The Saint Paul globe., 1902-09-30
DECR|ED BY DOCTORS
DR.. RIGGS sAAs-HosPITALs FOR
INSANE AERUINED BY
POLITICIANS
NO EXCUSE FOR 4NADEoUATE
AND EXPENSIVE SYSTEMS
Dr.. Bracken, ofAState Board of Health,
Backs Up Statement, Declaring There
Was No Necessity for Poor Con-
struction as Patterns Might Have
Been Taken for Model Institutions.

Was No Necessity for Poor Con-
struction as Patterns Might Have
Been Taken for Model Institutions.
"The state insane asylums at Hast
| ings and Anoka are political miscar-
| riages," said DR.. c. Eugene Riggs last
evening at a meeting of the Ramsey
County Medical society. DR.. Bracken,
of the state board of health, speaking
after Dr. Riggs, reiterated the state
ment and described the sanitary con-
ditions of the two asylums.
''The asylum at Hastings is lacking
| in sufficient water supply and the
Anoka hospital is not provided with
an adequate sewerage system" he said.
1.-The sewer at the latter asylum was
at first discharged into a cesspool
| which had to be cleaned out every day,
and later sewer was put in, but as it
discharged into the river just above the
| point at which the water supply was
obtained it had to be abandoned. The
construction of the buildings is not
adapted for the uses of an asylum.
There was no necessity for the poor
construction, as there are numbers of
asylums in the country after which
pattern could be taken
At the meeting DIR. Helen w. Bissell,
of the st. Peter asylum, read a paper
on "The Care of the Insane in Mime
sota," and the subject was taken up
in general discussion by the physi-
clans present. DR.. Bissell pointed out
| the radical defects of the Hastings and
| Anoka asylums. as lacking in the nee
| essary sanitary facilities. She demon
strated the necessity of scientific care
and treatment Of insane patients, and
recommended that's suitable employ
ment should be. given to those who
were able to work. She explained the
advantages to be derived from the use
of the colony system, by which pa
tients in different stages of mental alb
erration could be classified and placed
in cottages and on farms.
Points Defects in System.
She concluded her paper with the
following summary:
"First-That we encourage in every
way the physicians in charge of these in
StitutiOns. seeing that they are provided
with needed appliances for the best treat
ment of the patients committed to their
care.
ity to commit its insane members at an
early stage, to give them the benefit of
the scientific trea tment the hospitals are
able to give, unless equally exact care
can be given by the friends outside of the
asylum.
'"Third-That we deprecate the commit
ment of patients in the last stages of gen.
eral disease when they can be taken care
of by members of their own families.
"Fourth-That we deprecate the recelv-
ing of able-bod chronic insane, as shall
weaken the resources Of the main 1nStitu-
tion.
"Fifth-That Hastings has an exceed
ingly limited water supply, and Anoka
little chance for proper sewage, for the
present, at least, efforts be concentrated
on adding to the value and capacity of the
three larger institutions.
''SiXth-That experience elsewhere has
shown that small colonies of patients on
farms connected with the main Institutions
have been found most economical and
practical; that this plan be advocated un-
der existing circumstances"
Must Educate Public.
The discussion was taken UP by the
physicians present, and the earnest
ness manifested by them showed the
interest taken in the question. G. E.
Lee, of the state board of control,
spoke, indorsing the statements and
conclusions Of DR.. Bossell. He said:
Ine m0QlCdl SCdlIS OI the dSyluHlS
are taken up with the attention re-
quired to be given patients who could
be taken care of In general hospitals,
and with patients who are afflicted
with incurable diseases. These cases
are sent to the asylums often indis-
criminately where in many instances
the families and the physicians of the
patient could more advantageously
treat him. Old patients suffering from
1I14 H. 511
for in separate places and not be al
lowed to take up the room and atten-
ton that should be given to patients
that need them more. 1t would be
good plan to adopt a system of claSsi-
fication.
By this means all patients that are
in various stages, those that are vio-
lent and those that are quiet, could
be kept together, which would render
the work of the attendants easier, and
relieve the patients from the nervous
strain of being among patients who
disturb them with their violence I
would indorse the idea of putting pa
tients of the same social condition to-
gether, so that those that are used to
culture and refinement may be among
those of the same taste, while those
that are rough, ignorant and below
them may be in a class by themselves.
Medical men should take up the
question of providing suitable care and
treatment for the insane. To them the
duty of educating the public falls. The
medical profession should take the
matter up and make great efforts to
improve the conditions of the insane
asylums"
Recommends Legislative Action.
DR.. Jones said that home cure of
patients was attended by many
difficulties, and that it rarely resulted
satisfactorily. He recommended that
al: cases should be committed to the
asylums as soon as possible, where
the afflicted would be given proper
scientific treatment. He said that
the increase of industrial work in the
state insane institutions should be en-
couraged and that legislative action
should be taken in furtherance of the
project. DR.. Jones brought out the
point that there should be some pro-
vision made for the care of GONZALES
cent patients after leaving the asy-
lums. He said that there was always
certain social disgrace attached to
the inmate of an insane asylum, and
that to complete the work of providing
for the patients care should be given
to them after fheyt leave the asylum
He recommended that the boards of
charities of the state should take the
matter in hand, dande that local commit
tees should be organized for the pur-
pose. A.
Typhoid Mistaken for Insanity.
DR.. w. A. Tomlinson, superintedn-
ent of the st. Peter, asylum, said:
'.There is a popular feeling against
nlacing patients in insane asylums and
it is often done only as a last resort
rrI,a medical profession do not take