house and asks for a pound of sugar, another of coffee, and a quarter of a pound of spice. It is highly inconvenient to weigh out these commodities in small parcels and there is apt to be much merriment among the clerks arid salesmen at such a demand, as they refer the innocent stranger from one to another.

So there is something excessively incongruous in a large, close asylum in the request of one patient to have his little personal wishes taken into account, a meal served at an odd hour, to keep his trunk in his room, to be allowed his purse in his pocket, or for a dog, or a cat, or a bird to be permitted in the ward, and yet we all know that it is just such little personal privileges or comforts that make life agreeable, and the vast majority of insane people do not differ in appreciation of these matters from ourselves. Now!consider an institution which possesses a number of different buildings for its patients, which has an infirmary ward for the sick and delicate, a paroled ward for those who can be trusted, a refractory ward where all who need it can be more securely kept, and all of these separated and under different and specially adapted management, it will be seen that some patients can have a little change in their pockets, occasionally one can have a bite "between meals" if the doctor thinks best, even a dog or a " harmless necessary cat" can be kept in a building with a door yard and a basement, without demoralizing the entire establishment. I do not say that some of these things cannot be done in a close Hospital, but that they are vastly more difficult in the latter, I do say from experience of both. And it is according to the spirit of our institutions to give even the insane pauper his just due, to supply him with the commodities which his individual condition requires, in small parcels, to provide for all reasonable needs and requests of the least as well as the greatest pensioner upon the bounty of the state. This is at least the sentiment of our laws and the desire bf our people. The state, however erring its agents, permits no injustice or partiality, but proceeds upon the theory of ideal and poetical justice for all, re

?uiring that to be as nearly attained as human imperection will admit. Henoe, more is often expected than is, or can be performed, and censure unstinted often falls, whether undeserved or merited, upon those who assume the difficult responsibilities; while the difficulties encountered and vast and almost incalculable benefit which every institution, even if not ideally perfect, gives by succor to the insane and relief to their families, by kind and careful custody, remain almost unappreciated. But

hence, also, there is a never failing stimulus toward increasing great perfection.

Separate or detached buildings for the insane in the United States have only come into use to even a slight extent at a comparatively recent period. An urgent, popular call has been kept up for them for many years. The example of some foreign asylums and methods adopted began long since to be cited, in which cheaper and more homely structures were thought to render the insane more comfortable and equally as secure as in our own especial type of linear asylum; and a demand for " cottages" for the insane was commenced and has continued. It may be admitted that this was in some sense an unthinking demand, and the popular clamor had an element of ignorance in it, but it had also an element of strength, because it had a truth in it, and this truth was that the insane did not all require the same surroundings, or the same kind of a dwelling, but that there were great varieties and a vast diversity of needs represented among them.

Another element was powerful in denionstrating that a new type of house was needed and could be employed for the insane. The immense number to be provided for, caused an overflow from various asylums into any cheap, simple, temporary building that could by any means be appropriated to their use, and remodeled farm houses, disused factories and schools, as well as wooden barracks, temporarily provided, were appropriated to their use. Finally, jiumerous disastrous conflagrations led to the occupation of various odd and out of the way buildings, and the surprising thing about the use of all these was, that the insane seemed to like better and be more comfortable often, in the veriest wooden shed, than they had before been in the well built, completely and even elegantly furnished s< corridor" of the three or four story main building, and while more of contentment was obtained, there was no counteracting increase in expense or danger; so that many such buildings, meant at first to be only temporary, were retained and fitted up for permanent use.

Thus the force of "segregation" came into marked operation, and is at the present time moving to considerable modifications of asylums already built, and to selection of plans embracing detached buildings for the insane in many states, as for example, in the fitting up for permanent occupation of the barrack erected at the Southern Illinois Hospital for the Insane, after the destruction of one wing by fire; the recent adoption of

plans for new institutions with detached buildings, both in Indiana and Ohio, as well as addition of provision of this kind to a large number of older institutions in all parts of our country.

Now to briefly recapitulate the line of thought which it is sought to present in the foregoing pages; it is somewhat as follows:

1. Institutions for the insane were at first only founded for public relief and without the idea of benefit to the insane.

