“No report.”
1864 Hamilton County Poor House
Reply
Tag Archives: New York State Poor Houses
1864 Greene County Poor House
“There were nineteen insane in the poor house of Greene county. One was admitted in 1824, one in 1840, two in 1842, two in 1844, others were admitted at various periods since. Six were males and eleven females; sixteen were of native birth; sixteen were mild cases; twelve were of filthy habits; seven destructive, and six were confined to the house; four had been treated in an asylum; one was a cripple, and one a deaf mute. [The blank for further information was not returned, and doubtless there was an omission to send it to the county judge for distribution.]
The report of the committee on charitable institutions in 1857, reported as follows: “Six are confined in cells; five of them are in chains, including two women. They are restrained by confinement, and by wearing chains about their legs and arms. Some are chained to the wall. While visiting the house, the committee observed two men and one woman taken from their cells to the yard for air. There they were all chained to the fence, within a few feet of each other. Those confined in cells are without air, except from a small hole in the door. They are in a wretched state. None are cured or improved, a result certainly to be expected from their present treatment.” It is to be hoped that the condition of the institution and the care bestowed upon the unfortunate lunatics has improved since 1857.”
1864 Genesee County Poor House
“The building in which the insane poor of Genesee county are kept is of stone, two stories high, with ceilings of eight feet. The rooms are 8 x 10, with windows 2 1/2 x 4 1/2. It has a supply of water and two bath tubs, and is heated by a furnace in the basement. The number of insane during the year was thirty-five, but only thirty-two were in confinement at the present time. Nine of the number were able to do labor. Six of the males do out of door work. The others were severally amused in singing, reading, playing pennies, swinging, &c. Twenty were destructive to their clothing, and eleven required occasional restraint by the use of straight jackets. They are all required to bathe twice a week, and to wash hands and face daily. The institution has iron bedsteads fastened to the floor. Only one sleeps on straw without proper bedding. The food, which appears sufficient, is carried to each by an attendant on plates. There is an effort to separate the violent from the mild cases. The sexes are separated, and a person (not a pauper) is employed in their care. The rooms are clean, and the ventilation said to be good. The county receives recent cases. Fourteen cases were admitted in 1863, and seven up to August, 1864. The building is designed to accommodate thirty-five patients. One escaped during the year who was not returned, and six were removed by their friends. Fifteen of the cases were filthy in habit, and nearly all the cases are excitable. Attention is directed to the ultimate cure of each case.”
1864 Fulton County Poor House
“One-seventh of the inmates of the Fulton County poor house are lunatics, there being ten of this class, viz. three males and seven females. The whole number of inmates is seventy. Eight are native, and two of foreign birth. All have been admitted since 1857, and six of them have been treated in an asylum. Three males and five females are capable of doing some labor, but at such times as they do not labor, they have no employment or amusement whatever. Six of the number are destructive to their clothing, and three require occasional restraint. The modes of restraint are by handcuffs and confinement, and the exercise of kindness. The house has a supply of water, but no bathing tub. The insane are required to wash hands and face daily. There is no arrangement for ventilation, or the uniformity of heat in the winter. “Are any confined in basement cells?” “Yes.” The building is of brick, two stories high, with ceilings of nine feet, the rooms 18 x 50, with windows 4 x 2 1/2 feet. All the rooms have bedsteads in them; the bedding is of straw, and none sleep on straw only. The diet provided is simple, but nutritious, and all come to the table and receive their food on plates. The sexes are kept separated, but they have no other than pauper attendants. They receive no care with reference to their ultimate recovery the physician visiting the institution only when he is sent for, The location of the poor house is pleasant and healthful, but in its construction it was never designed for the care of the insane. The county does not hesitate to take care of recent cases, even with such barrenness of means for their care.”
