Rules and Regulations of the Insane Asylum of California Prescribed by the Resident Physician, August 1, 1861

Part 2

Chapter 22,391 wordsPublic domain

11. On Mondays and Thursdays the Attendants shall collect all clothing designed for the wash, and deliver the same, with lists thereof, to the Supervisors, at the assorting rooms, and on Wednesdays and Saturdays they will assist the Overseers of the laundry to assort the clothing, and place the articles of each ward to themselves for the inspection of the Supervisors, who will compare them with the washing lists and make their return thereon.

ASSISTANTS.

1. The Assistants will be employed with the Attendants in the care of the patients, their rooms, clothing, etc.; they will be under the immediate direction and control of the Attendants; and they are expected to observe with care the rules prescribed for the management of the patients, and the government of the Asylum.

MEALS.

1. The meals of the patients shall be served promptly at the following hours:

_Breakfast._ _Dinner._ _Supper._

December, } January, } 7 A. M. 1 P. M. 7 P. M. February. }

March, } April, } May, } 6 1/2 A. M. 12 1/2 P. M. 6 1/2 P. M. September, } October, } November. }

June, } 6 A. M. 12 P. M. 6 P. M. July, } August. }

2. The Attendants are required to see that their patients are properly prepared for their meals; that their faces are washed, hair combed, and clothing adjusted, that each may present a cleanly and orderly appearance.

3. At meals the Attendants shall always be present to carve, to distribute the food, to see that each one has a proper supply, and that they all take their meals in a proper manner. Each shall be supplied with such liberal allowance as the nature of the case may require, but all waste, gluttony, or improper habits at the table shall be mildly checked by the Attendants. They shall be allowed time to take their meals at leisure--habits of eating differ, and all (the old particularly) should have time to eat without hurry.

4. Food that has been handled, or rendered unfit for use, shall be sent back in a receptacle provided for the purpose, but whatever is fit to be served in another form shall be carefully laid aside for future consumption.

5. Some very plain food should be kept in the dining-room closets, for the use of those whose meals may have been interrupted, or for old persons, or for convalescent patients, who sometimes require food oftener than under ordinary circumstances.

6. Care must be taken that no patient carries away from the table a knife, fork, spoon, or any article of food, and, to be sure of this, the knives, forks and spoons should be counted after each meal, and search be made for any lost article.

WATCHMAN.

1. The duties of the Watchman will commence at half-past seven o'clock, P. M., at which time he will visit the office to receive instructions for the night.

2. He is expected, while on duty, to be faithful and vigilant; to visit every part of the male department, and the outer walls of the female department, at least every hour during the night, making as little noise as possible, never conversing in a loud tone, and opening and shutting the doors as quietly as possible.

3. He is expected to be kind, gentle and soothing in his manners to the patients, and use every means in his power to tranquilize those who are excited, and to allay the fears and apprehensions of the timid; he will pay particular attention to the sick, the suicidal, and those recently admitted; will see that the patients are properly supplied with water, when it is asked for, and will attend to all other reasonable wants; will notice any unusual noise in the patients' rooms, endeavor to ascertain the cause, and, if necessary, report the same to the Attendant; he will notice anything unusual occurring during the night, and enter the same on a slate provided for the purpose, and he shall report any irregularities, neglect of duty, or violation of rules, which may come under his notice.

4. It will be the duty of the Watchman to look after the heating apparatus during the night; he must be very watchful against fire, and in case of its occurrence, must report immediately to the Superintendent and officers without giving general alarm; he shall keep the hose and fire-ladders always in good order, and in readiness for use; he shall ring the bell at the hour for rising in the morning, and he will be expected to perform such other duties as may be required of him. At six o'clock A. M., he will be relieved by the Porter, and his services will not be demanded again till the time for duty in the evening.

WATCHWOMAN.

1. The Watchwoman will have charge of the interior of the female department during the night, and in the management of the patients, and the discharge of other duties, will be governed by the rules and regulations laid down for the government of the Watchman.

PORTER.

1. The time of service of the Porter commences and ends in alternation with that of night watchman. Cleaning, heating and lighting the front rooms of the centre building belong to him; he shall see that the front windows and doors are kept secured during the day, and that visitors about the premises do not transgress the rules of propriety by talking with the patients at the windows.

2. He is expected to keep within the sound of the office bell, unless absent on duty; he shall attend to all messages, when required, and receive and conduct visitors--observing toward all the utmost politeness and attention; and he will be expected to perform such other duties as may be required of him.

GARDENER.

1. The Gardener, with the aid of such patients as can be taken out for that purpose, shall have the care of the orchard, garden, and grounds around the Asylum and Physician's house; he shall have charge of the cultivation of the vegetables, fruits and flowers, and he will be held responsible for their safe keeping and delivery at the Asylum, as directed, from time to time, by the Superintendent or Steward.

2. He shall keep a pass-book, in which shall be entered by the Steward, the number, weight or measurement of the products of the garden and orchard, delivered from time to time, to the Asylum and Physician's house, together with an accurate account of the time employed by the patients in his department of labor, and he shall report the same at the office every Saturday evening.

3. As the fruits and flowers are intended for the use of the patients, the Gardener is enjoined not to permit visitors or employees to pluck, or otherwise disturb them, without permission from the Superintendent or Assistant Physician.

CARPENTER.

1. The Carpenter, who is also Engineer, shall have charge of the work-shop, tools, etc., belonging to his department of labor; he shall, with his Assistants, who will be subject to his direction, attend to the repairs, alterations, and improvements made under the direction of the Superintendent or Steward; he shall also have charge of the engine-house, and tools connected therewith, and will be expected to run the engine as often as may be necessary to keep a full and ample supply of water in the tank for the daily and nightly use of the Asylum.

