USA > New York > Kings County > Brooklyn > The civil, political, professional and ecclesiastical history, and commercial and industrial record of the county of Kings and the city of Brooklyn, N. Y., from 1683 to 1884 Volume I > Part 118
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By a recent enactment of the Legislature, the Board of Supervisors were empowered to elect Commissioners of Charities in the place of the said Powell, Ferguson and Wills. The election was held July 5th, 1874, and after a long and sharp contest, resulted in the election of Hassan H. Wheeler, Commissioner of Charities of Kings County from the 2nd District ; John Raber, as such Commissioner from the 3rd District, and of Win- ent E. Bennett from the 5th District.
August 18th, further complaint was made as to the manner in which the Commissioners of Charities dis- charged the duties of their office in relation to the County Lunatic Asylum, Almshouse and other institu- tions under their charge, and the Board of Supervisors appointed a committee of six to investigate the truth of these charges.
November 12th, on the coming in of the report of said committee, a resolution was adopted by the Board of Supervisors authorizing the employment of counsel, with instructions to commence suit promptly against the Commissioners of Charities, and their sureties for the recovery to the county treasury of certain deficien- cies in their accounts.
At the annual clection held in November, 1874, Dr. Thomas P. Norris was elected Commissioner of Chari- tics for the 2d District. The annual report of the
498a
HISTORY OF KINGS COUNTY.
Commissioners for the year ending July 31, 1874, gives the following table :
Alms- house
Hospital.
Nursery.
Asylum.
Total.
Remaining at date of last report.
439
373
344
718
Admitted during the year.
1,704
2,853
574
338
1,874 5,469
Total.
2,143
3,226
918
1,056
7,343
Died and discharged.
1,522
2,906
545
305
5,278
Remaining July 31, 1874 ..
621
320
373
751
2,065
Temporary relief .
36,411
Foundlings, &c., boarded out
37
Institutions. 7,343
Total for year ending July 31, 1874. 43,791
Average number in the institutions during the year was 2,175; total amount of bills paid, $445,463.56; total amount of receipts, $19,577.61.
The Commissioners at the date of said report were John Cunningham, John J. Scott Hassen, H. Wheeler, John Raber, Winant E. Bennett. The three latter were appointed in place of Cornelius Ferguson, Henry Wills and S. H. Powell, removed.
Dr. P. L. Schenck, physician of the County Hospital, for the year ending July 31, 1874, reports : Among other things, that alcoholismus (which includes delirium tremens) numbered during the year ending July 31, 1874, 172 cases, showing an increase' over the number of the previous year of 36. Lead poisoning, which was spoken of in the last report, shows a still greater increase, the number of cases being 64.
The Doctor's report contains the following: Remaining July 31, 1873, males, 188; females, 185; total, 373; admitted during the year, males, 1,579 ; females, 1,274 ; total. 2,853; discharged recovered, males, 1,210; females, 1,008; total, 2,218; discharged improved, males, 184; females, 144; total, 328 ; discharged un- improved, males, 54; females, 33 ; total, 87; died, males, 157; females, 116; total, 273; remaining July 31, 1874, males, 162 ; females, 158; total, 320; decrease, 296.
In November, 1873, Dr. Edward R. Chapin, Medical Superintendent of the Lunatic Asylum, resigned his office, after a long and faithful service of more than six- teen years, during which he had won for himself the esteem of his officers and subordinates, the respect and love of his patients ; and for the Asylum a char- acter, a name and fame of which the County of Kings may justly feel proud. Dr. C. F. MACDONALD was ap- pointed Medical Superintendent in place of Dr. Chapin, and Dr. Archibald Campbell was promoted to the position of first assistant physician ; these gentlemen stood high in their profession, and the subsequent condition of the Asylum under their care bears in dubitable testimony to their skill and efficiency.
The Doctor complains of the overcrowded state of the Asylum, and suggests improvements for its relief. His annual report contains the following : Patients in Asylum August 1, 1873, males, 287; females, 431; total, 718; patients admitted during year, males, 177; females, 161; total, 338; discharged recovered,
males, 62; females, 52; total, 114; discharged improved, males, 37; females, 41; total, 78; discharged unimproved, males, 23; females, 16; total, 39; died, males, 40; females, 34; total, 74; whole number discharged, males, 162; females, 143; total, 305; remaining July 31, 1874, males, 302; females, 409; total, 751; number of employees, males, 37; females, 51; total, 88.
