The times., 1901-05-12
THE CARE OF THE INSANE
Charity Experts Read Papers Be
fore the Conference.

DIR. kecne. Dr. Richardson. and 9th
ers Give the Result OF Their In
VestiEntions The Next Annual
Meeting 60 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 DR.. George F. Keene.
Superintendent of the Rhode Island State
Hospital for the Insane. and DR.. A 3.
Richardson. Superintendent of St. Eliza
beths, the Government Hospital for the
Insane here. The general public interest
felt in the proceedings Of the conference
was attested by the attendance Of a large
number of residents of Washington who
sre 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 a 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 them.
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-
iiiCted 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-
ligious orders were a refuge for those dc |
meuled One of the first or what might /
be termed asylums for insane is at Gheel. I
Belgium, at the Shrine Of St. Dymphna. /
He said that between the time this shrine /
was founded and the present there had /
hsen little progress beyond the ideal 4
principle that Iunatic was not fend /!
iucarnate, but person afflicted with dis /
ease.
zone of the first asylums was that found /
Ell in Valencia, Spain. before Columbus /
sailed on his voyage Of discovery. IN the fif- /
teenth century an asylum was established |
In England, bat il was not until near the I
close OF the eighteenth century that the 4
public care of the insane was first thought
OF. Then, as a beginning, the poor luna
tics We're 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. took charge of the infamous
prison of the Bicetre where the most
cruel treatment had been accorded the [
lunatics confined in chains He was hor- 4
rined at what he saw and at once took 1
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 I7s2 Thus
these two men created an epoch, closing
with the nineteenth century.
The humane treatment Of the insane %
declared Dr. keene. began with the nine
ts5enth century Just closed. The hospital
idea reached its highest development in
that century and is destined to experience
most radical changes IN the century now 4
beginning. With the advent Of public (
care oi the insane and a public policy
IL the treatment OF the insane the ruth
less hand Of the politician is slowly and
iusldiously reaching out toward the in
siitution until ii threatens 10 straugIe il.
] he evolution OF the century viii be the
v orklng out, not the perpetuation of de-
fects. As The renowned DR.. GOdding said
70 lhls conference only a few years AGO,
.t.,e leie - 70 oe less laying Of corner
stones with appropriate ceremonies but
more ordinary brick work building 10
anticipate rather than 10 follow the needs
~ lhe insane. without fourishing Of trum-
pets but silently keeping step in the
world '--0
Or. Keene was accorded hearty applause
when be concluded and .Jr Ricbardson J
was then introduced
Dr. Richardson said that his paner
Would nave chief consideration for the
Il FQF
opinion that the interests of society and
state should be always coexteusive with /
-iese. ana never conflict with them He l
then spoke briefly of insanity itseif aud
ne methods genera lly needed 10 assist !
part: N'io' AH |
The necessity in the protection. care I
lnG treatment OF acting contrary Ia :
-helr wishes, and without their consent
IDS Dfousnt into existence institutions
Win special provisions for their deten-
hon as wei as their treatment The "a r.
uust De IN most Instances q COMPULSORY
'ut- 70 guard against the abuse Of this /
,,oLlPuisIon IL Is wisely provided that this I
M Mletsitloi snaA De under control OF a 1
Ioart At the same time judicial action | :
e5afdlng the Insane IS Of a wholly differ
INT character from the usual function of / J
4 court. The insane person is a sick per- I
son HIS confinement in q hospitai is /
'lmply because his disease is Of gf1cb a I J
'haf&cter that either TO remove 1t and re
store the patient 10 health or to urotect | !
'itnseli or Others from its results such 1 |
iosplla! tfeatmsnt and care is a neces- |
NY Inc sole reason for the interference 4
y the court IS that the remedy must
hten ne applied forcibly and against the {
I lii OF the patient. Il is because Of this | J
nat II IS wisely provided in most in I
lahces also that ,he court shall be prom
'tly instructed by the testimony and ad
ics oi competent physicians. J
ne capacity TO control property is q =
question often growing out OF this die {
ase' but II Is wholly different uues-
Hsl s