2. He shall keep a book in which shall be entered the amount of lumber used, and the time employed by himself and Assistants, together with the time employed by the patients, upon each item of labor in his department; he shall also keep, in the same book, the amount of fuel consumed, and the running time of the engine in pumping water, and in sawing wood and lumber.

3. He shall make a report to the Clerk every Saturday night, showing all the business and labor of his charge during the week.

OVERSEERS OF LAUNDRY.

1. The Overseers of the laundry will have charge of the house and furniture of the laundry; they will be held responsible for the safe-keeping of the clothing delivered to them, until they shall be washed, ironed and returned, in a suitable condition for immediate use, to the assorting room, and placed in the charge of the Supervisor.

2. They shall keep the house and furniture in good order, and see that everything is safely locked up at night; they shall observe the rules and regulations of the Institution, and see that they are observed by all who are employed under them, and shall report any remissness, or neglect of duty, to the Superintendent or Steward.

FARMER.

1. The Farmer, under the direction and control of the Steward, shall have under his immediate charge, the lands used for farming purposes; the farming implements, the horses, cattle, hogs, chickens and produce of the farm, together with the hay, grain, straw, etc., purchased and delivered at the Asylum.

2. He will keep a book, in which, under the head of GENERAL ACCOUNTS, he will charge the farm with, the wages paid for labor, and the labor performed by the patients; the cost of farming implements; the amount paid for blacksmithing; the grain, hay, bran, shorts, straw, etc., received; and all other articles or items, of expenditure for farming purposes. Under the same head, he will credit the farm with all products received; with the labor of himself and hands in making fences, gates, putting up buildings etc., together with all articles which may be sold.

3. He will also keep, in the same book, separate accounts under the following heads--FOR THE ASYLUM: FOR HOGS: FOR CATTLE, ETC. On account for the Asylum he will charge every article of produce, grain, hay, straw, etc., together with the pork, beef, veal, chickens, etc., delivered from time to time, to the Steward, for the use of the Asylum and the Physician's house; and credit the Asylum with every article, of whatever nature or kind, purchased by the Steward and placed in his keeping. On account for hogs he will charge--amount paid for sows, pigs, shoats, etc.; amount paid for grain fed per day; amount paid for butchering; and amount paid for any expenses not included in the above. He will credit the number and weight of hogs sold, and the amount of pork supplied. On account for cattle he will charge--amount paid for cattle purchased; amount paid for grain, hay, shorts, bran, etc., fed per day, and the amount of any other expenditure incurred for cattle. He will credit--the quantity of milk and butter obtained daily, and the number and weight of cattle fatted and killed, including the hides and tallow.

4. As the Farmer will be held responsible for the safe keeping of all grain, hay, straw, bran, shorts, cattle, hogs, horses, farming implements, or anything else connected with the farm, the Steward will see that no such article is left at the Asylum, unless received by himself in person, or by the Farmer.

5. The Farmer will be careful to confer often with the Steward in reference to all matters pertaining to his charge, give timely notice as to all his wants, and he will be expected to be faithful and industrious in the use of every means in his power, to render the farm productive and profitable to the Asylum.

6. He shall make a report, embracing all the business transactions of the farm, whenever required to do so by the Superintendent or Steward.

VISITORS.

1. Visitors and others will be permitted to visit the Institution on any day, except Sunday, between the hours of 10 A. M. and 3 P. M.

2. No visitor shall be admitted within the wards occupied by the patients, without express permission from the Superintendent, or Assistant Physician. And especial care must be taken that no amount of visiting is permitted in the wards that might prove injurious to the patients.

3. Visitors are expressly forbidden to furnish any inmate of the Asylum with tobacco in any form; or to deliver to, or receive from a patient, any letter, parcel, or package, without the knowledge and approbation of the Superintendent, or Assistant Physician.

4. Those having charge of patients are particularly enjoined to abstain from mentioning to visitors the names of those in their charge, their peculiarities, or any other circumstances, a knowledge of which might be painful to persons connected with them.

5. Visitors are respectfully requested not to disturb the flowers and fruit in the Asylum garden and grounds.

LIBRARY.

1. The Library of the male department shall be under the charge of the Supervisor. Every volume taken therefrom shall be charged to the borrower, except for the use of the patients, when it shall be charged to the Attendant, into whose ward it is taken, who will be responsible for its being used with ordinary care and returned in proper time.

2. If a volume shall be lost or destroyed, by any patient, the Attendant, having charge of the patient, will report the fact to the Supervisor, and, if practicable, exhibit the fragments. If lost or destroyed, by any other person, it must be replaced.

3. No one will be permitted to take from the library more than one volume at a time, or to keep a volume more than two weeks, without permission from the Superintendent or Assistant Physician, except Bibles, Testaments and Prayer books placed in the hands of the patients for daily reading.

4. The Supervisor will be responsible for books taken from the library and not charged.

5. The Library of the female department will be under the charge of the Matron, who, in its management, will be governed by the above rules, prescribing the duties and responsibilities of the Supervisor.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT.

In the preparation of the foregoing Rules and Regulations, the Resident Physician has made free use of the published rules of other Institutions, particularly those of the Illinois State Hospital for the Insane.

Transcriber's Note: The table below lists all corrections applied to the original text.

p. 04: [added closing quote] prescribed by the By-Laws." p. 05: vail of deepest secrecy -> veil p. 06: shall be tranferred -> transferred p. 07: the use of tabacco-> tobacco p. 16: 12 M. -> 12 P. M. p. 21: the use of the Asylum and the Physcian's house -> Physician's