1864 Franklin County Poor House
“It is a circumstance most fortunate that there are only five insane persons confined in the county poor house of Franklin county, for the record of its condition is shocking to humanity. The whole number of inmates is forty. Two of the lunatics arc capable of some labor. One is restrained constantly in a cell, without the privilege of coming daily to the open air. There is a spring of water near by, from which the building is supplied, but the insane are not required to bathe, or even to wash their hands and face, except when they see fit to do it themselves. There is no provision for ventilation, or uniform heat in winter. “Have you bedsteads in all the rooms?” answer, “In two only.” Two or three sleep on straw, without other bedding; the straw is changed once a month. Of course there can be no provision for the various grades of insane. In the day time the sexes mix as they please, and receive their only care from the sane paupers. The rooms were “not cleanly,” and the atmosphere was “bad enough,” and the keeper said that vermin were “somewhat plentiful.” They have no changes of undergarments. One escaped during the year, who has not returned. They have no medical treatment, and are not visited by a physician. Only one case has been treated in an asylum. Dr. Sidney P. Bates says: “I believe the great object had in view by the people of this county, in the maintenance of the poor, is economy.” The particular kind of economy is indicated by this report. The poor house buildings are all old, the roof leaky, the floors uneven, by reason of the settling of the foundation walls. The buildings are woundrously unfit for the purposes for which they are used.”
1864 Essex County Poor House
“The population of the Essex county house is ninety-three. Nine of whom are insane, the ratio being one in ten. The oldest case was admitted in 1830, and is both blind and idiotic, another case was admitted previous to 1850. Three are males and six are females, four are capable of doing some labor. Only one has been treated in an asylum. Four are filthy in their habits. Those who do not work have no mode of pastime provided for them. The method of restraint used is the straight jacket, and tying the hands behind the back. The house has a full supply of water, but no bathing tubs, nor is there any particular arrangement for uniformity of heat or ventilation. The building which is of wood, two stories high, has two rooms without windows opening out of doors. The arrangement for sleeping seems to be comfortable, and the straw is frequently changed. The diet is represented as ample, the mild eat at a common table, while the more violent and raving have their food served in their cells. The attendants are the keeper and his family. The rooms are clean and nicely kept. One insane lives with her mother near the county house. There are but six cells, and each cell is designed to accommodate but one person, but some are so mild that they sleep with the sane paupers. Recent cases are received! They receive the attendance of a physician whenever they are sick.”
1864 Erie County Poor House
“The population of the Erie county poor house averages about five hundred. Of this number one hundred and twenty-one are lunatics. At least three-quarters of them are females. Of one hundred and three, eighty-six are of foreign birth. They have all been admitted since 1850. Fifty-five cases are of mild type. Only two cases are noted as having been treated in an asylum. About twenty-four are capable of labor. Sixteen require occasional restraint and two constant restraint. The straight jacket and a restraining chair are used for this purpose. The house has not a full supply of water. It has no bath tub. All the rooms have not beds and bedsteads. About twenty sleep on straw, without other bedding. The straw is changed once in one or two weeks. The building is heated by stoves for coal or wood. There are no accommodations for the various grades of the insane. The sexes are separated, but paupers only are employed to care for the insane, and to attend to their daily wants. The rooms are generally clean, and the air very good, except in the rooms occupied by the worst cases. The county takes recent cases. Nineteen cases were admitted in 1864. About twenty had no shoes or stockings during the winter. The county house is only designed to accommodate eighty cases, but at times one hundred and fourteen have been forced into it. The very mild cases are put in with the sane paupers. Ten or twelve were removed by their friends during the year, and two escaped who were not returned. The physician appointed by the superintendent of the poor house visits the insane twice a week. Temporary cases are admitted for ten days, of which no account is here taken.
“The largest building for the insane especially, is of stone, 118 x 40 feet, two stories high, and has fifty-two cells, with two wards, one for male and one for female patients. The second building is also of stone, 40 x 40, with eighteen cells. The third building is wood, 26 x 50, with fifteen cells. The accommodations are limited, for so large a number, but everything looked neat and comfortable. The accommodations are not suited to the favorable care and treatment of the insane. Their construction is not such as is approved by medical and sanitary authorities, and it is impossible to separate patients into proper classes. The air in the rooms occupied by those designated as the worst patients, is unfit to breathe. The supervisors of Erie county, at their last session, appropriated $20,000 for the purpose of erecting another building for the insane, adjacent to those now built, but the four buildings will be detached, and at the best, illy adapted to the proper treatment of the insane. In fact, the State of New York should maintain, at this place, a charity like the Utica Asylum, as it would confer a great benefit upon society. I assume the responsibility of urging some action in behalf of the insane of Western New York, commensurate with the importance of the subject, the interests of humanity, and the dignity of the State.” These earnest remarks are from Dr. Josiah Barnes, of Buffalo, who made the investigation in Erie county.”
