Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-10-23
A GRAND WORK.
Continued from Page Onc)

uentlN regarded as d III NlCtiHi AoA va
| ture and Imprisonment. Whlle IN Eng
land, France and Germany century ot
two later, buildings were constructed
| to house this unfortunate class, yet no
| further means were attempted 10
ameliorate their condition, and it was
| left to the benevolent foresight and
sympathetic intelligence of Pinel OF
| France and his associates. who were
conscious of the total lack of care eA-
tended to this class in the various So
called hospitals, to inaugurate such re-
forms as To give impetus to such meas
ures as resulted in attempts to offer
| though crude at first, individual treat
ment. and to inspire in the unfortunate
a glimmer of hope and assurance that
an attempt was being made to allevl-
ate mis- sufferings in providing more ia
vorlb!e conditions.
Having obtained permission from the
general government, these physicians
ccgniZant of the suffering which had
been imposed upon their fellowmen
through these unsavOry environments
at once removed the victim from his
dungeon and his shackles and offered
an opportunity for fresh air. of which
they had been denied and instituted
other methods tending to aSSuaSe suf-
fering and promote the welfare Of the
| individual. Their initiatory proceed
| ures in alternating the condition of the
| insane marked emphaticaIly a new era
| in methods to be pursued for this class
and so step by step through the indie
| fatigable efforts of those interested in
| Psychiatry, the philanthropist and those
4 al -
| governments supplemented by true
and loyal citizenship have been labor
| ing hand in hand with alienist and
psychologist to bring about such re-
| suits, not only in this country but in
| Europe as well, as is commensurate
with enlightened medical treatment.
Step by step through the past century
! methods of construction have been con-
SANITY improved particularly in heat,
| light, ventilation and pleasant environ
| ment as has more and more conduced
to the comfort of the occupants. The
added opportunities of studying the
| brain in health and disease through the
instruction of practical pathologists
has offered broader grasp in the di-
rection of determining the causes of
| the many and various types of insan-
| ity. The more definite and increased
opportunities for practical pathologists
has offered a broader grasp in the d.
| rection of determining the causes OF
| the many and various types of insan-
| ity. The more definite and increased
opportunities for practical study of
diseased processes of the various or
gars Of the body have been suggested
and put into practical operation which
has resulted in more enlightened medi-
cal investigation.
The inquiries into the problem Of in
sanity in Maine, it may be stated, be-
gan in the early thirties Of the last CEN
tury. when positive procedures were
introduced into the Legislature point
ing toward the construction of a hos
pital for those mentally diseased. Hon.
Ruel Williams of Augusta, L gentleman
of broad grasp and we'll known as a
distinguished lawyer and pnilanthrop-
list, retired from Congress Wher" he
had been performing efficient service
anG had taken an active part in the ma
tional appropriation for the conStruc-
ton Of the government hospital for the
insane in the District Of Columbia. He
| returned to his native city embued with
| the idea that Maine should take steps
| al once to- provide Il home where suit
able care and treatment would be Of
| fered this unfortunate and dependen,
class. The action of Congress SO inn
pressed this gentleman as to the i'm
| mediate necessity of the Legislature
| taking steps to erect 2 hospital which
would provide proper environments
| that he agreed to he responsible fol
$4,000 toward such purposes if that
| body would appropriate $4,000.
This proposition was accepted and
| an appropriation was made The pres
ent hospital location at Augusta was
arranged and operations were com
| menced toward its erection in 1894: but
| from failure to obtain q subsequent ap.
| preparation at the next session, tho in
| stitution WAS not made ready for oocu
pancy until Oct. 1910. \ little subse-
| Guent to this period Madam Dorothca
a. Dix came upon the stage of actor
and during her long period of active
work in founding prisons. almahouses
and hospitals Tor the insane she estab,
lished world side reputation as /;
| philanthrOpiSt. From the early fOr.ies
| up to the time Of this renowned wO
| mans death she was perhaps more in
| tiuential in establishing hospitals, cor.
| recting errors, and amelicrating the
| condition of the destitute than any 9th.
| err living person. There is no moro
worthy and fitting object than which
has recently been accomplished in the
| town of Hampdcn. Maine, in the ercc-
ton of monument in commemorative
| of the life-wOrk of this noble lady who
| unselfshly devoted the entire strength
| of her womanhood to the interests OF
| charities.
But l must pass and leave man,
things unsaid in relation to the devel
opment of facilities pointing toward
further provisions for the insane
Suffice it to say, the Maine Insane hos
pital has grown from small beginnings
erecting wing after wing until the pres
ent time when its daily average reaches
over eight hundred and thirty pa
tionts: and including officers and help
it provides accommodations for NOR,
than 1000 people. But little attention
was paid to heat and ventilation befor,
the Civil War; but with the introduc
tior of steam and electricity the man
augment has been able to introduc,