East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1913-06-14

kind of illness is through argument
1--WE never deceive our patients,
was the remark of DR.. A. L. Tamie-
sic, first assistant surgeon at the hos
pital I'VE sometimes evade them but
never deceive them. often through
argument we convince them of the
reality Of a thing. We never use
force or cruelty"
These changes in the treatment or.
the insane have come ABOUT within
the last 20 years. although it was
probably about so yeals ago that
prominent French alienists promul-
gated the new system Of kindness and
patience. 1t is not so long ago, how
ever, that the method of treatment
the insane were subjected 20 were
anything but humane. The so-called
violent, stark-mad patient, was thrust
into a dungeon, there to stay until
through shere weakness from want
of food, he became physically ex-
hausted. He was left to stay IN the
dungeon until he became quiet; his
scanty meal being thrown to him as
one would throw food to a vicious
beast. The straightjacket was a thing
of common usage. Whenever pa
tient became unruly, a dozen guards
would rush at him, knock him down
and drag him away to a cell.
The asylum of today is not an asy-
lum: it is a hospital, a place where
the III in mind are treated in order
that they may be restored to health
again
In the Oregon state banch hospital,
there are $40 patients, most of these
being men The reason for this. ac-
cording to superintendent McNary, Is
that the coast is crowded with tran
sient men, a floating population which
no other section of the country has to
take care of. Many of these men find
their way into the hospitals. The
proportion of male inmates here IS
about two to one.
"The modern treatment for the in
sane" said DR.. McNary, "has come
into general use within the last 20
years Twenty or % years ago it was
not unusual, particularly in the south
ern states. to give them no treatment
at all, When a violent patient was
received. he was put in cell. there
to rave himself out No intelligent
treatment for his ailment was offer
ed. They were not regarded as sick
people then but as people possessed
of the devil
"Violent patients are actually SICK
people. They have high fever as
much as one suffering from typhoid
and they require treatment as a sick
person does
"Probably the methods of treating
the insane have been allowed to las
in view of the research which surgeon:
| and doctors are making in other dl'
rections. but we are gradually evolv
| ing a means of treatment. In con
/ formity with the theory that they arr
| Ill. when a patient is received here M
/ is nut to bed He may be compelled
to remain in bed from As hours to Il
! davs according to his condition. Thi
/ gives us a chance to study the patlen
and his particular case. His tempera
ture is taken regularly and in fact II
is treated in the same way as pa
tient in a general hospital would b
treated"
In the hospital here there are n
dungeons. Under the system whic
DR. McNary follows it is surprisin
how a so-called violent patlen
changes when he reaches the lnstitu
ton He is easy to handle. respond
to kindness. and is as docile as 1t i
possible to imagine.
Tn the case of destructive patients
some restraint is necessary but 1t !
the proper kind of restraint and no
the forcible kind. A patient VINO l
suffering from a violent attack is CIV
on a hydropathic treatment or VIVA
is known as the water treatment. IN
water is heated to the temperature o
the body and the patient is placed II
the tub. He is allowed to remall
there under the care of a nurse 10
! whatever length of time may De ne
cessary. When he is taken out me
found to be calm and the forme
tendency to destroy things has van
| ished.
There are many forms of insanity
of course. and all of them require
somewhat different mode OF treat
ment. But what has already pee
said. is enough to show that consld
erable progress has been made L
taking care of these unfortunate peo
ple. Governor West has proven ina
! his honor system of treating peniten
tiary prisoners is the best way, an
other strates are rapidly adopting tn
methods in vogue at the oregon prls
on. While Oregon has not originate
the methods used in the treatment
the insane. this state has probably IN
hest method now in use with the pos
sible exception of New York state.
No better accommodations for tn
insane can be found in any state tina
what are to be seen in the Easter
Oregon hospital When the many i'm
provements are made to the ground
that are now contemplated and som
of which are already under way, tn
institution will be model of It's kln'
All these beautiful surroundings haV
their influence upon those within tn
building. Instead of the old-um
dungeon. the patient is allowed TN
sunshine and the pure air, the dali
bath and the, sanitary sleeping room
The institution is conducted as a hus
business institute is conducted.
might be called an institution for tn
conservation of life-for many {
these patients who apparently entel
eG in hopeless state. have gone fort
completely restored to health.
So it is to be seen that the worl
is advancing in all its methods of pro
cedure. The dark ages of superstitio