Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-27
THE INSANE ASYLUM
ALIENIsrs FROM OTHER INsTI-
rUTIoNs TESTIFY.

Alfenists fr I'M various insane asylums
around the country appeared before the
olcott committee today to give expert
testimony as to the management Of these
institutions in general and Of st. Eliza
beth in particular. One or two OF the
alienists criticised the Government Hos
pital for the Insane as being big and I'M
wfeldy. but all united in praise OF DR..
White and of his administration Of at
fairs.
DR.. Mary N. Wolf. in charge OF the fe-
r,ale department of the Norristown SPenn-
sylvania) Insane Asylum, told of visiting
St Elizabeth and making the most care
full inspection possible within the limited
time at her command. She thought the
institution was well managed; that the
new buildings were well planned; that
the character Of the nurses and attend
arts appeared to be good; that the nurses
home was the prettfest and best of it's
kind she had ever seen. and that things in
general were in splendid condition. An
inspection OF the kitchen of the instttu-
ton and Of the printed dietary convinced
her that the food problem had been solved
at the institution. DR.. Wolf said that pa
tients in every insane asylum were wont
to complain of the quality and quantity
of food furnished, and that very little at
tention was paid to these kicks by the
officers of the institution with which she
was connected.
DR.. Wolf said that more restraint was
used at the Norristown asylum than she
approved Of, but that this was due to the
fact that there were $50 more women in
the asylum than the accommodations could
we'll take care of, and for this reason two
to twenty patients a day were restrained
by mechanical means. She also told of q
system Of inspection by means OF mirrors
carefully adjusted SO as to reject the IN
terror Of the various wards and OF the cor
rdors to a watch tower Dullt ABOVE Tie
roof of the hospital.
DR.. VIM. F. Drury.
Dr. William F. Drury, superintendent of
the Central State Hospital for the Colored
Insane at Petersburg, Va, went into some
detail in describing the care and treatment
of the insane under his charge. The COM
mittee was somewhat amused by Dr.
Drury's recital of the list of amusements
planned for the institution 10 keep the III
mates in good humor. -,
THE patients have everything In TINS
line from watermelon feastS and CAKE walks
up." said Dr. Drury. The character OF the
ored insane cannot be the same as that
for the white insane. Ny patients would
rather play craps than bridge whist.
.And so would L. commented Chairman
Olcott amid general laughter.
Dr. Drury said the per capita cost OF con-
Quoting his institution was rather low as
IS or so per cent of his patients We're EN-
ployed on the $50 acres in the INSTITUTION
tract and around the bulloinss .Hen e.
He was one Of those who criticised 81:
Elizabeth's as being too big. He thousnt
the superintendent of any insane asylum
should visit all his wards and every nook
and Granny of his institution al leasI o.ics
a week and he believed this to be well-nigh
a physical impossibility SO far as the INST
tuition across the river Is concerned Ine
PROMOTION of attendants to patients IN MS
institution was l to 10, ana, much 70 .nd
amazement of the committee, he declared
that no mechanical restraints OF any klno
whatever were used.
Dr. Harry c. Eymon of the insane asy-
lum at Missillon, Ohio, where 1.ooo pa
tfents were cared for, said the proportion
of attendants to patients In his institution
was now to IT. In st. Elizabeth's 1t Is l
to 8. He had been very mucn lmpresseu
with the progressive betterment OF c0n conan
lions that had been going on at st Eliza
beth's under superintendent Richardson
and White He spoke very highly OF the
letter,s professional and administrative ca
pacity
other Hospitals Compared.
Conditions in hospitals for the insane in
the states of New York and New Jersey
were described before the st. Elizabeth
committee in the afternoon hearing by
Timothy McSarr secretary of the state
board of lunacy at Albany. and by Dr. B.
D. Evans the medical head of the asylum
at Morris Plains. n. ]. In describing the
existing state institutions for the insane,
their cost, extent. management and in
spection, Mr.. McSarr gave information
about the new receiving hospital which is
to be erected on Manhattan Island for i'm
mediate active treatment of patients who
are in uncertain state and cannot be com
mitted as actually insane. DR.. Evans said
the hospital at Morris Plains, n. j.. was
run on very liberal lines. and golf links
were laid out. as well as a base ball dia-
mond, on the grounds for the diversion Of
patients The Government Hospital for the
Insane was described by both witnesses az
an admirably equipped and well-managed
institution.