The report of Mr. John Driscoll, Superintendent of the Kings County Nursery, for the year 1874, shows the continued pros- perity of this interesting department of the poor establishment, in all its branches. The report recommends the erection of a Gymnasium for the boys, the enlargement of the garden for the occupation of the boys able to work therein.
It shows. that calisthenics was introduced during the year with marked success. It speaks in high terms of the two Sun- day schools in the Nursery, the Catholic and the Protestant. The report of the Commissioners concludes with the following resume :
CHILDREN.
ADULTS.
TOTAL.
Males.
Females.
Males.
Females.
Remaining
July
31, 1873
198
108
8
30
344
Admitted
during
year.
320
184
6
64
574
Total
518
292
14
94
918
Discharged during year
267
170
5
59
501
Died during year.
21
23
44
Total
288
193
5
59
545
Remaining
July
31, 1874
230
99
9
35
373
Increase of 29 during the year.
At the annual election, November, 1875, Bernard Bogan was elected a Commissioner of Charities for the 1st District of Kings County.
From the annual report of the Commissioners of Charities for the year ending July 31, 1875, we take the following :
Alms-
house.
Hospital.
Nursery.
Asylum.
Total.
Remaining at date of last re- port .
603
320
373
751
2,047
Admitted and born during the year
1,820
3,010
728
318
5,876
Total
2,423
3,330
1,101
1,069
7,923
Died and discharged during the year
1,796
2,961
640
303
5,700
Whole number relieved
35,850
Foundlings boarded out Institutions
7,923
Total number relieved, either wholly or in part, during the year ending July 31, 1875, 43,773; average number in the insti- tutions during the year, 2,182; the highest number in the insti- tutions during the year was on the 2d February, 1875, 2,305; the lowest number was on the 22d September, 1874, 2,062; total amount of paid bills, $523,588.68; total amount of receipts, $20,700.61.
499a
THE COMMISSIONERS OF CHARITIES.
The Commissioners of Charities for the year ending July 31, 1875, were John Cunningham, John Raber, Tbos. P. Norris, Bernard Midas, Harmon V. Storms.
The annual report of Dr. P. L. Schenck, Medical Superintend- ent of the Kings County Hospital, shows the statistics of that in- stitution for the ycar ending July 31, 1875, as follows :
Remaining July 31st, 1874, males, 162; females, 158; total, 320; admitted during year, males, 1,608; females, 1,402; total, 3,010; total, males, 1,770; females, 1,560; total, 3,330; discharged recovered, males, 1,206; females, 1,054; total, 2,260; discharged improved, males, 140; females, 149; total, 289; discharged un- improved, males, 53; females, 41; total, 94; died, males, 198; fe- males, 120; total, 318; total, males, 1,597; females, 1,364; total, 2,961; remaining July, 1875, males, 173; females, 196 ; total, 369; total number under treatment for the year ending July 31st, 1873, 3,521; total number under treatment for the year ending July 31st, 1874, 3,225; total number under treatment for the year ending July 31st, 1875, 3,338.
The total number of patients admitted shows an increase of 157 over the number of last year. Two thousand three hundred and thirty-five of the said patients were foreigners, 1,319 of wbom were from Ireland, 901 from Germany, 201 from Sweden, 53 from England, 41 from Scotland, &c. During the year re- ferred to there was held, in the Hospital, on Friday afternoon of each week, a surgical clinic, attended by many members of the outside profession, not only of great advantage to the patients, but a source of instruction to the Hospital staff. During the year an investigating Board of the Supervisors visited the Hospital several times, unanimously expressing themselves more than sat- isfied with tbe manner in which this institution was conducted in all its parts.
Dr. James H. Blanchard, Medic il Superintendent of the County Lunatic Asylum during the last year, reports as fol- lows :
Patients in Asylum August 1st, 1874, males, 302; females, 449; total, 51; patients admitted during the year, males, 149; fe- males, 169; total, 318; whole number under treatment, males, 451; females, 618, total, 1,069; discharged recovered, males, 49; females, 60; total, 109; discharged improved, males, 36; fe- males, 43; total 79; discharged unimproved, males, 16; females, 18; total, 34; died, males, 45; females, 36; total, 81; whole nun- ber discharged, males, 146; females, 157; total, 303; remaining July 31, 1875, males, 305; females, 461; total, 766; number of employees, males, 33, females, 48; total, 81.
.During the year one homicide occurred, but no suicides. The asylum was at the time very much overcrowded.
The annual report of the Superintendent of the Nursery, Mr. Bernard Bogan, for the fiscal year ending July 31, 1875, presents a most encouraging condition of that interesting department of the poor establishment of the county.
