Show how one state treated its insane back in 1879 the following Is from a report on tile the findings of a committee which studied the conditions of 0 insane patients in one state in 1879 1870 in this state 03 insane unable to care for themselves a burden to their families and their communities were housed in tho the jails and poorhouses poor houses bouses of the state and living under conditions as horrifying to as any you could picture A survey disclosed instances of raving maniacs chained to the walls of cells in jails women were found in filthy cells sot not as good as the pens in which you house your hogs with loose straw for beds and these places were attended to in much the same way as were the barns of that period that Is they were cleaned out only when the filth demanded such a proceeding in the cellars and basements of these jails and poorhouses poor houses staples had been driven into the walls irons were placed on the legs of the unfortunates and they were fastened with chains to these staples so fearful were they who pretended to minister to the physical needs of these insane that they fed them as you have seen animals fed in the circus but not so well the food was thrust through little littie holes or gratings while these unfortunates were helpless a and nd for the most part harmless the ignorance of the times subjected them to living conditions so cruel that the mere recital causes us cs to shudder and bemoan the fact that there should have been so lark dark a page in the states treatment of unfortunates |