THE PROVIDENCE ASYLUM.
“This institution at Buffalo, built expressly for the insane by the Roman Catholics, is under the management of the Sisters of Charity. The rooms are spacious and well ventilated. At each end of the building, in each story, is a balcony supported by pillars and a balustrade, so that the insane can enjoy the fresh air, without descending to the ground. The property embraces several acres, and is well adapted for the purpose for which it is designed; and the Sisters, to whose management every thing is entrusted, are indefatigable in their efforts to render as comfortable as possible the unfortunate persons committed to their charge.” This institution has twenty-five inmates. It has a free supply of water, and three bathing tubs. The insane have amusements provided for them, and every possible care, with reference, to their ultimate recovery, and nothing seems lacking that could promote the comfort and happiness of each patient. Two have died here during the year, and several cases have left, having convalesced.”
1864 Dutchess County Poor House
“The poor house of Dutchess county with a population of one hundred, contains twenty-four lunatics, or about one fourth of the whole number; eight of whom are males and sixteen females. Thirteen are supposed to be native, and eleven of foreign birth. Nothing definite can be obtained relative to the date of their admission, there being no special record or care for such particulars. Six of the number have been at some time under treatment at Utica. Eleven of the cases are mild, eight violent, and two filthy. Three of the males are capable of labor, and five of the females. The remainder have no occupation, amusement or employment. Six are destructive and tear off their clothing, two require constant restraint, either with the straight jacket or with straps for the wrists and belt.
The house has a full supply of water, but no bathing tubs, most of them however, wash hands and face daily. The building is heated by stoves and ventilation is only by the windows, it being of wood two stories high, with seven feet ceilings. The rooms are severally 6 x 6, and 8 x 6 feet. Two sleep in basements with other sane inmates. Iron bedsteads fastened to the floor are used, on each of which only one sleeps. The beds of straw are changed “as often as seems necessary.” The diet is for breakfast, bread, hash of meat and potatoes, coffee; dinner, bread, fresh or salt meat, fish; and for tea, beans and potatoes, and water. Mild patients go to the table with the sane inmates, and others receive the food in their cells.
There are no accommodations for the various grades of the insane, four are confined in some of the cells. A man and his wife care for the female insane, no other than paupers are employed in the care of lunatics. This institution assumes to take charge of recent cases! The lunatics are visited by a physician the same as the other insane paupers, whenever they are known to be sick. There is no attention paid even to recent cases with a view to their recovery. Two were without either shoes or stockings during the winter.
Dr. E.H. Parker, who collected these facts, observes: “It is impossible to ascertain anything concerning them (the pauper lunatics) more definite than is here given viz: that they are fed, clothed and kept tolerably decent. No thought is given to curing them. In fact it is no place for one to attempt to do so, a proper insane asylum is required to effect anything in that way with constant medical attendance. The city of Poughkeepsie and the rest of the county, are about to divide the paupers, insane and others between them, and for this purpose a new building has been erected in the town of Washington. This does not seem to have been very wisely arranged but attached to it is a building 22 x 34 feet, intended for the insane.
It is to contain 18 cells in its two stories (9 in each,) will have a walk (or hall) between the rooms of cells of about four feet, has large windows to be protected I understand by oak bars, and is altogether so far as I can learn, about as unfit a place for the insane, as could be arranged. It involves their continual confinement in small cells, unless they are very mild, it does not admit of a proper separation of the sexes, or of the violent from the mild, or of proper provision for out of door exercise for either. It is about 20 feet from the main building, and is to be heated by the same steam apparatus that warms that. It is incredible that the authorities whoever they are that have had charge of this building, should have consulted any one familiar with the care of the insane, in arranging its plan. Necessity will undoubtedly compel them to build anew or to modify this. I should add that although I have repeatedly visited the county house, I have not had the good fortune at any time to find the superintendent at home, and am indebted for all my information to his assistant.” What language can more explicitly point out an evil, at which common humanity must blush with shame?”
