The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-08-30
considerable Attention Paid to the
Conditions Recently Aired
I'm Marion County.
A NEW LAW IS RECOMMENDED
ENACTMENT NECESSARY To CLARI-
Fly THE SITUATION.
All the Persons Now Confined I'm In
diana AsyIums Are Insane
Other Matters.

port to Governor DurDin yesterday OH the
question Of whether persons are confined
I'm the insane hospitals OF the State who
are not insane. The report is quite lengthy
and. while the board states that all per-
sons In insane hospitals are insane. IL
offers several recommendations which VIII
abolish insanity trusts. The report takes
notice OF the actions of the local Insanity
trust.
At each institution the board
under oath all the officials connected with
the institution. and after a careful investi-
cation the report says the board takes
pleasure in reporting that there Is not a
sane patient i'm the State insane asylums.
The report says in part:
THAI they have not had a person under
their charge and control within the past
eighteen months as "A patient or inmate
who was not needing treatment for insan-
ity, unless IL be- the case OF John Ross. or
Mroz. or James Haywood. who probably re-
fore he was received at the hospital, a pc
riod OF fifty-three days. That the hospitals
are and have been free from any abuse of
the character under consideration, and that
while, as the attorney general reports. I'M
proper and wrongful inquests were held in
Marion county. the several commissioner
who held the inquests In that county were
careful not to commit any person other
than those named to the hospital who did
not need its care and treatment at the time
the inquest was held. No one can read the
report OF the attorney general and not say
that the conduct of the persons concerned
in the inquests was most outrageous; ana
that they knew IL is most certain. when we
realize the vast number of cases that were
released by the justices as not insane. The
subsection of a man TO an inquest for In
sanity, when wrongfully made, is a more
heinous offense than the wrongful charging
of a crime"
Tin making this statement we do not lose
sight of the fact, but realize fully that in
sanity is an Elusive condition that seems
to defy ascertainment by all known rules
or reasoning or previous experience. We
know of cases where one insane has surely
convinced persons of acute mind and keen
that he was not insane. as
claimed, and IL has only been by accident,
as II were, that the perturbed sense, or
button. IL might be called. was touched and
the true condition disclosed. much to the
amazeTnent of the Investigators.
SPECIFIC EXAMINATIONS.
w examined specifically into the case
OF every person adjudged insane in Marion
county, according TO the report of the at
torney general. The result, summarized, Is
as follows: Adjudged insane, 245; never APP
piled for admission, 81; held for future ac-
ton. 5; rejected, IL; accepted but not re-
ceived, is; admitted, 2O4. Number fur
Laughed under thirty days. 5; number fur
Laughed under sixty days additional, %;
number furloughed under 100 days addi-
tional. 20; number furloughed under six
months additional, Z; died, %: remaining i'm
Central Hospital, 107.
This list does not show those f~urloughed
after six months.
I'm reference TO the thirty cases at the
central Hospital, to which particular at
tentlon was called as having been rail-
roaded through we would say that. upon
investigation we found that eight had
never been received into the hospifaI hav-
Ing OHDn Rejected ono haRnngn Tho NO. nre
did not show that she was insane. the
others because their cases were chronic
and there was no room for them. That
eight OF the thirty cases had been dis
missed, one i'm sixty days after reception:
one who had been in the hospital at seven
different times before i'm about ninety DAYS.
The other six cases had been i'm the hos
pital from 40 days to about seven months.
OF these eight cases, leaving out The one
patient who had been i'm the hospital seven
times, and one who was there because of
epilepsy and morphia. all the other six
were reported as being persons suffering
with acute mania at the time they were re-
ceived, but who recovered sufficiently TO
be allowed to go, either upon parole or final
discharge. Four of these thirty cases died
within a short time after they were re-
ceived into the hospital. most of them hav-
ing been noted in the reports as suffering
from serious physical complications This
left ten cases still in the hospital. We ex-
amined each OF these cases, and nothing
could be more apparent than their insanity.
We have the permission OF Hon. Merrill
Moores. assistant attorney general. who
assisted us in making this particular ex-
animation. to say that he concurs In this
part of our report.
1t may not he proper for us to suggest
that the effort TO connect the insanity
trust" with the hospitals was very unfair
parties who held these improper inquests.
and III such a trust or combination as Is
referred TO in the attorney generals report
exists. by which the money received from
the county for making these was divided
among the persons who took part in the
same. that part OF the SIS, 90 that was thus
wrongfully taken from the county treasury
ought TO be recovered. An inquest cannot
be held without the filing of an affidavit
and the examination of witnesses and the
adjudication OF a Justice of the peace etc
We suggest that obtaining money from the
county or State by such "a conspiracy would
lay the members thereof liable 10 severe
prosecution; at least. the money might
have been recovered.
NEW LAW RECOMMENDED.
I'm reference TO the question as TO wheth-
er or not any modification be made in the
law relating TO the commitment of insane
people TO the various hospitals, we venture
TO suggest that inasmuch as there have
been a number OF laws passed at the vari-
Gus sessions of the Legislature since 1862.
rot a few of which are I'm seeming conflict.
and because of the fact tha tine law il SO
drawn that II may be abused. although we
find no particular abuses have been com
nAlANtu tAttHN lilONt III MARION county,. and
because OF the further fact that the great
est confidence Is not always deserved by
some OF the men who fill the office OF ius-
tice OF the peace In our State. and because
no notice Is now required to be given TO the
person upon whom the inquest Is to be held.
and because the present method OF COM
hitting persons TO these hospitals Is very
expensive. we believe that a new Law
should be enacted by the next Legislature.
IL has been suggested that 10 should pro-
vide. first. that all commitments should be
made by the judge Of the Circuit or SUI
perior Court OF the various counties: that
I'm order TO have the commitments promptly
made when necessary, that the Judge of the
court should appoint some person TO act i'm
his stead when compelled 10 be out OF tho
county. or Is so busily engaged that he can
not give the matter proper attention.
1T has also been suggested that these
inquests should be held by the court I'm
chambers. unless the person charged should
desire a public trial. that they should be
based upon an affidavit. stating that the
person afflicted needs the care and rrest.
ment OF one OF the insane hospitals. and
that there should be given In such affidavit
a history OF the case and the reasons why
the petitioner believes an inquest ought Ia
be held. and who the attending physician
-, and the names OF such persons as
would be likely To know whether or mo-
the person afflicted il mentally deranged.
that thereupon the clerk should issue a
copy OF such affidavit TO the sheriff. who
should deliver the same 20 the person az.
nicted. with "A notice stating when the mat
ter Will be heard by the judge OF the court
and a summons TO the witnesses requiring
them 10 be present at the time OF the trial
The law should provide that Il should bs
the duty OF the court TO have the person
charged examined by one or more com.
petent physicians. 20 be selected by such
Judge. and that such trial should be had
as soon as possible after the nling or the