Second biennial report of the Board of Trustees and officers of the Minnesota Hospital for Insane (organized 1866) located at St. Peter : and Second Minnesota Hospital for Insane (organized 1877) located at Rochester to the governor of Minnesota for the fiscal years 1881-2.

  • Minnesota Hospital for Insane
Date:
1883
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Second biennial report of the Board of Trustees and officers of the Minnesota Hospital for Insane (organized 1866) located at St. Peter : and Second Minnesota Hospital for Insane (organized 1877) located at Rochester to the governor of Minnesota for the fiscal years 1881-2. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    taming the temporary buildings for use, there is ample room for the present number; but it is probable that the number of admis¬ sions for the next quarter will be much larger than usual, as many cases have been retained by their friends at home, and some in jails and poor-houses, the authorities knowing the limited accommoda¬ tions for the past two years. The annual increase for several years has been (75) seventy-five, and it will probably be much, more for the next year; and the rapid gain of the population of the State will maintain and swell the number in full proportion in the years to come. The future provision, therefore, for this class of our citizens, demanding cure and treatment, becomes a question of practical and pressing importance. This subject has been before the world for years and many experiments have been tried to find the “better way,” with more or less of success, according to the place and population dealt with. Authorities, having the matter in charge, have not always taken into consideration the subject in all its bearings before acting; hence the cause of frequent disap¬ pointment and failure. Observing or hearing of a plan in one State or country partially successful, or so reported, they fail to examine the result so as to fully comprehend difficulties that may arise in undertaking a similar project in another place, a different climate, and among a dissimilar class ot people. Then the super¬ ficial observer of the long established colony for insane at Gheel, “ that corner of Paradise lost where patients when disturbed are chained,” as Dr. Christian, of France, once remarked, seeing patients boarding in private families, working, enjoying considerable free¬ dom, apparently quiet and contented, and supported at a very small cost, come at once to the conclusion that this is a very successful plan and should be introduced into other places for the treatment of all chronic insane at least; but they fail to note that the system at Gheel is the growth of years among a peculiar people, who by successive generations, pursuing the same course of life, have come to regard the care of the insane, in this way, as their living and business, and it would he as* difficult to transfer this system to America with success as to introduce the language and government of China. In this country boarders are not taken except for profit, and the insane would not be tolerated, either b} a private family or neighborhood, without a large compensation, and under circum¬ stances not liable to occur often among a people ambitious to make money and constantly improve their social position. As an outgrowth and sequence of the colony above referred to, the “cottage system,” so called, has its advocates, as giving the
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