The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-11-16
Pale, Thin,
Nervous?

instances in illustrating the necessity
for larger appropriations by the Leg
islature for the care Of the insane.
There Is an insane young woman In
Allegheny county, he SAID, who has
been confined for ten years in a pen
adiourning her fathers home, and
that the roof was not of sufficient
height to permit her to stand erect,
and as result her body is deformed
as much as her mind is deranged. It
is trick in Western Carolina, he de-
clared. TO incarcerate insane persons
in Jail in order that the patient might,
for humanityS sake, be removed to
the asylum. The conditions existing
for these poor wretches in their
homes are far worse, he said than the
treatment they receive in the county
jailS. A horrible condition, not a
theory, confronts the State in the mat
ter of it's insane he said.
County AsyIums Failure.
1t was suggested that the counties
might take care of the great surplus
insane. but Dr. Murphy stated that
the only States in America which had
adopted this plan We're Wisconsin and
New Jersey, and that the system was
a dire failure in each. The plan
was disastrous. the patients were mai
treated, ana the cost or the system
was far 700 expensive.
Mr.. Armfield suggested that a di-
vision of the incura BILE from the cura-
bles be made but DR.. Murphy said
that the insane were as sensitive and
possessed feelings and emotions as
strong as those of sane persons, and
that it would be cruel TO adopt this
idea. He said New York State had
practiced it several years, but were
reverting to the old plan, such as
North Carolina now has. The asy-
lum at Morganton is twenty-five years
old, and annually 125 persons have
been admitted; of this number so
per cent yearly has been cured and
30 per cent returned, till now SO per
cent of the patients are incura bic.
\ solution of the Problem.
Dr. Murphy thinks he has solved
the problem of caring for the insane,
and says that if the State would back
him with Il sufficient amount of
money, he could demonstrate both its
practicability and success. Three
years ago he established colony one
re nom his hospital. which con-
sisted of small farm, a home and
seventytive patients, both durable ana
lncurable. 1t is made as home-like
as possible. and there is occupation for
truck, tobacco. peanuts and meat.
and the patients are both comforta-
bic and happy. Since ITS establish
ment several have been cured and re-
turned home. If the farm were Of
sufficient size, DR.. Murphy said, the
number of colonies might be in
creased and the institution put near
~ on a self sustaining basis. He
showed several instances where men
had h.as. hx Il.
and declared that insane women
create more disorder than do the mefi.
because they have - employment.
The men. he said, will not run aWa%
and are we'll satisfied with their work.
Appeal To General Assembly.
The Council of State endorsed the
plan of superintendent Murphy and
Mckee relative to exchanging pa
tents, and Governor Glenn told them
that there was nothing more the
Council or he could do now. He said
that he realized the two asylums were
doing all they could, and that ii was
up TO North Carolina to say TO the
next General Assembly whether it in
tends TO take care of its insane or
not. The condition. he said, calls for
! Indignation unless remedied. He
asked the superintendent to make
out reports setting forth the facts, and
the next legislature in the strongest
words possible what its duty is to the
insane ia North Carolina.
The Governor asked DR.. Murphy if
S5,O00,000 would properly care for
the total number of insane in North
Carolina, and build such structures
and farms as would be necessary for
the care of the great number of in
sane. DR.. Goodwin replied that this
40 hItt ! hnt
chat it would probably be best to
build slowly.
Governor Glenn will soon make q
visit 10 MorSantOn TO spend two days
studying DR.. Murphy's system, and
ascertaining whether it would be adj
visable 10 establish it more monu-
! mentally.