Report of the Board of State Charities of Massachusetts
Through the courtesy and kindness of Dr Nathan Allen we have received the thirteenth Annual Eeport of the Massa- chusetts State Charity.
The Eeport is most admirably drawn up, and contains a careful description of the various Lunatic Hospitals, with remarks upon the condition of Lunacy in the State. We read on page 64 : ” It is in the highest degree desirable that the hospitals and asylums in which the insane are maintained (whether for cure or restraint, or simply for support at the public expense), should enjoy the confidence of the public. Within the memory of persons now living, the American asylums did receive this confidence much more fully than was true of the English asylums. Since the establishment of the English Commission of Lunacy (in consequence of the fragrant abuses there) the English asylums have greatly improved, and now are viewed with less suspicion and distrust by the general public. Even in Massachusetts, where our asylums have been generally well managed, a feeling of distrust has sometimes existed, and this cannot fail to be increased by such abuses as those described at Tewksbury. Why should American asylums have been losing the public confidence, while those in England and Scotland, once inferior to ours, have been gaining it ? In the opinion of one of the most experienced and successful of the American superintendents (W. Butler, of Hartford), it is partly because our asylums have been overcrowded, and have not been subjected to the strict supervision long required by the law of Great Britain. In Massachusetts, and we believe everywhere else, the hospitals and asylums which have had the most vigilant supervision are now the best, and stand highest in the public esteem.”
We cannot for one moment admit the fact that the American asylums have been losing public confidence. From what we have heard and read of their management, we wish to express our decided opinion that the American asylums are quite as well managed as those in our o<vn country, and there is no reason why they should be condemned on the report of one individual. The United States contain many eminent psychologists who have made a world-renowned reputation by their writings ; and we state authoritatively that everything is done by kindness and skilful treatment to promote the welfare and humane manage- ment of the insane.
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