The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-02-07
INSANE OF THE TERRITORY
SUPERINTENDENT OF ASYLUM
MAKES REPORT.
Tells of Conditions at the Institution
and the Experimentation Estab-
lishment of intermediate Station.

establishment OF the institution.
Previous to the year 1862 the insane
had been herded with felons and were
regarded simply as dangerous persons.
An act was passed that year authoriz-
ing the Minister of the Interior to pro-
vide the necessary buildings and land
for the insane hospital. 1t was not
until 1866 however that the insane to
the number of six were removed to the
new institution. The records were not
well kept or the institution apparently
we'll conducted until 1887 when DR..
Tucker took charge and with the out
side assistance of J.. A. Thurston, the
institution was started upon a better
career.
Regarding the prevalence of insanity
in these islands the report says
"The ratio of insanity to the popula-
ton should be one of much satisfac-
ton to the community even though it
is on the increase, as 1t is the world
over Look at us, a cosmopolitan
crowd gathered together from every
where on the face of the earth; the in
terminging of all races in all stations
in life of all trades and occupations
from the grossly ignorant to the most
intelligent. Take these factors with
the understanding also of the different
ways of, and reasons for, their coming
here such as emigrants by the hun
dreds to plantations, with the bright
prospect held out to them of making
money in the new land; the crowding
together on board ship and changes in
manner of living. The excitement of
individuals in their eager search for
work, and fortune, in the far away lit
tie group of Islands, so far away from
home; the political strife of late years.
with also war and rumors of war not
emitting the passage of troopshps
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 the
excitement of the epidemics, both of
cholera and plague, are much more felt
in small community like this and
have been directly traceable as respon-
sible for several cases of mental aber-
ration,
Take these factors, and it is re-
markable that our list is so small, for
it is recognized that just such condi-
tions as these are prone to cause psy-
Geological disturbance associated with
certain pathological states.
Among the most common of the
pathological states are the alcoholic
habit and syphilitic LESSONS Our in
stitution is no exception from others in
the world, where the blame for one
half to two-thirds of the diseased brain
is laid at their door. Here l wish to
mention the chief difficulties of OBJ
tanning and giving the scientific ex-
PLANTATION that could be of so much
value, and that is, in the entire alb
sence 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 unintelligent friends or fam
lily?
Another obstacle to research has
been, as all acquainted here know, the
antipathy of all nationalties to the per-
Torrance of autopsies on the remains
of their friends and relatives, and I'M
til the last few years l 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 also a large number of chronic
mania; for this they can thank the
progress of civilization with it's con-
comitant vices. The acute form at
lacking the Asiatics has already been
accounted for.
During the term of the past five
years, thirteen cases were received
that should not properly belong to the
asylum. Three or four showed no signs
of any form of insanity, and after diff
ferent periods of time during which
they We're under observation, were dis
charged. Several We're cases of mania
a-potu that could have been withheld
from the asylum records and one a
case of erotopathia. Again, there We're
a few who were old, helpless and in
firm, 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 who was willing, or
able, to do So"
DR.. Herbert expressed the opinion
that commitments should be made by
a commission and not by a single per-
son. He also favored the establish
ment of an intermediate station where
the patients could be cared for and
their real condition determined before
being formally committed to the asy-
lum. The bowls and awkward antics
of the incurable insane were apt to
have a very serious effect upon those
who are suffering from the first at
tack of mental disease.
The report summarized the number
of inmates and their occupations as
| follows
Artists pen /, acrobat l, boatbuilder 1
| bandsman l. bartender l, butcher l
bOOkkeeperS :, clergymen z, compost
| tors /, carpenters 5, clerks 7, chemist l
/ domestic servants 8, dentists 2, en-
| gineer mining l. farmers small 16, fire
man l, fish dealer 1, gardeners A. house
wives (women) 2S, hula dancer (wo-
mani l, harnessmaker l, hackdrivers 2
| laborers 50, mechanics Z, piano-tuner l
policeman l, ranchers 5, seamen 8
! storekeepers 5, soldiers 3, tailor l, tele
phone operator /, vagrant /, well-borel
| l, no occupation So; total 262.
Details regarding the management o
the institution were given by the re
port, telling of the system of parolinl
and the taking of photographs of pa
! tents.
| Dr. Raymond spoke in very compli
mentary terms of the manner in which
DR.. Herbert had conducted the institu
ton DR.. Raymond gave as his opinion
that there should be a resident physi
clan at tn hospital but as this woul'
be very expensive the present system
would he thought, prove as satisfac
tory for the present as it had done il
the past.
FATHER OF POTTERY.
1t is proposed that the manufactur
ing potters of the country shall cree
a monument to the memory of JOIN