Norwich bulletin., 1916-05-03

for the support of these candidates the patients were not forthcoming. ] can tell you the towns are not eager to assume the responsibility of $.200 a week and if they can get out of 1t they will do so. Unless the method changed you will always find many epiIcptics and many Predetermined in homes where they should not be no matter how much room is supplied.
 Care Of the Insane.
 Dr. Louis R. Brown delivered an address on The Care of the Insane. This address was to have been deliv- cred by Dr. c. F. Haviland, superin- tendent of the Connecticut Hospital for the Insane at Midd1etown, but Dr. Haviland was unable to be present.
 Recently it has been my unfortunate duty to attempt to compile the laws of this state in relation to the insane, said pr. Brown. In our hospital work this not only applies to the commit plies equally well, and possibly with greater force, to the support of these unfortunates.
 The laws of this state regarding 1n- sanity are not particularly clear in many respects. There can be found conditions in which certain laws du- plicate others, and there are other conditions in which our laws are not fully defined. It is my desire, there fore, to present to you certain unfortu- nate anomalies, and make suggestions for their correction, in the hope that by your added influences we can have adopted a method of commitment and l support which would meet all condi- tions and circumstances.
 Many of the present laws are ex- cellent and if they could be condensed and synchrontzed would be of great value.
 My suggestions may carry but little 1 weight, but they are suggestions which | are made following an experience of l several years, wherein I have been actively interested in the legal side of many of the commitments.
 It is quite probable that in the re- vision of this year much of the redu- l plicatfon of our present acts can be | avoided. There are, however, certain 1 clements which have formerly asso- 1 cfated the insane with the criminal l class. It is a relic of past generations, | as I suggested such a condition earlier l in my paper. It has been determined l by courts throughout the land that an
 insane man is not guilty of acts due
 to delusional or emotional changes, l therefore, why associate the insane in the same way as you would prisoner l who has committed a misdemeanor or I fe1ony2
 My first suggestion: That all per sons who show symptoms of insanity
 should be committed to the hospital criminal courts. How can this be done? By the establishment in the l cities of psychiatric centers associated | with the general hospitals. There is not hospital in the state which does not have its board of specialistS-eye
 ear, nose, pathological, surgeons, ev- cry specialist along physical ailments
 even to neurologists, but the care and
 treatment of the mind is absolutely
 neglected. There should, therefore, bt established with each general hospita Z. a ward wherein suspicious cases car
 be observed and to which can be sen
 the cases now brought before the
 criminal courts for determination, ana
 the observation of these cases in th(
 general hospital will decide as to tn,
 future disposition of each case through
 the probate court. To my mind it il
 an inefficient and worrisome method tt l send a patient to any institution for
 definite period That patient becomes
 dissatisfied, discouraged and possibI! l goes into a relapse when he is no
 discharged at the expiration of tn, sentence, even though his mental con . dition will not warrant it. Commit ments should be for an indefinite pc
 riod, and also avoid the stigma o
 crfminality, which in the light of pres ent knowledge is much greater thai
 tha tof insanity. In a word, then, b!
 the foundation of these psychiatri l centers eliminate all criminal cour commitments.
 If these psychiatric clinics are es tablished and small wards are reserves for this type of patients by the mu , nicipaEties, there surely is a greate 7 need for the state itself to establish ) similar adjunct to our present system We have been asking for several year } that two small wards be established a the hospital in Middletown for thi same purpose, and we still believe tha
 1t would be of inestimable value to tn citizens of the state if they could b
 be prevailed upon to grant us tn ) money. It would mean more up-to 7 date equipment, better and more eff 5 cient treatment, which in the en : means shorter residence in the hospi Z tai, and consequently less economi