.
-AN NU AL REPO llT
q'r(THETRUSTEES AND SUPERINTENDENT
OF THENEW BRIGIITON RETREAT,
ANMADE TO
THE LEGISLATURE OF PENNSYLVANIA,
AT THE
:tSSION OF 1865.
---HARRISBURG:r-SINGERLY .t MYERS, PRINTERS; 1865.
BOARD, OF MEDICAL ADVISORS.
Hon. JOHN L.Y
ATTIER, M. D., Cincinnati, Ohio. LORENZO. M. Wm'l;ING, M. D., Canton, Ohio. JOHN D10KS?N, :j\f, D., Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.JosEPH
M
REED, M. D.1 Superintendent, Dixmont, Pittsburg, Pa . 0. C. KENoa·rcK, M. D., Cleveland, Ohio.�
EX-OFFICIO VISITING COMMITTEE ..
Hon W1LSON M'CANDLESS, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. Hon. BENJ. RusH BRADFOllll. New Brighton, do.
nev. W. A PAssAVAN'r, Pittsburg ... do.
JvHN 8ARGENT, M. D., New Brighton ... do. JOSHUA HANNA, .Esq., Pittsburg ... do. H .i . BA• ER, El"q., Er,;nomy ... ... do. Miss D. L. [hx, Washiugtou, D. C.
Hon. HARVEY R10E, Cleveland, Ohio. hev D. A.-HANDALL, Columbus, Ohio.
Hon. WILLIAM HENRY, New Brighton, Pennsylvania.
BOARD OF DIRECTOR
ELIJAH KENDRICK . D.1 Presi ent.
Gen WM. W 1Rw1N1 Bon. B. B. CHAMBERLIN, 'l'Hos. F. RoBINbON, M. D., a3El"JAMIN BEmsoN, Esq.,
WILLIAM KENNED Esq., Secretary.
RESIDENT OFFICERS.
E. KENDRICK, M. D., Superintendent. Mrs. SARAH T. TowNs�D, Matron,•
To His Excellency, A. G. CURTIN,
Governor of Pennsylvania:
Srn :-The undersigned, directors of the NEW BRIGHTON RETREAT, beg leave respectfully to submit their first annual report. Its object is declared, in the recent act of incorporation, to be an asylum for the reception, care and t.nrntment of females afflicted with mental alienation and kindred nervous diseases of e. chronic char�ter. The Trustees would also, herewith, sub mit the lucid report of Dr. ELIJAH KENDRICK, President of the Board and gen eral superintendent. His practical .experience as former superintendent of the Ohio State Luna.tic Asylum, at Columbus, Ohio, has enabled him to present to the Board a. thorough and familiar exposition of the beneficial objects and future necessities of asylums for the insane, in the various con ditions of society. Observation and conviction have brought philanthropista and fogislators to a conclusion, that independent and separate institutions for females, best subserve a curative result and successful alleviation'in the predisposing physical ailment, combined with kindly care and moral discip line in administraf , the plan more frequently restoring to reason and
hap-piness a large c the unfortunate of humanity. This institution is the
only one west· .Allegheny mountains, whose aim and object are to meet the increasmg wants of class unhappily excluded from ordinary State institutions. The res far, in the infancy of this asylum, confined to females, indicates for the ur9 )Dore enlarged usefulness, as its ca.pa-eity and accommodations are m plied. To the Superintendent's report we again particularly refer for information, as to the policy of hrnatie asy lums, as emanating from a professional gentleman of undoubted experience in the especial treatment and cure of the insane. We but briefly state the tiondition of the institution and its future wa,nts and prospects. Our oc easional visitations, and those of others, have led to a confident belief of tbe favorable sanitary regu.fa,tions and kindly discipline throughout every department.
4
To the intelligent and philanthropic of the Legislature, we commend the institution as an object for the fostering help that other asylums for the un fortunate have ever received from the lavish hand of our parent Common wealth. In their infancy, like institutions have received liberal benefac tions from State and individua!fJ.
