Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-08-20
CONVICT AND CRIMINAL INSANE.

r..
Particular attention is called to this
lass OF patients. The law requires
hat they shall be received by the SUI
2crintendent "and them safely kept
until they are discharged. agreeable to
law and the bylaw of such hospital,
and such insane criminals shall be
kept separate and apart from other
patients" The class OF "criminals'
is composed of insane criminals" "in-
sane convicts" and observation cases."
Any number of these may be sane or
insane. depending upon circumsta nces.
The insane criminals are those who
have been acquitted OF crime by rea-
son Of insanity; insane convicts are
those who were sent TO one OF our
penal institutions and afterwards be-
come insane. or supposedly so: obser-
walton cases are those who have been
arrested. and may or may not have
been indicted, and are sent hero for
observation pending their trial. It Is
obvious that the latter class are quite
q apt to be sane as insane.
We have In the hospital at present, and
most OF the time, about sixty persons who
come under this class. many of whose
IL
pred. The building erected for and de-
voted to the detention of this class has
accommodation for ca twenty -four. 1t Is
constructed and equipped In every way
like other wards of the hospital and is In
no way more secure.
There is little. IL any. danger of very
insane person escaping on account OF the
const ruction Of the building, but for many
who are sent here It Is anything but Sc
cure. The lack of accommodation In this
building makes 1t imperative that con-
| siderably over half of this class should
be scattered about the various wards ac-
| cording to their condition.
| There Is no provision whereby these
patients can he employed without great
danger of elopement. Within the past
| three ycars.--and | do not know how
| many before that.-hve patients Of this
| class have broken out of this building.
| under the closest supervision It was
possible for us to render, under the
| circumstances One OF them was returned
| after three months absence and con
| siderable expenditure OF money; three
| after being out n few hours and the
| other one is at large. as they escaped the
! day this was written. Seven of the in
mates Of this building are homicides. each
( having killed one or more persons, and
| four others made serious attempt and
| nothing but good luck saved their victims
lives.
RECREATION IS IMPORTANT.
AS our knowledge of mental disea Sc
Increases. the importance Of occupation
and recreation becomes more and more
| apparent Recovery is fastened and made
more certain BY proper employment. 1t Il
likewise essential for those who do not
recover, but who must remain in custody
and who constitute the bulk OF every
institution of this kind. To spend days
weeks. months and years In idleness con
firms bad habits, nas irritability, de
strlctivenees and heads. without question
to more rapid and advanced deterioration
II is essential in the proper manage
nent of an institution Of this characte
to provide hcalthful and interesting oc
cupation and recreation for its inmate
We have more or less work on the farm,
garden. grounds. shops, ..!tchen. laundr
anG sewirg room that the ordinary elias
of patients can do. but practically moth
ing that tn, criminals can do for want o
a accommodation.
earnestly recommend mat an aPpro
prlatlon be naue 10 erect ooth Ouliolh
FOR their accommodation that VIII De rea
sonaoly secure ana puild'ns for sho
where some mcchan'cal WORK can De don
~ those capable OF doing H. ms woul
relieve the congested condition OF on
male wards ana prevent the necessity q
transfer OF patients to Brattleboro 70
some time
SUGGESTIONS
no -