An industrial school was organized during the year, in which tailoring, shoemaking and printing were taught, with manifest success. The garden continues not only to be a source of pleas- ure to the boys who conduct it, but a source of profit to the in- stitution. Tbe school of the establishment has come to be of very great importance, an institution of learning for children, of which the county may well be proud. The school-room is cheer- ful and comfortable; the children are divided into eight classes, and many of them in the higher classes show a proficiency in their studies creditable to their teachers and any institution of learning. Besides the usual branches taught in schools, singing by note has been successfully introduced. Calisthenics and spelling matches formed useful and entertaining exercises. A Roll of Honor was instituted, which greatly stimulated tbe chil- dren in their studies. During the year there were 503 admitted to the school, 253 promoted during the same time, the average attendance being 267.
The following shows the number admitted during the year :
CHILDREN.
ADULTS.
TOTAL.
Males.
Females.
Males.
Females.
Remaining July 31, 1874. .
230
99
9
35
373
Admitted
during
year.
364
265
24
75
728
Total
594
364
33
110
1,101
Discharged.
297
215
19
64
595
Died .
32
13
45
Total
329
228
19
64
640
Remaining 31, 1875.
July
265
136
14
46
461
By an aet of Legislature, May 15th, 1876, the Board of Supervisors were permitted to raise a sum, not ex- ceeding $16,000, to meet the defieieney in the salary account of the Commissioners of Charities. Previous to the passage of this aet, and on April 19th, 1876, the following preamble and resolution was introduced and adopted by the Board of Supervisors:
"Whereas, The appropriation for supplies for this year was $160,000, and the amount expended for only eight months was $133,000; and unless a reduction of expenses be made immedi- ately, the whole appropriation will be exhausted long before the expiration of the fiscal year; therefore be it
Resolved, That it is the duty of tbe Commissioners of Cbarities to discontinue all supplies of dry-goods, milk, eggs, butter, sugar and any other articles not of absolute necessity, except in the cases of infants and invalids; and that in all such cases the supplies of such articles be furnished only on requisition of the physician-in-chief, naming tbe persons for whom the same are required, and the quality of the article mentioned, and that all such requisitions be numbered in regular order, dated, and en- tered in a book to be provided for that purpose."
It having come to the knowledge of the Board of Supervisors that there was a deficieney of $18,577.15 in the accounts of the Commissioners of Charities, making their pay-roll for the year ending July 31st, 1876, $103,577. 15, and there being raised and appro- priated for that purpose by the Supervisors ouly $85,000, on June 7th, 1876, a committee, appointed by the Supervisors to examine into this matter, made a report, which was duly acecpted:
" That there is no authority in the law for the Commissioners exceeding the amount of said appropriation, and that an examin- ation of their pay-rolls shows that, had they desired to, they could easily have kept within that amount; that it is impossible to quietly permit such action on the part of the Commissioners of Charities; that it would be no more than just retribution to hold the said Commissioners responsible personally for this deficiency."
The practice of receiving pauper lunatics indiscrimi- nately into the County Asylum had overcrowded that institution to such an extent that Section 6, Artiele 1st, Chapter 446 of the Laws of 1874, which provided
500a
HISTORY OF KINGS COUNTY.
" that no persons should be admitted to the Asylum unless committed thereto by the County Judge or Sur- rogate," was now rigidly enforced; therefore the Com- missioners of Charities took immediate steps to dis- charge from the County Asylum, as fast as due regard for humanity and the proprieties of the case would admit, all persons, not paupers, not lawfully entitled to remain in said Asylum ; and that after the 2d day of August, 1876, no person, not a pauper, could be received into said Asylum unless by competent judicial authority. This, of course, excluded all non-resident lunatics from the Asylum.
In their annual report for the year ending July 31, 1876, the Commissioners say that the new Hospital for Incurables is now nearly completed, and will accommodate a large number of that class of patients. That there were remaining in the poor estab- lishment at the date of their last report: Almshouse, 640; hos- pital, 369; asylum, 766; total, 1,775; admitted and born during year, almshouse, 2,165; hospital, 3,901; asylum, 314; total, 6,380; died and discharged, almshouse, 2,044; hospital, 3,959; asylum, 270; total, 6,273; remaining July 31, 1876, almshouse, 761; hos- pital, 311; asylum, 810; total, 1,882 ; number relieved, 44,208; foundlings, etc., boarded out, 50; cared for in the institutions, 8,155; total number relieved wholly or in part, 52,413; average number in the institutions, 2,135; the highest number in during year was on August 3, 1875, 2,317; the lowest number was July 11, 1876, 1,944.
