County's Disgrace

COUNT'S DISGRACE

The Lack of Provision for the Care of the Insane.

A VERY STRONG APPEAL

From Probate Judge Newkirk for Action by Supervisors.

They Should Make Some Provision at the County House so that the Insane with Lucid Intervals should not be Confined with Criminals.

Editor Argus: I hope the newspapers of the county will insist that the Board of Supervisors do something for our county insane, along the line suggested by you in a recent issue, and in so doing. the people of Washtenaw county, I believe, will support them.

The lack of some place for temporary detention for these unfortunates is a disgrace to us as a county.

To those who are not brought in contact with our insane the situation perhaps does not appeal so strongly, but to those who must look after them, the situation is a most distressing one. We now have in this county three men and three women waiting for admission to the asylum. For weeks the friends of these women have been caring for them at their homes as best they can. They must need watch night and day; keep them confined behind nailed windows and locked doors; listen day after day and week after week to their insane raving; replace what they destroy in substance under all the awful care and responsibilities of looking after an insane person.

The men have been here in jail, confined with tramps, thieves and criminals of all kinds and classes.

Two of these men are young men, of good families, of bright, intelligent appearance, and only subject to periodical insanity. What must be their feelings during the days when their minds are in a normal condition, having committed no crime, to ponder over the fact that they are the consorts of the worst elements of our criminal class; companions and messmates of convicted criminals? What must be the feelings of the parents and friends of these unfortunates, who are obliged to submit to this disgrace and are without remedy?

The asylums of the state are crowded, and the counties of the state must do something to relieve the situation. Saginaw county through a special session of her board of supervisors has decided to erect an asylum of her own. Wayne county has added to the capacity of her county house for the care of her insane. Washtenaw county, one of the wealthiest and best known in the state, should immediately, through the board of supervisors, make some provision for the temporary care and confinement of her insane at the county house, and relieve us of the disgrace and odium of sending our insane patients to our county jail to wait for weeks, perhaps months, in an atmosphere of "hoboism," vice and crime, for an opening at the asylum.

I have grown ashamed when parents come to me with their hearts already heavily burdened with the misfortune of their loved ones, to make it heavier and more grevous, by telling them the patient must be confined in the county jail until such time as they can be taken away.

Some months ago a young man of education, of refinement, was committed to the county jail to await his turn. He would have perfectly lucid intervals for weeks at a time. He was of a sensitive, nervous temperament and realizing his surroundings and feeling as deeply as any one the disgrace of his environments, having nothing to distract his mind from his condition, he became extremely nervous and despondent, and the physician who attended his case informed me that had he not been taken to the asylum he might have become a raving maniac.

This matter cannot be agitated too much, nor the crying need too quickly supplied.--H. WIRT NEWKIRK