The Washington times., 1907-12-22
Special Committee Re-
ports That Conditions
Here Are DiSgraceful.
Urges Revision of Laws,
InebriateS Act, and
Special Pavilion.

Revision of the District lunacy laws
is strongly urged by the committee ap-
pointed by the Society OF Nervous and
Mental Diseases to investigate the in
stitutions for the insane and the law
under which the inmates have been
committed The committee, composed
OF DR.. william A. White, superintend-
ent of the Government Hospital for the
Insane; DR.. d. Percy Hickllng. visit
ing physician OF the Washington Asylum
Hospital, and DIT. D. X. Shute. ply
sioian at the District jail, says the con-
dition under which insane and suspect
ed insane persons are housed prior 70
commitment is "disgraceful. TO say
the least"
The committee recommends a general
overhauling of that portion OF the
Asylum which IS reserved for insane.
suspects, and inebriates. 4 special
pavilion Is suggested. The physicians
also recommend the speedy passage or
the IIlebrates Act. and the establish
ment OF a special hospital for chronic
drunkards.
Committees Report.
The report of the committee follows:
The insane and those suspected OF
being insane are cared for in three in
stitUtions: The Government Hospital
for the Insane, where they are only re-
ceived upon commitment papers signed
by the District Commissioners IN ac-
cordance with the statute: the Wash
ington Asylum, where they are re-
mandeS for mental examination, and
the District Jail. where q number OF
cases are sent for mental EXAMINATION
whose actions have brought them within
the purvisw of the criminal law.
About 400 patients are admitted to
the Government Hospital from the Dis
trict each year. About 200 patients have
their mental condition passed upon each
year at the washington Asylum. and
twenty-five patients are examined an
puaIy IN the Jail OF the 200 patients
that are examined at the Washington
Asylum. about $50 are sent to the Gov
eminent Hospital, and OF the twenty
five examined at the jail. about twelve
are sent to the Government Hospital.
This would show that about 162
cases are sent TO the Government Hos
pital from tho Washington Asylum and
jail each year. leaving 2SS patients from
other sources. Tire total number of per-
sons, therefore. examined IN the public
institutions OF the District is approxi-
mately 5OU.
"YOur committee rs familiar With
conditions in all these institutions
and has no hesitancy in saying that
the state of affairs with reference
TO the insane as II exists today in
this jurisdiction is disgraceful to
say the least.
The Washington Asylum is essential
ly a poorhouse hospital that was not
built for insane persons Aside from
this its capacity is taxed to take care oil
the needy sick other than the insane.
The result has necessarily been that
the insane have been crowded into small
quarters where they can have little IN
the way OF treatment. and where they
are too frequently a source of disturb
ance to nearby persons who are seri-
ously ILL., Aside from this your COM
mittee believes IL to be contrary to the
most enlightened humanitarian ideals OF
dealing with this unfortunate class tc
treat them within the shadow of the
workhouse and the Jail.
''It Is hardly necessary to add that the
for mental examination has absolutely
no warrant whatever. The Jail has nc
facilities for dealing with such patients
and certainly no insane person or per-
sons suspected OF being insane should
be confined within the precincts OF a
jail unless actually convicted of crime
or under indictment.
Urge Separate Pavilion.
THE solution of the above state Of
affairs rests, we believe. IN the ultimate
erection Of a pavilion for the care oi
this class of cases in conjunction with
a general hospital InasmuCh as th'
problem OF the insane and the presumed
insane previous 70 their commitment 8:
essentially a municipal problem. the
logical place for such a pavilion would
be in connection with, and as a par
OF. a municipal general hospital.
1T would seem that by sucl
A relation with the municipal gen
eral hospital the pavilion coul,
do its greatest amount of good II
the community. as 1t would no lOnge
stand alone TO attract attention TO tn
various ,disagreeable features Of its
work. which. unfortunately. are apt L
be more. prominent than the other fea
lures. but it would be, as 1t were. II
a wing OF the general hospital and tn
patients who were taken there or ap
piled there for relief would go. not q
an Institution primarily known as on
which dealt with insanity, but would &
TO the general hospital and there b
assigned to a ward in the same wa,
as any other general medical case ap
PLYING for treatment.
This, TO our mind, Is the ultimat
solution Of the problem Of the imme
diate care OF cases suspected OF in
sanity. and the solution along the line
or development which have been goinI
or In this branch OF medical science
Such an institution would not onl,
take care OF the presumptive 500 case
tContinued on Page Twelve.)