Total amount of department bills, $388,692.90 ; total amount of receipts, $21,221.98.
The Commissioners of Charities for this year were Thomas P. Norris, Bernard Bogan, John Raber, Bernhart Midas, Harmon V. Strong. At the annual election in November, 1876, Bernhart Midas was elected Commissioner of Charities for the 1st Dis- trict for the ensuing year.
Dr. James A. Blanchard, Medical Superintendent of the Luna- tic Asylum for the year ending July 31, 1876, reports that such was the increase of patients in the Asylum (there being at one time 816) it seemed almost impossible to find accommodations for them; that frequently newly arrived patients were obliged to wait two or three days, or until a vacancy occurred, before they could be admitted. That in a population of 500,000 people, there is an average number of 800 persons classed as insane. In other words, 16 in every 10,000 of the population of the county were under treatment for lunacy; that there was no doubt that within the next decade not less than 1,200 of these unfortunates would be consigned to the care of the county authorities. The necessity of constructing another asylum was earnestly set forth. The report further shows that a very large increase of the general library has been made, for which the Asylum was largely under obligations to Gilbert Hicks, Esq., of Flatbush, the custodian of the "Graham Fund." The report also pleasantly refers to the visit of a committee from the State Board of Public Charities and to their donations. It also speaks highly of the weekly surgical clinic in the Asylum for the past year. The Doctor recommended that action be taken to restrict, in a measure, and regulate the visiting of the Asylum, which had become a positive detriment to the patients. "Large numbers of people," he says, "come here out of morbid curiosity, as to a menagerie, and the result cannot but be, and is, injurious to the inmates. The day after visiting day the excited condition of the patients is apparent to the most casual observer." This report gives the following sta- tistical account of the Asylum for the year ending July 31, 1876:
Patients in Asylum August 1, 1875, males, 305; females, 461; total, 766; patients admitted during the year, males, 154; fe- males, 160; total, 314; whole number under treatment, males, 459; females, 621; total, 1,080; discharged recovered, males, 66;
females, 49; total, 115; discharged improved, males, 28; females, 34; total, 62; discharged unimproved, males, 15; females, 16; total, 31; died, males, 27; females, 35; total, 62 ; whole number discharged, males, 136; females, 134; total, 270; remaining July 31, 1876, males, 323; females, 487; total, 810; whole number of employees, male, 32; female, 48; total, 80.
Dr. P. L. Schenck, Medical Superintendent of the Kings County Hospital, for the year ending July 31, 1876, gives the fol- lowing as to the number of persons, etc., in the Hospital during the year:
Remaining July 31, 1875, males, 173; females, 196; total, 369; admitted during the year, males, 2,203; females, 1,698; total, 3,901; total number under treatment, males, 2,376; females, 1,894; total, 4,270; discharged recovered, males, 1,667; females, 1,331; total, 2,908 ; discharged improved, males, 204; females] 194; total, 400; discharged unimproved, males, 26; females, 21; total, 47; died, males, 320; females, 194; total, 514; total dis- charged, males, 2,218; females, 1,741; total, 3,959; remaining July 31, 1876, males, 158; females, 153; total, 311; total num- ber under treatment for the year ending July 31, 1874, 3, 225; total number under treatment for the year ending July 31, 1875, 3,338; total number under treatment for the year ending July 31, 1876, 4,270.
This report shows an increase of 2.6 per cent. in the death rate of the institution. There were 92 deaths from small-pox ; 76 patients were removed to the Lunatic Asylum. The total number of patients admitted during the year shows an in- crease of 891 over the last year. That of the 4,270 patients treated, all were foreigners excepting 909. There were 141 chil- dren born; of the mothers, 71 were married and 67 single; of the 71 married mothers all were Americans.
There is no report this year of the Nursery, changes having taken place which virtually abolished that insti- tution. One of the principal causes for these results was the completion of the Brooklyn Industrial School Association and Home for Destitute Children, in Butler Street, near Flatbush Avenue. On September 2, 1875, Dr. Norris, President of the Commission of Chari- ties, received notice from Mrs. Jessie C. Smith, first Directress of the above association, that this Home was ready to receive as many children from the Kings County Nursery as the Commissioners of Charities might think proper to send them at $4 each per month, subject to the rules for the government of the Home. In accordance with this, most of the children were re- moved ; and, under the importunate demands of the medical superintendent of the Lunatic Asylum for in- creased accommodation for that institution, the Nur- sery building was altered into a Hospital for Incurables, ae well as for defective children, &c., who could not be cured.
