Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1902-11-15
Annual Report of County Asy~
lum for Chronic Insane Sub
mitted to Supervisors.
DR.. BEUTLER's SUGGESTIONS.
An Account of the Industries and Amuse-
ments at the Wauwatosa Asylum Inn
proyements Made.

waukee County Asylum for Chronic
Insane was presented by the board of
trustees Of that institution and by the
superintendent, DR.. William T. BeutIer.
The report deals in an interesting way
with the me thods followed in Milwau-
kee county in the care of the mentally
afflicted and it is in part as follows:
The various industries introduced to
give occupation to the willing hands of
patients, whose natural ability of pre-
vious training have fitted them for
work. have been continued The weav-
ing of rugs shoe repairing and mat
trass making, blacksmith work, farm
work, masonry, painting, carpenter
ing, tailoring and outside repairs in
general have given eongenial occupa-
ton to the men, while the domestic
branches of employment, culinary de-
partment, laundry and sewing have
served TO give suitable employment to
the women, and the efficacy of employ
ment for mind and body SO far as the
condition of the patients will allow
has been closely evinced in the general
well-being of the inmates confined to
our care.
The patients are allowed the freedom
Of the grounds whenever possible and
have been permitted to amuse them
selves as suits their frame of mind;
ball games, flying of kites. rowing on
the lake and dancing have proved the
chief form of amusements, and for
those who take no pleasure either in
working or recreation, walks in the
the open air twice day in the winter
months are prescribed, and in the sum
mer they are kept in the grove as much
as possible.
We have accomplished Il wonderful
amount of work during the past
year, considering the facilities at
hand. The residence for the superin-
tendenL has been completed in every
detail and as | have previously stated,
! the fact that it has been constructed
entirely 10y our own labor with no out
/ side employees, and that the only expense
has been for the building material. has
added greatly to the pleasure and pride
feel in the beautiful home allowed
and provided by the members of your
| honorable board
Besides the completion of the super.
intendent's residence, we have during
the year remedied a part Of the interior
of the main building, tearing out par
titions between the rooms formerly
occupied by the employees and making
dormitory rooms for forty additional
/ patients The apartments formerly
occupied 10y the superintendent and his
family are now being used for the
female employees. The admission of
forty additional patients will greatly
reduce our per capita cost for the com
ing year and win be a source of econo-
my TO Milwaukee county. The work
on these dormitories was also done en-
tirely by our own tabor, the only ex-
pense being for raw material; beds and
bedding for forty patients have been
purchased, the mattresses for these
beds all having been made in the in
F stitution by inmates, and the dorni-
tories are now ready for occupation.
Another mueh needed improve ment
partly completed this year is an addi-
. ton to the laundry. The present. laun-
"A a.,