Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1908-03-06
INSANE WITHOUT HOPE.

writes as follows
"If there is any community in Mary
land where State aid is urgently need
ed for the proper care and possible
cure of the psuper insane it is in
Charles county. There the hope of
cure and care in a well-equipped hos
pital by competent and highly trained
physicians comes only to those whose
insanity takes a violent form.
Under the present system Charles
county maintains no almshouse, but
instead boards its pauders with differ
emit persons, who contract at the low
est possible price to care for the couu-
ty's charges a year at time. Persons
all over the county, which is one of
magnificent distances add few effective
methods of transportation, are intrust-
ed with the care of the insane.
Treatment for their mental detien-
cy would be impossible. even if it were
attempted. One physician skilled in
in the treatment Of the insane-the
county could not engage the services
Of more than one, and its resources
would be hard pinched at that-would
require a month to visit all the insane
taken care of in the county.
Twelve of the 80 insane are board
ed in the county, while the others,
who were violent when they were sent
away, are in institutions. Four are in
the Spring Grove Hospital, . are at
Springfield, 6 are in Mount Hope and
II are cared for at Montevieu. The
total cost last year for the maintenance
of the IS was 4,3s3.75.
DOUBTLESS the majority Of them
could be cured or greatly improved if
careful and scientific treatment were
afforded them. They are mostly ne
groes in a county where the negro is
valued as a farm laborer, and each in
sane man is loss to the community.
"Now all they get and all they can
hope for is enough to eat, place to
sleep and enough clothing. They are
boarded out at the discretion of the
County Commissioners, who, while
they are seeking to cut down the cost
of maintenance of each person, at the
same time see that the unfortunate is
taken care of in the best possible way.
"With one or two exceptions rela-
tives of the insane person are given the
care of him. They are paid for doing
it, as the loss in labor of their charge
and the presence of one more mouth
to feed would entail a hardship in
nearly every case, for the people of
Charles county are not ordinarily rich.
'After having been adjudged insane
by two physicians and committed to
the care of the county by the County
Commissioners an insane man or wo-
man is farmed out to a caretaker. If
the man is able to work he is expected
to do as much as he can. He has a
place to sleep, enough to eat aud
enough to wear, and the county will
take care of his bodily needs as long
as he lives. That is all he can hope
for and all the county can do for him.
Unless he becomes violent and unman-
ageable there is no prospect of hos
pital and scientific treatment.
''Last year the tax assessment
amounted to only S5,O00,0O0, and the
insane fund made a big hold in the
county's revenue. With its present
resources to attempt the cure of the
insane thrown upon its care would be
out of the question.
The county once maintained an
almshouse, but the necessity of cutting
down expenses led to its abandonment.
The almshouse and the farm on which
it stands is now rented to q tenant,
who cares for one pauper at a contract
price. The County Commissioners
finding that by farming out the insane
paupers some money could be saved
did so.
DIR. George 0. Monroe, the county
health officer, whose home is at Wal
dorf, regards State care as the only So
luton of the insane question in Charles
county.
" Under the present system OF TAX
ing care of them in this county,, he
said, any cure would be impossible
To engage the services of physician
to treat insane patients would be use
less, for the distance over which they
are scattered would necessarily mean
that he could see a patient at most on
ly once week. The only medical at
tention they receive now is when they
are taken bodily ill.,"
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The names of the members of