Notwithstanding the rules adopted against the ad- mission of non-residents of Kings County into the Poor establishment, the practice existed to a large ex- tent ; whereupon, in November, 1876, the following resolution was adopted by the Supervisors :
" Resolved, That the Commissioners of Charities be and they are hereby directed to furnish promptly to this Board the number and names of inmates of the Almshouse, Lunatic Asylum, Hos- pital and Nursery, at Flatbush, who have no legal residence in Kings County, and the date of their admission into the several institutions."
This very important resolution was unanimously
501a
THE COMMISSIONERS OF CHARITIES.
adopted. The reader will soon learn to what extent it was obeyed.
We have already referred to the regulation requiring the physicians in charge of the Lunatic Asylum to dis- charge therefrom all non-residents, which was one of the results of this resolution.
Early in January, 1877, the following resolution was adopted :
" Resolved, That the Commissioner of Charities for the 1st district be, and he hereby is, respectfully requested to com. mence the distribution of coal to the poor of said district at the earliest possible moment."
This resolution, authorized by law, was passed at a time which will be remembered by many as a period of great suffering among the poor of that district. The resolution was some days afterwards so amended as to embrace the other districts.
April 4th, 1877, a very important matter was brought before the Supervisors and the Commissioners of Chari- ties, the result of the action of certain shrewd politi- cians-employees of the Board of Charities-in bringing inmates of the almshouse to take part in certain poli- tical meetings in Gravesend, with a view to influence and control their action, showing how difficult it is to divorce politics from such institutions. The prompt action of the Supervisors touching the matter, denounc- ing the practice " as entirely unwarranted by law, or by a proper regard for decency," was warmly commended by the citizens of the county.
June 28th, 1877. The Commissioners of Charities having failed to send in, according to law, any estimate of the amount required for salaries, or for improve- ments, or for alterations to the buildings and grounds of the Poor establishments, though it was well known such improvements were contemplated, the Supervisors passed a resolution reprimanding the neglect of the Commissioners in the discharge of their duties. The frequent collision between the Supervisors and the Board of Charities was fast leading to that radical change in the Poor establishment of the county which led to the present system, under which it is conducted at this writing.
The annual report of the Commissioners for the year ending July 31st, 1877, is a paper of considerable length and ability : "It behooves," says this report, " those in authority, as well as all other citizens, to as- sist in solving the question : 'How shall this depart- ment of public charities be managed so as to do the greatest good to the unfortunate and indigent among us, and at the same time avoid imposing onerous bur- dens on the taxpayers?'" We cannot refrain from in- serting here the ingenious, apparently mild, but pal- pable hit which the Commissioners give the Board of Supervisors and others in interfering with their man- agement of the poor establishment of the county. After pleasantly stating that those who were charged with the management of charity affairs are better able
to judge of the manner in which they should discharge their duties than any other persons, and that they should, therefore, be invested with full power to deal with the matter, and all questions which arise in doing so, they say: "Public officials who have charge of charity affairs always find it difficult to do justice to themselves or their public trusts while acting with shackled hands." This is the only allusion in the report to some unpleasant matters which had occurred thus far during the year. The report continues as follows :
Remaining at the date of last report, Alms-house, 811; Hospi- tal, 271; Asylum, 810; total, 1,892; admitted and born during the year, Alms-house, 2,301; Hospital, 3,244; Asylum, 318; Home for Incurables, 313; total, 6,176; died and discharged during the year, Alms-house, 2,294; Hospital, 3,184; Asylum, 496; Home for Incurables, 24; total, 5,998; remaining July 31, 1817, Alms- house, 818; Hospital, 331; Asylum, 632; Home for Incurables, 289; total, 2,070; employees, Alms-house, 8; Hospital, 46; Asy- lum, 85; Home for Incurables, 21; total, 160 ; number tempor- arily relieved, 46,330; cared for in the institutions, 8,068; total number relieved wholly or in part during year ending July 31, 1877, 54,398; average number in institutions, 2,226; highest num- ber during year was on January 16, 1877, 2,406; lowest number August 15, 1876, 1,988; total amount of bills paid and due, $440,025.52; receipts, $17,679.97.
The Commissioners of Charities this year were Thomas P. Nor- ris, Bernard Bogan, John Raber, Bernard Midas, H. V. Storm.
The annual report of Dr. P. L. Schenck, Medical Superinten- dent of Kings County Hospital, is, as usual, able and succinct. There were :
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