Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-07-07
EXPERT CALLS
FOR NEW STATE
LAW ON INSANE
Recommends Statute Compel
ing Public Hospitals TO
Accept Patients.
INDIANA METHODS HIT

Recommending that the Indiana state
legislature Immediately pass a law pro-
hibiting the placing Of any insane patient
in a Jail or ainshouse, but compelling
the state hospitals for the insane TO ac-
cept them following an expert diagnosis
at state psychopathic hospital to deter
mine causes Of the insanity, DR.. III. II
Wright, an expert of New York City OIL
management of public institutions, APP
peared today before a Joint conference
of the Marion county council the county
commissioners and the state board OF
charities
DR.. Wright recently completed an ex-
pert survey of all county institutions and
appeared to explain his numerous recon-
mendations as TO needed reform in treat
ing insane patients In Indiana.
DR.. Wright recommended at the con-
ference the following:
That patients at Julietta, the county
hospital, be transferred TO the state nos
pitfalls for the insane.
That laws be passed at once by the
state legislature prohibiting jails or
almshouses of accepting insane patients,
INCREASED CAPACITY
RECOMMENDED.
That needed appropriations be made
to increase the capacity Of the state in
sane hospitals.
That a psychopathie service be estab.
hshed at the Robert Long hospital In
indianapolis at the expense of the state
where all suspected insane could be stud
led by experts before being committed
to the state insane hospitals.
That farm colonies be established ulti-
mately by the state where insane pa
tients could be put to work in the sun
shine filling the soil, but the expert In
sisted that this he done under the super
vision of the parent institution.
The expert pointed out that a law
should be passed in Indiana giving the
state the entire supervision, care and
treatemnt over the insane
He deplored the present practice Of
committing insane patients to Jails and
almshouses and branded the system as
Unsatisfactory.
lie indicated that the state might ere
ate an annex to the Central Hospital fol
the Insane in indianapolis as a tempo
rary means Of obtaining extra room.
DR.. Wright declared he has decided
that a psychopathie service is needed n
Indiana and this would provide an ex-
pert examination before any patient le-
gally was adJudged insane.
Under the present system Justice OF
! the peace, with no expert qualifications
! sits at insanity hearings.
IL Is understood an effort will h'
made 10 get the suggested reforms IN
the treatment Of insane at the coming
! special session Of the legislature.
In discussing the conditions at the
I Marion county Jail, Or. Wright pointed
( out that improvements should be made
at once to make the jail a safe place In
which to keep desperate prisoners.
He discussed at length the defects IL
/ the proposed transfer OF jail prisoners
/ from the county jail to the workhouse and
/ pointed out the need Of immediate re
pairs at the Jail.
| DR.. Wright recommended that the Jal
| kitchen he transferred from the top foo!
/ TO the basement and new sanitary equip
/ ment as we'll as utensils be installed; tina
/ the space so obtained be made into mems
/ dormitories; that the women prisoners b.
1 transferred to the abandoned fpowerhous'
next to the jaiI; that a high wall b'
/ erected to the rear OF the Jail so as q
/ provide q recreational space for prison
ers a well as to prevent any outside com
munieation with the prisoners.
PLEADS FOR NEW
JAIL EQUIPMENT.
The expert insisted that a wall sep
arating the cell rooms on the south side
be torn down and that modern doors
/ locks and other equipment be added at
once TO insure the safe keeping Of all
prisoners.
DR.. Wright declared that under pres
ent conditions II is not fair 70 the
1ailer to compel him 10 risk his life In
entering the cell Enclosures
He intimated that a sliding door oper-
ated on the outside should be installed
to open automatically or close all the
cells.
| Such a system would require at least
/ two Jailers on duty all the time.
! DIR. Wright stated that although the
/ Jail was built more than thirty years age
/ 1t was built on modern ideas, but 1t now
( needed certain repairs.
/ He pointed out also that prisoners
/ should not be permitted TO have anything
+ In their possession which could produc'
/ sufficient heat to be used In temperine
! the steel bars so they could be sawed.
! DR., Wright contended that many prob
/ lens in the Marion county Jail manage
/ ment would be eliminated II the womer
/ prisoners were removed from the Ja'
and the institution given over to tbs
I men.
] DR.. Wright resumed his remarks e
/ the authorities at o'clock this after
( noon and was scheduled TO discuss th'
I poor farm, Sunnyside and other county