1864 Delaware County Poor House
“To describe the building of Delaware county in which the insane are kept, will in some degree show the misery to which those unfortunates are unnecessarily subjected. It is a wood building two stories high, with rooms or cells 4 x 8 feet, lighted and ventilated only by a diamond hole in the door. Dr. Telford, of Delaware, says, “The windows in the outside are of fifteen lights, 7 x 9 inches glass. A hall runs on each side of the building, and in the middle is located the cells (after the style of a prison,) which are 4 x 8 feet square, made of rough material, the doors are made of rough hard-wood plank, three inches thick, with a diamond hole in them 7 x 9 inches, which is the only source of light and air! Beds are on the floor, with nothing to separate them from where they sit except a piece of plank set up edgewise, and indeed the whole construction is a stigma on humanity.”
In apartments thus dark, and cold in winter, and filthy at all times, more gloomy than prisons, twenty-six insane human beings are kept. Ten are males and sixteen are female—and eighteen are American born. Two of them have been so confined from 1842 and 1844—and this Institution continues to receive recent cases! What can be more cruel? And only paupers extend these lunatics the care they receive! There are in all fourteen cells, in which twenty-six lunatics are confined. Four escaped during the year who were not returned; and who would not escape even to die rather than live such a lingering death? There is no provision made for the medical treatment of the insane, and they receive none with reference to a recovery. The sufferings of these unfortunates from whom the air and light of heaven is shut out, would form a dark chapter of human misery could it be written.”
1864 Cortland County Poor House
“The provision for the care of the insane poor in the county of Cortland is shockingly bad. Of eighty-eight paupers, thirty-one are insane; being more than one-third the whole number. Eighteen are males and thirteen are females. About twenty-four of this number are of American birth. Not a single case has ever been treated in an asylum, although several have been admitted for fifteen or twenty years; fifteen cases are mild, nine are violent, and twelve are excitable. Eleven are filthy, several are not only insane but have become idiotic. None of the males perform any amount of labor, six females perform some indoor labor. There is no system of amusement or light occupation to divert the mind of any. Ten are destructive, nine require occasional restraint; the violent are controlled by close cells and straight-jackets. The house has not a full supply of water. The insane are not all required to wash hands and face daily! The arrangement for cleanliness and ventilation is imperfect; several are confined in cells without the privilege of coming daily to the open air!! The building is a story and a-half wood structure, ill adapted to the purpose for which it is used; the ceilings are low, the bedsteads are wood, and usually two sleep in one bed; in one bed three sleep; in some instances a sane and an insane sleep together. Such as are able, come to a common table, the others have food carried to them; the diet is such as a farmer’s table affords, plain but ample. The rooms are heated in winter with wood and coal stoves, with stove pipes running through the rooms, without attention to uniformity of heat. There is no accommodation for the various grades of insane; but the violent cases are kept in cells in a building off from the main building. In one ward ten are constantly confined. The sexes are not kept entirely separated, and male attendants are employed to care for female insane. The atmosphere in the rooms is generally unwholesome. At this institution recent cases are received! Two cases were received in 1864. Ultimate recovery by management or treatment is not held in view. Dr. H.O. Jewett, who visited this house says, “the edifice is a badly constructed affair. It was originally a farm house, additions having been made to it; the cells are seventeen in number, 5 1/2 x 6 1/2 feet, ten feet ceiling in front, the wall above being finished upon the rafters; there is one window of eight lights to each cell. There are really no means except accidental ones, for ventilating the various rooms; and with the present arrangement of the house uniform or appropriate warmth in winter season is out of the question; neither is there sufficient help employed in the establishment to ensure anything like proper cleanliness of the apartments or persons of the inmates. The common claims of humanity would seem to demand some regulations which will secure more attention to the physical comfort and moral training of each individual, and the special medical treatment of the insane.” What language can be more explicit or more earnest? Is it any wonder that in such want of care the insane become idiotic or demented, and the mild cases incurable?”
The Inmates of Willard 1870 to 1900 / A Genealogy Resource 