the response
bility of which should not be placed on
the shoulders of one man, but be in the
hands of Lunacy Commission, and spe-
cial attention paid to commitments from
outlying districts, which should carry
the endorsement and personal observa-
tions of at least two physicians before
the magistrate of the district.
DETENTION HOUSE.
Many cases could do better and possi-
bly, many saved were it feasible TO have
an intermediary station between the pa
tents home and asylum, where the
freshly distorted brain, anxiously look
ing for fuel to consume its substance, or
avoiding with equal anxiety anything IN
the nature of excitement, might be kept
aWay from the howls and awkward an
tics of those beyond redemption These
alone are enough to scatter the lew
senses left in recent case of mental al
Fiction. and we have always endeavored
as much as possible to avoid this con-
tact and maintain separation as much
as we could.
OCCUPATIONS OF INMATES.
Artists pen l. acrobat l. boatbuilder l,
bandsman l. bartender l. butcher l, book
keepers 2, clergymen 2 compositors L,
carpenters 5, clerks Z, chemist l, domes-
tic servants 8, dentists 2, engineer min
ing 1, farmers small is. fireman l, fish
dealer l, gardeners 4, housewives
(women) IS. hula dancer (woman) l. har-
nessmaker 1, hackdrivers 2, laborers 81,
mechanics Z, piano-tuner 1, policeman !,
ranchers 5, seamen 9, storekeepers ., sol
diers 8, tailor 1, telephone operator l, va
grant 1, well-borer /, no occupation %;
total 262.
There are at the present time six
wards in the, asylum.
ATTENDANTS.
ployed at the asylum are as follows: Two
captains, II guards, 1 matron, female
nurses. They are divided into two
watches of eight hours each. Their sta
tions are: The captain of the watch, up
on the veranda of the assistant superin-
tendent's house, close to the entrance
gate to the asylum, and who has genera
supervision of all the attendants upor
his watch, and who are under his orders
No. 1 Ward-Two guards; in the day
time one is stationed on the veranda O.
the ward; the other on the lawn direct
, " in front of the ward. AT night botf
are stationed on the veranda of theil
i, ward
No 2 Ward-One guard; in the day
time this guard is stationed on or in the
! vicinity of the front yeranda of his ward
This being the ward in which the gooc
patients live, and there not being sc
much danger of them getting into trou
BILE if left alone for a short time. this
guard is generally called down to guaro
the gate, if the captain should be cahec
away to some other part of the institu
ton At night this guard is stationed
inside the ward, and Is never called away
except as a last resource in case of Sc
, rious trouble. IF a guard should be need
, ed for anything at night one of those II
No / or No. is called upon, there being