• Very respectfully,
Y�r obed_ient servants,
NEw BRIGHTON, Feb. 6, 1865 .
_
_,,,
,
W. W. IRWIN, B. B. CHAMBERLIN, THOS. J. ROBINSON, BENJ. BEDISON, WILLIAM KENNEDY, Trustees.NEW BRIGHTON RETREAT.
Financial expenses of management of the NEW BRIGHTON RETRE,A.T, un der Dr. E. KENDRICK, Superintendent.
The original building and ground, of about five acres, cost (title in E. KENDRICK, Superintendent) •....•••.•.•.•••....•.
Interest upon incumbrance from May 1, 1862 ... .... .. $1,000 $5,000 Insurance ... : ... .. 125
1,125 Total cost .... ; ... -"6, 125 The interest and insurance paid by the NEW BRIGHTON RETREAT,
for use and occupation ... ; ... ... $1, 125 Balance of original cost... 5, 000
EXPENDITURES AND LIABILITIES, JAN. 11 1865. The fitting up establishment and fur_niture, including
. C01't of bath-house ... .-... .
Supplies, medicines, &c ... .
Paid employees ... ... . Salary of Superintendent ... .
Rent, use and occupation, equivalent to interest on
original incumbrance and insurance ... .
State appropr! For board of Garden I_Jrodu Donations ... ... RECEIPTS.
....
.
.
.... ...
$3,849oo
.
4,074 00 778 80 3,200 00 1,125 00 ----$13, 026 80 5,000 00 2,623 55 44<8 00 160 00 Deficiency ... ••····••·... ... .•. ••• 4, 795 25 . -. ---$13,026 so The amount of deficiency then, January 1, 1865, would" be, by preceding statement, four thousand seven hundred and ninety-five dollars and twenty five cents, for which an appropriation, ail the minimum to clear indebted ness, is necessary.BO.A.RD OF TRUSTEES. FEBRUARY 6, 1865.
To the Board of Directors:
GENTLEMEN :-.A.n announcement to the publi� of a new· enterprise, in tblf} -.ltimate success of which the people have a vital interest, necessarily in reludes an exposition of its origin and purposes.
Few projects spring into being fully matured; they rather grow by thought and labor, some originating in selfishness or a love of gain, exhi l>it in their full development the nature of their origin, while others, the 0ff-11pring of tme benevolence, become the beacon-lights of humanity.
Each plan of beneficence presents its special claims for consid_eration:;
for approvllll or disapproval, in conformity with the- principles upon which they are based. Measared by this standard, of all appeals to public sym pathy and aid, those in behalf of the insane stand pre-eminent. Their utter helplessness imposes upon society the moral obligation, as their lega] jrresponsibility compels it, to make suitable provision for their care. Moved l>y these considerations, philanthropists have been constant in efforts to
im-prove their condition; while States, in their represent e capacity,
real-izing the economy and charity of such policy, have g them into
ap-propriate establishments, where they may be supporte ss per capita
tost than as isolated cases, in their respeo communit1
All charitable institutions, founded by i ual effort, have a persona)
liistory, of common interest only, so far the vince real claims to public
eonfidence, or the genuine spirit of ben Jenee in their projectors. The
merits of such enterprises should be fairly CB,nvassed, and a liberality ex tended to them, commensurate with their tme value.
The personality of the advocate should be los.t sight of, in the magnitude or urgency of the cause for which ·be pleads. .A. benefactor of mankind, however humble the sphere in which he moves, cannot justly be called a beggar; Le stands forth the champion of distress, the representative of im parative wa�ts, otherwise voiceless; a conserve.tor of bis race. With such
7
statements before us, as emanate from the hospitals of the-country. yearly, as to their crowded condition, the ·necessary discharge of unfavorable cases to make room for thqse more recent, and the frequent rejection of such as are not_ considered fit subjects for curati".'e treatment therein, it seems im possible for an intelligent mind to doubt the imperative necessity of increas ing the facilities for the care and treatment of the insane.
