Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-10-23

| ity fer colonization, a method whicn mas
been pursued in recent years with eN-
cellent practical results. by many nos
pitfalls in this country, and we nave at
present more than hundred OF our
| chronic class domiciled there, follow
I ing largely in construction the system
in vogue in general hospitals. inns
| method has been found to be very
practical and minimizeS the cost OF
| care and treatment The gift from
| the general government of Chase's Is
land in Penobscot Bay has been utilized
during the past three seasons IN us oc-
! cupatiOn by patients from both hos
| pitfalls, covering a period from two 10
four months each year. The results
| ACQUIRING to our patients in conse-
quence of this opportunity offered at
the seashore have been most beneficial
in increased strength of body and mind
and large number of cures has been
| the result.
| I must not fail TO mention what must
| be regarded an advanced step in Ply
chiatry, when the legislative bodies at
its last session made an appropriation
1t proved for the erection of a suit
nal insane under hospital management.
1t provided for the erection of a suit
! able structure which is now i'll process
of construction, segregated from the
other pavilion ard occupying q re-
tired location upon the Arsenal estate.
| In 1893 the legislature created an insane
department at the State Prison and all
| Of this class have been dOmiciled there
since that date. Before that period all
ronvicts becoming insane at the State
Prison and the jails were sent to the
| Maine Insane Hospital; but SO much
opposition arose among the relatives OF
| the innocent insane in relation to tho
two classes being provided for in the
same department. induced the legisia-
| tive bodies to institute the change put
in operation in 1902. Much criticism
however has arisen from the relatives
| and friends of the occupants of this de-
pertinent at the prison. There has also
| been observed an antagOnistic senti-
| ment toward such procedure emanat-
ing from the citizens Of every portion of
| the state. and the argument has been
| we'll taken; that inasmuch as the state
| regards the insane as it's wards 1t
| should extend it's broad arms to every
person who is SO unfortunate as to be-
| come bereft of reason from whatever
! source the contributing cause might
| arise and that the advantage of
hospital treatment should be extended.
| In bringing about this humanitarian
method Of treating the criminal insane
| much credit is due our respected and
able governor who has expressed HIM
self many times as to the injustice Of
providing for the insane under the pres
ent questionable status.
| Before closing 1 cannot refrain from
mentioning what must be regarded IS
q very important and advanced posi-
| ton, taken by action of the last session
| of the legislature assembly in providing
| 4 law that in 1910 the state will provide
| for all it's insane who are destitute of
| tie means to defray their own expenses.
We hail such action as wise policy
| and are Of the opinion that it will
| contribute much to further the we'll
| being of the insane. 1t will equal
iZe taxation in the support of this
| dependent class and will relieve the
burde IL which has been imposed
| upon the smaller towns with limited
Va luatio1. Since the action of the Leg
| islature the writer has been anxious to
arrive at the numerical status of the in
sane who are at the present time being
| provided for in the almshouses of the
| various municipalities, in their homes
ard in private dwellings, l am happily
surprised in finding the number so
small. l had supposed that it might
| exceed 500 individuals but have OBJ
tanned returns from practically every
town and plantation which 1isclOses
the fact that there are only 80 in pri-
vate houses and but 100 in almshOuses.
making q total of POS persons.
The Bangor hospital is providing on
| an average for about twO-hundred and
forty patients. The institution is
modern in construction, well calcu-
lated for its intended purposes and it's
| crops OF skilled and experienced
| physicians are able to offer scientific
treatment. There are living at the
insane department OF the State Prison
an average of about 25 inmates. Thus
it would appear that with the $40
patients domicied at the Maine Insane
Hospital the total insane population
of the state will not vary far from 1900,
the precise figures being 1873.
An idea prevails that insanity is IN
creasing throughout the State and am
frequently interviewed in relation to
this matter. The United States census
of 1880 gave the enumeration of the
insane as 1542, and the census of 1890
made 1893 as the total number in the
| several counties. l have not been able
to obtain Information from that
source regarding the insane population
in 1900. l have been of the opinion
that there had been a slow decline in
insanity since 1880, and the statistics
that | have just presented would bear
out my assertion as the figures are
substantially the same as ! obtained
in 1890. The reason for this decrease
in my judgment is to be found in the
fact that the direful results of the war,
which evidently produced quite an in
crease. is now declining. We are living
today under healthier nygienic and
sanitary environments than formerly.
More attention is given to our food and
drink. The housewife who formerly
left the threshold Of her door rarely.
now mingles more with the community,
and in consequence Of the greatly in
creased advantages in travelling, de-
votes much more leisure to amuse-
| ment and recreation. Further reasons