The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-05-12
THE CARE OF THE INSANE
Charity Experts Read Papers Be.
fore the Conference.

DR.. Kecne. DR.. Richardson. and 9th
ers Give the Result of Their In
yestiEations - The Next Annual
Meeting TO BE Held in Milwaukee
The treatment of persons afflicted with
insanity received a thoroughly popular
and practical discussion at the meeting
of the National Conference of Charities
and Correction in Foundry NJ. +. Church
last nizht. IT would have been hard to
find two papers on the subject better pre-
pared or containing more interesting
points than those of DIR. George F. Keene.
Superintendent of the Rhode Island State
Hospital for the Insane. and DR.. A. B.
Richardson. Superintendent of ST. Eliza
beth's, the Government Hospital for the
Insane here. The general public interest
felt in the proceedings of the conference
was attested by the attendance of large
number of residents of Washington who
are not members of the organization.
DR.. Keene's address, though entitled
Public Policy in the Treatment of the
Insane During the Nineteenth Century .
covered much more ground than its title
indicated. it was mastery review OF
the evolution of the present system of
caring for the demented. from the time
when those afflicted with insanity were
regarded as supernatural beings.
DR. Richardson's paper which dealt
with subject rather more in the present
and future was upon What Should Be
the requirements for the Commitment
of Insane Persons to Hospitals for the
Treatment of Their Diseases?" His posi-
tion at The head of the greatest hospital
for the insane in the United States per-
mits him to draw his conclusions from
broad field.
In the first address DR.. Keeae described
the awe and even reverence with which
lunatics were regarded in the days before
the Christian era, when the temples of
the gods in Egypt and Greece were opened
TO therl.
He then compared this condition of af-
fairs with that which prevailed in Eng
land and European countries before the
reformation. He said that the popular
ideas and conceptions Of the causes of in
sanity then were not so far advanced as
the teachings of Hippocrates, Tie founder
OF medical science, two thousand years
before. At this later period the treat
ment accorded lunatics was cruel De-
monaical possession was the idea of in
sanity. To drive out the devil. those af
fiicted were drugged or mysterious con-
coctions and prescriptions brought into
use.
However. DR.. Keene pointed out. there
was a beautiful contrast at this time
with the treatment accorded the lunatics
in France. where the retreats of the re-
lisious orders were a refuge for those de-
menled. One of the first or what might
be termed asylums for insane is at Gheel,
Belgium, at the Shrine of St. Dymphna.
10. hot hot he CHI ~
was founded and the present there had
heen little progress beyond the ideal
principle that a lunatic was not a fiend
incarnate, but person afflicted with dis
case.
-'One of the first asylums was that found
ed in Valencia, Spain, before Columbus
sailed on his voyage of discovery. In the fif-
teenth century an asylum was established
I'm England. but il was not until near the
close of the eighteenth century that the
public care of the insane was first thought
of. Then, as a beginning, the poor luna
tics were landed in jails and poorhouses,
where they were chained and whipped for
the crime of being sick. The next step
forward came. Dr.. Keene pointed out,
was when Pinel, a large-hearted French
physician, too< charge of the Infamous
prison of the Bicetre. where the most
cruel treatment had been accorded the
lunatics confined in chains He was hor-
rihed at what he saw and at once took
the fetters from the limbs of the unfor-
tunates. About this same time there came
an awakening in England. William luke |
founded York Retreat in 1872 Thus 4
these two men created an epoch closing /
with the nineteenth century
The humane treatment of the insane - !
declared Dr. keene, began with the nine |
teenth century Just closed. The hospital 4
idea reached its highest deyelopmeut in /
that century and is destined to experience |
most radical changes IN the century low
beginning With the advent of public
care OF the insane and a public policy
IN the treatment OF the insane the ruth
less hand Of the politician is slowly aud
insidiously reaching out toward the in
slitution until it threatens to strangie il.
The evolution OF the century will be the
" Working out. not the )erpetuation of de-
fects. As the renowned DR.. Godding said
10 THIS conference only a few years ago
There IS to be less laying OF corner
stones with appropriate ceremonies. but
more ordinary brick work building 10
anticipate rather than to follow the needs !
OF The insane, without fourishlng of trum-
pets but silently keeping stem in The |
march OF human brotherhood round tbe
world 4" 'i'e
DR.. Keene was accorded hearty applause
Mheh ne concluded and Dr. Richardson
Dr. Richardson said that his paper
would have chief consideration for the |
interests of the insane. He expressed Tho
opinion that the interests of society ana |
state should be always coexteusiv. with |
these, ana never conflict with them. He |
then spoke briefly of insanity itself ana
me methods generally needed 10 assist
the stricken. DR.. Richardson said. in
part: ="
The necessity in the protection. care
4, ai'i treatment. Of acting contrary To
Lielr Hlsnes' and without their consent. (
~ %nds pIousht INTO existence institutions
Win special provisions for their deten-
llon as wen as their treatment The care
must be IN most instances a compulsory
)he- TO guard against the abuse of this
,ohpuislon IL Is wisely provided that this |
shall be under control of a |
inuft At the same time judicial action |
Iesdi HilS the Insane is of a wholly differ
M character from the usual function of |
touft, Nhe insane person is a sick per- |
son HIS confinement In a hospital is |
iimPiy because his disease is of such a
,hsfacter that either to remove 1t and re-
store the patient 10 health or to protect |
'imsef or others from it's results such |
lospital treatmsnt and care is a neces- |
'Ity inc sole reason for the interference |
~ the court is that the rernedy, roust |
'iteh be applied forcibly and against the |
WI OF the patient. 1t Is because of this !
hat it is wisely provided i'm most in | ;
itances also that he court shall be prop-
'tly instructed by the testimony and ad-
Ice OF competent physicians
ne capacity 10 control property Is a |
iuesuon OFTEN growing out of this dis
'ase, but II Is n wholly different cues