A brief resume of facts, heretofore presented to the public through various channels, as in the very elaborate report of the Massachusetts Com mission on Lunacy; in the memorial of Miss D. L. Dix, to the Pennsylvania Legisiature, and in Dr. KIRKBRJDE's reports, may not be unprofitable in this connection.
Miss DIX, in her plea for the establishment of a State hospital for the insane, depicts horrors and scenes, witnessed by herself in families and in the various alms-houses and prisons of_the State, that remind one of Dante's Inferno, and which i,mpress us the more, as we contemplate their reality. From the facts as therein stated she makes the following deductions: "That the provisions for the insane of the State are inappropriate, insufficient and unworthy of a civilized and christian people; that the alms-houses are in all essential respects, unfit for the insane, and cannot be made curative hos pitals nor asylums for affording them adequate protection; and that much less can these ends be accomplished in private families, even where pecu niary prosperity affords the rneans of supplying many wants."
An answer to this appeal may be found in the noble structures since rear ed, by a generous Commonwealth, to meet those pressing wants, conse crated to God and humanity.
Insanity, however, has not yet been circumscribed; although hundreds have been gathered into the fold of sympathy and love, thousands, incom petent to guide and govern themselves, but readily yielding to gentle in fluences and watchful care, are still without.
Taking the presented by the Massachusetts Commission on Lu-nacy, in 185 basis, and which will be found to correspond, in nearly
every respec the cond' · of the insane at the present time, we find
that of all the insane onlY.; one-sixOf" are curable, less than one-half
are in hospitals, and fully ir4have never enjoyed the recognized means
of treatment, while more an -thirds are suitable subjects for hospital guardianship. The apparent r sons for this state of things, lie in the hesi tancy and delay on the part uf friends in committing their insane to legiti mate care at an early period, when a large per centage might be restored to reason and usefulness; and in the want of capacity of existing hospitals, to meet the demand, thus restricting· admissions within narrow limits and leaving the great mass unprovided for. 'l'he public provisions fail to reach the vast majority of claimants; the acts establishing State asylums, either
8
by letter or in spirit, give precedence to the indigent insane and recent cases; the alien pauper, befoi;e the inderendent native. The inevitable re sult is, the retention of the latter class at home, until they become incura ble, either from reluctance of their friends to commit them to the promis· cuous associations of State hospitals, or from inability to meet the greater expense of maintenance at those institutions esta):>lished for the wealthy classes. Fina,lly, they are compelled to consign them to the tender mercies
of the jail or alms-house. As foreign immigration, and various caus·es in cident to the times, must rapidly increase pauperism and consequently in sanity, we can look for no abatement of the demand upon the State chari ties in the future. ·•rhe general plan of relief thus falling far short of what is required, compels a resort to special efforts to remedy, the evil.
'l'hrough an intelligent appreciation of' the exigency, as a laudable ex ample of practical benevolence, the Legislature has inc�rporated thisin stitution, under the name and title of the NEW BRIGHTON RETREAT for insane females, and donated, in promotion of its objects, the sum of five thousand dollars.
'J bus chartered it assumes a publfo character, and is properly subjected to public visitation and scrutiny. Originally dedicated to female education, its di version to a benign care of the same sex, whose reasoning faculties have become perverted through disease, seems especially appropriate.
It is located, as its title designates, in the bor,,ugh of New Brighton, on the east bank of the Hig Beaver, two miles above its junction with the Ohio; situated on the line of the Pittsburg, li't. Wayne and Chicago rail road, it is accessible from all directions by water, railway and telegraph; its natural advantages are unsurpassed; in a region abounding in coal, its
supply of fuel will al ways be abundant and cbea,p .Never failing springs
of soft water lie in the adjacent bills, and can be made available at a reasonable expense. The grounds are ample for ornamental and horticul-tural purposes. 'fbe surrounding scenery is varied, easant country
roads present unusual facilities for quiet drives an The main
building is a three story brick, with stone ent capacity
to accommodate forty patients c0mfortably om necessity, and for
con-venience, to this bas been recently adde«\a c I wing, also built of brick,
and two stories in height, containing t ater closets and bath rooms.