2. It has always been a too general impression that the insane were essentially different from the sane in everything; instead of the fact being recognized that they possess natural traits and activities which are however through the 'agency of disease modified, wrongly directed or held in abeyance, and this mistake has* been very mischievous in its effect upon the provision made for them, preventing the supplying of a natural and domestic abode adapted to the varying severity of different degrees and kinds of insanity.

3. The essential difference between an Institution for the insane and all other institutions, in confining and controlling those who are held prisoners without being guilty of any offense, and who are entitled to the utmost privileges and consideration of their wants, without possessing in the eye of the law or in the exercise of reason the ability to enforce their claims — this difference was long overlooked but has of late come to be more fully appreciated.

4. Gradually insanity has been recognized as a disease and hospitals founded mainly for curative treatment and the congregate asylum has been developed, admirable for its purpose but not calculated for universal adaptation to the entire body of the insane.

5. Finally the infinite variations among the insane in the manifold forms of their disease, in the degree of reason and self-control, or characterizing different groups, in station in life, in complications caused by crime, drunkenness and epilepsy, are beginning to be more fully understood by public and medical profession, and a variety is being introduced in the erection of buildings as to location and internal arrangement by which an appropriate environment for each and all is sought to be attained, while at the same time the opinion gains ground that the domestic or " segregate " as contrasted with the " congregate" or "institution" idea should prevail for a large proportion in providing for them economical and substantial buildings with as much of the houselike and homelike character as in each instance the fact of insanity would permit.

The Chairman: As our friend Mr. Mills is going away this evening, and will not be with us to-night, I know that the meeting would like to hear a few words from him before we adjourn:

Mr. Mills: I wish to explain the cause of the great mortality among the convicts. The people of North Carolina were very anxious to build a railroad to connect the Atlantic and the Mississippi. We had worked for several years to try to get it built, and had not, and one William J. Best said he would build the road for us under certain conditions. He had plenty of money, which we had not, and he proposed to build the road in a certain time, if we would give him 500 convicts during that time. The Legislature made a contract with him. Of course he agreed that they should have food and clothing; and these convicts were sent up in the mountains to work, three thousand feet above the level of the sea, where the climate is severe. They had to work in the winter time, and a great many of them contracted pneumonia and coi^sumption, and died. There is one peculiarity of a negro, when he is healthy he is well all over, and when he is sick he is sick all over. While he lives he lives in clover, and when he dies he dies all over. The railroad has never been finished, and the next legislature will let it to somebody else.

I am pleased to say that since our last meeting our State has made some progress in her charitable work. I have been taking some steps in the direction of an institution for the feeble-minded children, also. I have not been able to push it forward as rapidly as I desired, but a suitable tract of land has been given for that purpose, and I have found some people willing to give the money to put up a proper building. I hope, when this convention meets again, we will have an institution for feeble-minded children.

Mr. Scarboro, of North Carolina: I shall go home this evening, and as this is the last time I will be in the Convention, I wish to express my great gratification at having come here. I will go home with a great deal of interest that I did not have before. I trust I shall be with you again next year.

The following reports were then referred to the Publication Committee, without reading:

REPORT OF THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.

BY T. J. MOORE.

The state of South Carolina has no State Board of Public Charities. Owing to her peculiar domestic institution, and the arrangements engendered thereby, of a few years past, but little want was felt for such, and but little attention was paid thereto. The changed relations,, however, of late years, are bringing the subject of Charities and Corrections prominently be fore the minds of her people.

Besides the county jails and State Penitentiary, there are no Houses or Institutions of Correction.

The charitable institutions of the state are the " County Poor Houses," "The State Lunatic Asylum" and the "Institution for the Education of the Deaf and Dumb and the Blind," all of which are supported by the public, the last two by state appropriations, and are overseen by Boards elected by the Legislature in the one case, and by appointment in that of the other.

The effort is being made to place these State Institutions on a high plane — abreast of the spirit of the age, and in this respect we feel proud of the success that has attended our efforts. We confess, however, that in the management of county poor houses we fall far short of our duty.

Short reports from the Superintendent of the Penitentiary, Lunatic Asylum, and the Institution for Deaf, Dumb and Blind, marked, respectively, "A/ ' "B" and " C," accompany this report, to which your attention is more fully called. These officers are all here as members of this convention, and will gladly give you any information in their power.