The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-10-04
SHOULD BE ABOLISHED.
e. Snyder Tells Why Outrages
Occur at Private AsyIums.

Edward Snyder, of Oskaloosa. until
short time ago secretary of the state
board of charities and corrections. be-
neves that the manner in which Bed
wells asylum is conducted warrants the
next session of the legislature in abol-
fishing private asyluns entirely. II the
new asvlum at Parsons will give SUI
ncient room for the state TO take care
of insane patients. He says:
That the private asylum is frequent
~ used to work a great injury to pa
tents is unquestioned. Its object is nm
ancial gain to its owners. 1t is not open
to the public. 1t is a secret institution
and the possibility. even the probability
of mistrea tment and even crimes IN
these institutions is always imminent
The private asylum has 10 interest in
the cure of a spatient. Its interest is to
keep the patient as long as it can.
''Of the five licensed by the state
board only one had a house physician,
others depended for the most part on
the county physician for medical SER
vice. While the private asylums of
Kansas are likely as good as anywhere
they are immeasureably inferior to state
hospitals so far as the welfare of the
insane patients are concerned. The en-
ergy, zeal. and skill of those in charge.
not principally to the safe keeping of
the inmates, but to their cure. The rep
UtatiOn of the superintendent and his
associates depends upon the per cent.
age of cures. The state hospital has de-
cided advantages over the private in
stitution so far as the patient is con-
cerned.
The state bears the expense. The
salaries of the superintendent and his
assistants do not depend upon the
cheap maintenance of the patients,
their numbers nor the length of their
detention. There is no gain to them by
retaining patients but their reputa ton
1s made by discharged as cured.
The state hospital is open to the pub
nc under certain necessary restrictions.
Every one who cares TO may know how
the inmates are fed, clothed and cared
for Commitments to the state hospi-
tai are safe guarded by legal restric-
tions which render Incarceration of a
person for base motives or one not in
sane quite impossible. The state is
abundantIy able to care for its delin-
quents and dependents and should
make provision to do so. There is no
stronger appeal to human sympathy
than that of the mentally unbalanced
and II is penurious, culpably penurious
for our legislature to provide for the
state care of part only of our insane
and leave others to the tender mercies
of those who are only interested in
keeping them at as little expense as
possible and keeping them until they
die if they can"
IN speaking of Bedweus asylum in par.
tcular Mr.. Snyder says;
This is the most widely ADVERTISED prf
vate hospital for insane In the state
suppose there are people in Kansas who
have never heard of any other private
insane asylum 1 have visited this insti
tuition three times. It has always seem
ed to have plenty of patients. from
thirty to forty. and usually all county
county.
Upon the occasion of its first visit tbs
board refused to grant license until Ger.
tain improvements were made.
TIsetr order having been complied with
8 license was granted ] think the boarc
was justified at the time in granting tn.
license, as 1 think they would now b,
justified in revoking the sane should tbs
charges against the institution be sustain
ed. I have ALWAYS thought that this in
etitutson emphasized the necessity o
closer supervision and more THROUGH in
vestigation by the board, and would Jus
t1fy. the legislature in abolishinz privat,
asylums entirely after making ample pro
vision for public care of all insane in stat,
hospitals"