In addition to the ordinary cold and wa baths, the ascending and
de-scending douche, this department includes the warm air and. medicated.
baths for the more effectual tr.,atment of cutaneous and scrofulous com plications of bodily disorder.
'l'he principal design of the Retreat is to furnish to the so-called incurably insane 1emales of the independent class of our citizens a comfortable hume, where they may receive that individualized care and treatment so essential
9
to their well being, and which they cannot obtain except at greatly in creased expense in private families or ordinary public receptacles .
. 'l'here are certain classes of insane females necessarily shut out from the public institutions, who might find suitable care and treatment in a place like �his, _viz: those pregnant, and those whose nervous systems have be come shattered through the indiscreet use of alcoholic stimulants and nar
cotics.. The former, if ever admitted to our crowded hospitals are gener
ally discharged before the expiration of their term, whether improved or
not, and the latter are seldom benefited, unless under-the restraining in
tluenees of acknowledged authority. Special apartments and attendants might be placed at their disposal, without encroachment upon the comfort of others, or the ordinary discipline of the iRstitution.
In order to disah.use the public of the idea that the founders of the Re treat ha�e any other· than a benevolent object in view, it seems proper to say here, that although the property is of private ownership, it is yet only retained in trust; that every dollar appropriated or donated to it will be faithfully used to promote its interests, with the ulterior design of obtaining, by subscription, sufficient funds to erect a central building, and another wing to correspond with the present structure; the whole to have a capa city for one hundred and fifty or two hundred patients.
In the language of our worthy State Executive, in his late message, "houses of refuge, and in�ane, blind, and deaf and d0umb asylums, appear to be proper subjects of State bounty, because their objects are of public importance, and to be useful, and well and economically managed, it seems to be' necessary that they should be more extensive than would be required for the wants of a single county."
If adequate means could be obtained for its permanent endowment, the "free bed" system, so happily introduced into some institutions, might be
erous class of our citizens benefited, whose burthens sent arrangement of high charges or pauper
prefer-ence are oppr P1ean those of moderate means and the destitute.
Many have m • s educ · and are not wanting in sensibility; many
discharged from our 8tute as incurable are of this class; in health,
intelligent and useful. T ealthy can always find accommodation in
the institutions which rec e pa: patients, as whatever be the expense they can meet.it, but the mode e farmer or artizan, dependent upon bis daily labor for his own and his family's support, c!frt only meet such outlays at greatly increased sacrifice, or failing in this, is placed under the necessity
of consigning, perhaps the nearest and dearest object of his affections, to
associations whieh bis very soul loathes.
The following table exhibits, in a condensed form, the personal statistics of the Retreat. Receiving but one sex, the number of applications, of
10
course, will be somewhat limited, until its existence and objects shall be come more generally known. Admission has been sought for a suffi cient number of males to make up our full complement, under the impres sion that the institution is general in its character. Although intended solely for female cases of chronic insanity, a few of recent orgin have been received, and the gratifying results of their treatment, as well as the hu manity of affording every facility for speedy recovery to such persons, in dicate the propriet of continuing to extend the benefits to suitable sub jects of this class, u.ntil the Retreat shall be filled with those for whom it was originally intended. By reference to the table it will be seen that two· persons have been discharged as recovered, and three of those remaining in the House, are represented as presenting favorable indications. One of these,
a young lady of superior attainments, is now engaged in giving instra·ction
in German to pupils from the neighboring town, with profit to them and herself.
