The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1901-10-27

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did not convey one-half Of the horrors
Of that institution, Of the miserable
rstions provided for the inmates; Of
the pooriyequIpped quarters: Of the
rotten and breaking-dcwn buildings.
and OF the stsnches and dssezsebreed-
ing doors Of the grounds. What cp-
portunsties are there for one Iaborins
under mind diseased TO recover when
he IS fed with such food as the repre-
sentative meal given to the inmates
on Friday evening when a reporter for
The Republican vas present. Think
Of giving sick people meal consisting
II small piece OF pressed hash be
tween one and two inches square.
small piece Of bread between three
and four inches square and a half
dozen oyerripe bananas. In meals
where poi Is furnished hard tack is the
bread provided to accompany it Is it
to be wondered at that the number
Of recoveries OF those who enter the
Insane Asylum is so very small? Over
the gates of the Asylum grounds
should be placed in raised letters the
immortal words from Dante: f'An
Hope Abandon Ye Who Enter Here"
Is it any wonder that the grand jury
after visiting this Asylum for the In
sane said of it:
The buildings OF the asylum are one-stor-
ed frame affairs, and consist of six wards
for patients, an administration building, a
-ottage for the captains OF the guard,
and another for the guards, one for the
SOmen attendants or nurses and small
lead house or morgue. The wards or dor
nitories consist OF rooms with bare floor
and walls called cells, which in fact they
are. They are usually furnished with an
ron springless cot and bedding. though
N many instances the mattresses are
aid upon the floor. as there are not
enough bedrooms to accommodate all the
patients. Yet in some cases it is regard
q advisable TO limit the furnishing TO a
mattress, pillow and quilt.
Ward number one, known as the violent
ward, consists of eighteen cells all occu-
lied. Its ventilation should be improved.
Ward number six has twenty cells,
which are poorly ventilated and eight of
them are without cots, mattresses being
Il. a. -
available aud there are seventeen men in
the ward. The roof of this ward has
1een punctured by rock from a quarry
blast Ward number two is the oldest
ward in the asylum. Ii is in a bad state
II repair and though. as we were told.
{ has been condemned three times by diff
ierent grand juries. it is still crowded
with occupants. Its floors and p0rches
and foundations are decayed and the
building is unfit for its present oecu-
pancy. In this building are the mems
lining room and the general kitchen from
which the meals of the women patients
are carried TO them in baskets and are
eaten by them on the grass in fair wealth
er and otherwise on their ward porches,
rs their dining room has been turned into
4 dormitory owing TO the crowded con-
ditiOn Of the:- Quarters.
Tie general kitchen is furnished with
a good range, but otherwise its equipment
primitive. there being no steam-table,
or any Of the improved cooking appliances
usually found in similar institutions in
other States and Territories of the
Union The utensils are old and badly
worn and for drinking cups the patients
use old tomato cans there being no other
ups provided.
Ward number three has thirty-two
oils occupied by thirty three patients.
Here the floors are more or less rotten.
The cells have overhead ventilation and
the solid doors are fitted with a small
grating.
Ward number four is the woman's
ward and has normal accommodations
for nineteen patients vet thirty three
on the floors of the cells owing to the
scarcity of cots In this ward the ven
tilatiOn is better than in some others, the
ceiling being open work.
Ward number five is a private ward
for pay patients and is not in use.
The bathing facilities for men is good.
The women's quarters are provided with
two tubs.
The drainage system of the place is
TO be condemned. North of the main
enclosure is an open ditch which runs
close 10 the mems sleeping quarters In
this ditch stands continually all the slop
from the kitchen and the wash houses
ard the stencil arising is most offensive.
What runs off empties into a larger ditch
which receives also the slops from the
moi house. The sewage from the mems
closets empties into cess-pools. but the
women's closet is built over n vault and
the building itself needs repsirs. A san
itary system of sewage should be installed
aud the health of the inmates be safe
Guarded from the danger of the stagnant
iitches above described.
The patients numbered on the day of
our visit 156 of whom rs were men. 3S
women. There Is no work provided for
the inmates except for very few in the
taro and garden matches and about the
kitchen and wards Neither are there
any forms Of amusement and there is no
music. nor are there any appliances for
nhysical exercise nor are outdoor games
encouraged for either sex.
We would recommend that for everv
natient who is able 10 work at ALL some
euinlovment however light. be provided.
snd that rational smusements and phvsi-
cal exercises be introduced as far as
practicable. so rs 10 mitigate as far ms
noSSihle the condition of the unfortunate
inmates. who are deserving of the widest
sympathy ef our citizens and of the con-
siderate care Of the government of the
Territory
Finally we would recommend 10 the at
tention Of the honorable court and 10
the law making power Of the Territory
the propriety of changing the method
now in vogue regarding commitments TO
the asylum.
A magistrate on the certificate Of
sirrie doctor Of medicine, should not cors-