Year: 1866




The Guardians for the Relief and Employ
ment of the Poor of the city of Philadelphia
at their meeting on last Monday, resolved upon
ehecting


Change In the Mana cement of the


BlOckley Insane Asylum.


The necessity for such a change was not alto
gether evident to the senses of those who have
the cause of the insane poor at heart, bat the
Board of Guardians, we suppose, are the sole
judges of the proper ways and means for amelio-
rating their mental and physical condition, and
we must submit to their verdict expressing the
hope however, that this change will not, as we
have reason to fear, defeat the very object which
it has in view. ..


DR.. Samuel W. Butler, the old Physician and
Superintendent of the Department has been at
its head for the past seven years. When he
entered upon his duties, in 1859, he found the
institution in state of lamentabe disorganiza-
ton. The previous management had been
such as to instil into the wandering minds of
the inmates the idea that those in whose
charge they were placed we're their natural
enemies. They regulated their conduct accord
ing to this mistaken notion. Violence and
lnsubordination were the necessary results, and
the grand object of the institution was thereby
defeated at every step.


| DR.. Butler encountered the full force Of this
! at the commencement of his administration.
| He was frequently assaed with violence by the
! inmates, and on one occasion combatiVe
female succeeded in knocking several OF bis
teeth down his throat.


How Violence Was Put an End 90 by
DIR. Butler.


marked change in this respect was soon
accomplished by the new Superintendent. 1t
was effected in single day, and In rather
ludicrous manner Shortly after he had entered
upon his duties, he was one day visited by
patient who requested a permit to leave the
grounds for walk in the neighborhood. He
was not usually violent man, although he had
| the reputation OF being something of bully,
and it had been the custom occasionally to
grant him such favor as he then asked. The
Doctor was about to write out the permit, when
he noticed that the applicant had been at his
! old trick of drinking. When he made this dis
covery, he promptly ordered the man to return
to his quarters.


| The order was sullenly opeyed; but in q few
moments the crazy fellow returned, swearing
! that he would kill the Doctor The latter had
no one to rely upon for assistance save an
! insane clerk who happened to be present. His
! antagonist was large, burly man, who carried
over two hundred pounds of flesh upon his bones.
DR.. Butler is a small man, and the odds were
fearfully against him. However, he watched
his opportunity, and just as the bully was about
| to strike the first blow, the Doctor dropped
upon his knees, and thrusting his head between
! the legs of the former, he sent him sprawling
! over his back upon the floor So astonished
was the maniac at this skilful maneuvre that,
assistance opportunely arriving, he tamely sub
mitted and was led away. After this occur
renee, il was bruited about the wards that
Doctor Butler was match in physical strength
for any of the inmates, and turbulence and
1 violence at once subsidized. The burly maniac
himself afterwards made the most ample apollo
eies to the doctor, whom he soon learned to
appreciate as a true friend. 1t was not long
before he was entirely cured of his insanity, and
transferred to the Pauper Department of the
| Almshouse.


| There were several other


! Reforms Recommended by DIR. Butler.
Prominent among these was the occupation
of all the patients who were not absolutely in
capable of engaging in any physical employ
ment. BY the universal verdict of medical men
who have made the study ofinsanity specially,
this Is the true theory of curative treatment.
Labor is the greatest boon of mankind. con-
tented mind can spring only from constant and
healthful occupation. That this rule should
bold true with respect to the inhrm in mind is
certainly In accordance with reason and COM
mon sense. The great argument which philSn-
thTopists are now urging against the con6ne-
ment of criminals without labor, isbased on the
numerous cases of insanity which result from
this sole cause; and when a person of weak
mind has no other occupation than that Of
silently contemplating his wretehed condition,
he feels all the more keenly the restraints im-
posed upon his liberty and actions, and becomes
more demented and more violent from sheer
| necessity.


These views have been repeatedly urged upon
! the Board Of Guardians by DR.. Butler, bUt then