/
No. t S'l'ATIS'l'IC.AL TABLE. Ag I M ar ri ed or IF f . it I-A ccomp an yin g Bodil y l Dur at ion of In -T" I . R t t e. single. or m o msan y. Disorde r. sa nit y. 1me m e rea . Condition when removed . Pros pect of those remainin g. · -, _ 1 - - -- 1--- i1 - ---1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 14 Sin gle .... .. 4 years •..•••••• 2 years ...••••••..•• .••••.•••.••... • Unfavorable •. .. .•• 23 ..• do ... . 3 y ears ... 10 da ys ... . Stationar y ... .. .... ... . 25 ... do •..••• 7 y ears ... 16 months ... ... ; ... ... Unfavorable ...•• 62 Married ..• • ""• -� .•• ••••• , . ... .... 22 years .••.•••• 14 month s ..•• •• ..••..••.•••••.• . , .. Unfavorable •. ... •. 23 ... do ... . rola p. Uteri. ... 2 y ears... .. 2 months... Recovered .. ...•.••• ..•.•••...•• , .•. 45 ••• do ....••• Acne ... • • • • • • • • • • 6 y&.ars... 10 months .•••••..•• ..••...•.•••.• , • Unfavorable. , ••••• 50 85 25 28 22 31 23 85 .•. do •• ••• ' Dyspepsia ..••• •• •• • 3 years ...••. , •• 3 months. , ..•.• Recovered .. ..•.• ••• .••••••...••.••• ••• .•. do... Dy smenor rhooa ••• •.• 4 years .•.•••.•• 3 months ... M uch improved .... ... . . ... . Si ng le .. .... • • • • Uterine , ••••• , • . • • • 2 years... 3 months . , • • • • • Stationar y.. . . • • • • . • • • • • • . ..••..•••.•. .•. do.... • ... .... do ... ... ... ... 8 months ... 5 months .. .. ... ... ... .. ... Favorable ... . ... do... Menorrhagia ...••.•• 1 year... . 6 months ... ... .... .. .. Favorable ...•..••. Married.... Uterine ....•..•••• • 2 years ... . 1 week ... Stationar y ... .. ... ... . Sin gle. ... Sup pression., •.••••• 4 years ... 5 months ... .. ... ... . Unfavorable ... . Married .. ", Dysmenorrhooa.. .... 4 yeai:s ... 1 week... . . .. . . .. . . . • . . • • . . .. Favorable .. ...•
....
,...,
12
Twenty-five hundred dollars of the donation so appropriated to the Re treat by the Genaral Assembly last winter, have been drawn and expended in meeting approved liabilities. The bills, as audited and paid, are filed away, as vouchers, at this office.
In making provision for the insane, the extraordinany character of the wants to be provided for must be kept in view. To promote their comfort and insure their safety, perfect ventilation and immunity from fire are ne cessary. 'l.'he rooms here are as well ventilated as those of large houses, in general,. but heated by grates and stoves. It is desirable these should be re-placed by a suitable steam or bot water apparatus for warming purposes. A barn is also needed on the premises. The rooms for the patients need additional furnishing, and the_ water from the springs, mentioned above, should be brought ·into the House. .A.s the State is interestE'd in fostering all institutions of benevolence, it may afford to meet certain necessities of this institution set apart by private efforts for such objects. Viewing the matter in this light, we would respectfully suggest, that the Legislature be requested to make, during its present session, an appropriation of ten thou sand dollars ($10,000) to meet these several wants.
Our gratitude is due Messrs. R. L. BAKER and J. HENRICI, Trustees of the
Harmony society, for a donation to the Retreat, of fifty dollars cash, and a
choice variety of bulbous roots.
To the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne and Chicago raikoad company, for a bell,
value seventy-five dollars.
To JosnuA HANNA, Esq., of Pittsburg, for twenty dollars.
'l'o JAM.Es Woons, Esq., of Pittsburg, for five dollars.
To Lrnu'l.'. CLoN, of Beaver county, for ten dollars.
'l'hese and many minor gifts show the interest which the enterprise has already awakened in the hearts of individuals, and foreshadow a more gen eral appreciation of its value, when its character sh
tablished.
With implicit confidence in an over-rulin that such labors of mercy will not be fully submit this, the first report of the R
NEW BaIGH'l.'ON, January 3, 1865.
nfirmed faith, ed, I respect
for your consideration .
. KENDRICK, Sup't.
