Year: 1875

ASILUMS in MASSACHUSETTS,.


ANNUAL REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONERS OF LUNACY


INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF THE INSANE


SUGGESTIONS REGARDING THE PROTECTION AND


HEALTH OF THE INMATES OF AsYLUMs.


Wendell Phillips and Nathan Allen, Com
misoners OF LuDacy of Massachusetts,, have submitted
their annual reports the Legislature of tnat State
and the documents have been printed and made
public. The reports fill a pamphlet OF 70 pages In
length, the bulk OF the document being occupied with
the report OF Mr. Allen, the other Commissioner, Mr.
Philips having been unable to attend to his duties
owing to sickness In his family, and, therefore, only
submitting few suggestions regarding the subject


Mr. Allen states that from the reports OF the overseers
of the poor is estimated that there a624 insane
persons in the State. 1t believed however, that
thorough OF the State and examination of
the ayums would reveal that there over insane
persons. II had proved be very difficult matter TO
discover whether not there increase OF in
sanity owing the imperfect and the passing of
patients from hospital to another The fact that
for years al the provisions that had been constantly
made for the had proved inadequate, and that
the asylums always crowded, would seem TO tndi
cate that there decided increase OF Insanity The
endeavOr OF the Commissioners, however,
not to discover the exact increase in the
number OF the insane but the relative IN
OF insanity compared with that
population The tables OF the United States
showed that 1850 TO 1860 the in population
2 per cent of the insane 336 per cent? from 1860
TO 1870 Of the population, 1873 cent; OF the insane
1875 per cent From 1870 was therefore,
increase Of 46 per cent in population, and OF 6s4
cent in the number OF the insane part Of this period
during time, however, when there was very
small increase Of population either by births or imm
grafton. An examination Of the tables also revealed
tho fact that during the there great increase
OF insanity among the foreignborn population. This
might arise from change in organization and character
consequent upon migrating TO another country.


The increase among the natives might be due to O
having undue predOminance of the tenn
permanent The brain was being Developed altogethor
at the expense OF the body The educational
pressure the young TO the neglect OF physical exer
cise the increasing artificial and unnatural habits Or


living the great excitement and competition IN business
these and other causes were multiplying nervous
Diseases especially OF the brain ana disturbances OF the
mind many Of which must result III mental derange-
men Judging by the history OF facts and the various


Influences in operation there was reason 10 appre-
hend still greater increase OF insanity unless active
were taken 10 arrest Its progress Dy enghten-
needed and larger staff OF physicians at each OF the
asyums The asylums should never be overerowded as
at present, as the overerowdng inerfered seriously
with the cure and proper treatment Ot the insane


There three classes OF patients, the state the
town. and the private patients Ihere were go State
at Worcester Taunton, at Norhamp ptOn and at Tewks
bnry whose support cost $4,000 There town
patients whose support $4,000 IN the year 1874
the board beng 81 50 week The private
tents number, whsse support probably cost
their relatives over s1GO.OOO The Commissioners OF
Lunacy IN Great Britain recommended under certain
separate support OF the chronic insane
IL was a question whether the pauper insane should
supported lunac hospitals or III the almshOuses
The hospitals only intended for the cure and treat
ment of the insane. 1t certain that the paUper


insane would continually be driven ont OF the hospitals
and into the amshouses- 1t would be far wiser the
CommIssioper believed, to provide for them in cstaD-


shmens separate from the ulnshouses and also away


The treatment of the insane had been considered.
The essential point, they believed was the seeur


ing ior the insane OF plenty OF exercise, and possible
the open air Also good food and as much personal lib
ery as safe The Law Of tue last Legislature pro
yded that patients in the several lunac asylums
State should be allowed 10 write monthly to the Super


ntendent Of the asy lums in which pey were c0ufned
also the Board OF state Charities and TO the Commia-
sioners Lunacy. and that the letters De deposited


locked boxes in the several wards OF the hospital and
that boxes should be opened and the letters dsto
uted monthly by some member OF the Board OF state
Charities. The law had been ID operation only few
months and large number OF letters bad Deen put IN


the As the law only DESIGNATED three persons TO


he boxes directed TO persons parties not desgnat
ed the Board of State Charities had instructed It's Sec
nitals wherein they were found. II would be seen
therefore, that the law mad not had fair trial


Wendell Phillips in his short report made the follow
ing suggestions


supposed unaiics put IN confinement The genius
of saxon law guaPds the liberty OF the citizen with the
most Jealous care. II De suspected OF crmeeycu
murder-he can be arrested only on the warrant OF
responsible magistrate. After that, II not brought
within a fixed aud UrIef period before judge grand


ury he is discharged After beng Indicted If he is not
tried WITHIN fixed and brief period. he is discharged
During all his confinement ne II allowed free cOmnuni
cation win friends and legal counsel Under proper
conditions he any one he needs or wishes 10


But II one is supposed to be insane friend after
getting the certificate TO that effect OF any two phys
clans nom he selects, may put the supposed luuatic
into confinement. The moment the door or the asylum
closes him he is shut on from seeing any one His
nearest relative, his legal counsel cannot him with
out the permission OF the superintendent, which Is
generally granted only by the consent OF tie friend who
imprsons MN And until the stature OF last session no
was not allowed to communicate with any one neither
with kindred, counsel nor friend Tue conhnement was
oIou Oft u
aid his relief. Our late statute allows him to write
10 the Board State Charities and O the Commissioners
of Lunacy But this Is not enough as shall notice in
moment. Such power OF putting a person INTO close
father son. against near relative. such authority
is too dangerous to be given 10 any superntend-
sn It w sasy Pe IS seen %nd ns' NJ
No theory the treatment OF the insane requires it,
sate Wholly
connected with any particular asylum or instltu
yae should be obliged by law 10 summon this conmts
sioner within 4S hours after receiving patient aud
unless such commissioner sanctions IT, the confinement
should be at discontinued and the patient dis
charged II be said the trustees OF each institution
see the inmates frequently, reply that their visits
are mere formaties; they generally defer to the super
intendenrs opinions, and content themselves with q
deed this is all be expected OF them, they
are after ALL mere appendages TO the institution AND
will not do TO trust wholly TO the formal service OF
any official, not even TO the state commissioner man
supposed be insane should never DC deoarred from
calling 10 his assistance such OF his friends and such
legal he prefers To secure this he should be
allowed to correspond with any one he chooses. The
patience, humanity unyieldng perseverance, perna-
City and strong personal devotion which man unjusty
fm1risoped needs are not to be found In all friends,
much less In officials The sufferer should be allowed to
select his help His liberty Of correspondence,
therefore, should be unchecked


Secondly desire to express my firm conviction that
extensive unatic asylumns, villages VI insane, as Dr.
Earle calls them open to very objections. Dr.
Earle has shown that they are vastly more expensive
But further than that diseased man surrounded by
bnndreds of men similarly diseased, must be injured
aud his prevented Particularly must this be the



The large and Increasing number Of the insane In
the very large amonnt Of money spent
for their treatment and support, dictate that there
nloIl