The times., 1901-06-23
A VISIT TO ST. ELIZABETH'S
Scenes About the Government Hos
pital for the Insane.
Something of the Treatment of the
Inmates According to Improved
neutrality-suspicious. Proves Ben
cfcial-rhe Kitchen and Laundries

| Inmates According to Improved
Observation-Disclosures Proves Ben
cficial-The Kitchen and Laundries
To one blessed with sound, strcng
nerves visit to the Government Hospital
fer the Insane can be both interesting and
pleasant. but to the person of a nervous,
| impressionable, imaginative temperament
| 1t is apt to prove disaSreeable ordeal.
st. Elizabeths is a beautiful spot and it's
natural advantages are many. 1t is stu
| ated on the heights back of AnacOstia,
and is conveniently reached by the cleo
trio cars from the city. 1t is on the river
| front and commands a splendid view of
! Washington and the Virginia shore. 1t
is finely wooded and boasts a great many
splendid old trees, particularly black and
| white oaks, tulip ropIars. and naples
At this time of the year the place is espe-
| cially attractive and nature presents as
smiling and kindly an aspect there as
/ though 1t were not the harbor for unfor-
! tunates cursed with the mcst tragic of all
| fates Nothing could be more striking
| nor yet more pitiful. than the contrast
afforded by the beautiful, well-kept
| grounds. adorned by nature with all her
| summer glories, and the unadorned plain
brick building, all with barred windows,
through which peer vacant faces, from
which the same nature has robbed all in
| ttlligence.
Insanity offers an inexhaustible field to
| its students on account of it's infinite va
| iiety. How it is ever scientifically treated
| from medical standpoint is mystery
| TO the layman. Anything as intangible
| and elusive as the mind and presenting as
| many complex symptoms totally different
| in every case as it does when disoTdered,
must be a most perpleXing study and one
| impossible of generalizatio or regulation
of treatment. Medicine plays q very small
part in it's treatment the administration
of drugs being chiefly confined to seda-
tives and tonics. Main stress is laid on
regularity of function and habit, and eX-
ercise, diet, bathing. and sleep. Elec-
tricity is frequently used to stimulate the
circulation and tone the nerves.
All the paraphernalia pertaining to
modern hygiene are employed in this hos
pital. a magnificent static electrical ma
chine has been installed in the institution
and has been found to be very beneficial
to the patients, particularly those suffer-
ing from melancholia and epilepsy, al
though they view the device with suspi-
cion. Connected with the device is an ap-
ps-atus for producing Roentgen rays, and
visitors are permitted TO view their own
bones or the bones of anyone who offers
himself for an exhibit.
The department of hydro-therapeutics
is complete one, and it, too, has been
found very beneficial for the patients
There are splendid contrivances there
large room, the walls faced with marble
the floor arranged to carry off the water
Every known form of bath-plunge, Sitz,
shower, spray, needle, douche-at any
temperature and any force is provided.
This treatment is said TO be unexcelled
for improving the circulation, and thereby
benefiting the whole system. It is very
much on the order of the Kneipp water
cure.
Occupation has also been found to be
highly salutary to the insane, and num-
bers of the patients are employed about
the grounds and building. The laundry is
almost entirely operated by the inmates,
and is a very interesting place, as is the
kitchen, where a number are likewise
employed.
st. Elizabeth's is a community in tt
self, and it is operated on communistic
principles. Each group of buildings has
its common kitchen, from which the food
is transported o.. trucks to the various
dining-rooms. These trucks run on an
underground railway in a system of tun-
nels connecting the entire lot OF build
ings. Formerly a common kitchen oper-
ated from the centre" as the main
building is called, supplied the whole in
sutution, but as the place grew and the
number OF buildings increased, this was
found to be impracticable
The laundry is conducted, as the origi-
nal kitchen was, for the entire establish
ment and is a mammoth affair. Thou
sands of pieces are laundered daily by
means of the latest contrivances and all
of which, except the centrifugal clothes
wringers, are operated by the inmates.
The latter are also employed about the
grounds, in the care and Identification of
which, covering as they do such a large
area, much time is spent For their diver
sion and amusement every means is
placed at the disposal of the patients.
Tennis courts, croquet grounds billiard
and pool tables, and cards are provided:
tobacco is furnished to the men, while
the women get candy and chewing gum.
Entertainments are arranged weekly
throughout the season, usually on Friday
evenings. These take the form of con
certs and theatricals and are generally
participated in by Washington talent.
There are also dances, at which invited
guests. friends of the physicians and
nurses, frequently have curious expert
ences with the inmates.
st. Elizabeth's harbors 2,1O0 patients. be-
tween 600 and 200 attendants; the popula-
tion of the institution approximating, with
the nurses and physicians, 5000 souls. a
community in itself, and one almost inde-
pendent Of the outside world.