1. Persons employed in the service of the Asylum will learn that character, proper deportment, and faithfulness to duty, will alone keep them in the situations in which they are placed; and they should consider well, before entering upon service, whether they are prepared to devote all their time, talents, and efforts, in the discharge of the duties assigned to them. The Institution will deal in strict good faith with its employees, and it will expect, in return, prompt, faithful, and self-denying service. 2. No one can justly take offense when respectfully informed by the Superintendent, that his or her temperament is better adapted to some other employment; and those receiving such information should regard it as kindly given, that they may have opportunity to avoid the unpleasantness of being discharged. 3. Those employed at the Asylum be expected to hold themselves in readiness for duty when directed by its officers; and the neglect of any labor, or duty, on the ground that laboring hours are over, or to hesitate, after proper direction, on such pretexts, will be regarded as evidence against the fitness of the employee for the place he or she may hold. 4. It must be remembered by all the employees, that their duties are peculiar and confidential, and that there is an obvious impropriety in disclosing the names, peculiarities, or acts of the inmates. It should never be forgotten that the most cruel wounds may, by imprudent disclosures, be inflicted on those whose conduct and language, during their misfortune, should be covered with the veil of deepest secrecy. Conversations, in relation to the Asylum and 5. All persons employed in the Asylum are required to cultivate a calm and deliberate method of performing their daily duties—carelessness and precipitation being never more out of place than in an insane asylum. Loud talking, hurrying up and down stairs, rude forms of address to one another, and unsightly styles of dress, are wholly misplaced where everything should be strictly decorous and orderly. 6. In the management of patients, unvarying kindness must be strictly observed by all. When spoken to, mild, pleasant and persuasive language must never give place to authoritative expressions of any kind. All threats, taunts, or other kinds of abuse in language, are expressly forbidden. A blow, kick, or any other kind of physical abuse, inflicted on a patient, will be immediately followed by the dismissal of the person so offending. 7. Employees having charge of patients outside of the wards, whether for labor or exercise, will be held responsible for their safe return, unless, by the direction of an officer they shall be transferred to the charge of some other person; and when patients employed out of doors become excited, they must be immediately returned to the wards whence they were taken, and the fact reported at the office. 8. It will be expected of all employed in or about the Asylum, to check, as far as possible, all conversations or allusions, on the part of patients, to subjects of an obscene or improper nature, and remove, when in their power, false impressions on their minds, respecting their confinement or management; and any person who shall discover a patient devising plans for escape, suicide, or violence to others, is enjoined to report it to an officer without delay. 9. The place of duty of those having charge of patients is in the wards, or in the yards, or in the garden with the patients. During the day and while the patients are out of their sleeping apartments, they have no business in their 10. The employees are not permitted to correspond with the friends of patients; and all letters or packages to, or from, patients, must pass through the hands of the Superintendent or Assistant Physician. All making of dresses, working of embroidery, or any mechanism, for the use of employees, is prohibited, unless by the special permission of the Superintendent; and no employee of the Institution shall ever make any bargain with any patient, or his or her friends, or accept of any fee, reward or gratuity from any patient, or his or her friends, without the Superintendent’s consent. 11. Employees will not be permitted to leave the Asylum without the consent of the Superintendent or Assistant Physician, and, when allowed to leave, they will be expected to return by 9 o’clock P.M.—unless expressly permitted to remain out longer. Before leaving they must hang up their keys in the place, in the office, provided for that purpose. Non-residents will not be permitted to remain in the Institution at night without the knowledge and consent of the Superintendent or Assistant Physician. 12. No person will be employed in or about the Asylum who is intemperate in habits, or who engages in gambling or any other immoral or disreputable practice; and as the patients are not allowed the use of tobacco, within the Asylum, the employees are expected not to use it, in any form, in their presence. 13. While employees are not prohibited from occasionally visiting each other in their wards, it should never become a habit, and the indulgence is only allowed in view of the spirit of emulation, which may thus be encouraged by sometimes inspecting each other’s sphere of duty. When it is discovered that the permission is abused, or that visits 14. The two departments of the Institution—male and female—must always be separate to its employees, and no person, whose post of duty is exclusively in the one, shall ever be permitted to enter the other, unless some express or proper occasion shall demand it; and any one who shall discover, and not disclose, or who shall in any way encourage, an acquaintance between two patients, of opposite sex, will be held highly culpable for such misdemeanor, and will be forthwith dismissed from service. 15. No employee will be permitted to appropriate to his or her use any article belonging to the Asylum, or purchased for the use of the patients, however small or comparatively valueless it may be. From the salary of the person so offending, the cost of the article will be deducted, and he or she dismissed from service. STEWARD.1. The Steward shall have a general oversight of the business of the farm, garden, grounds, fences and buildings; he shall assist in maintaining the police regulations of the Asylum, observe the deportment of those employed in subordinate positions, see that they do their duty, and report to the Superintendent any instance of neglect or misconduct, that he may observe, or of which he may be informed; he shall see to the opening and closing of the house; that the employees rise and commence their duties at the ringing of the bell, and return at proper season at night; that the bell is rung promptly at such hours as may be designated, from time to time, by the Superintendent. He shall have a general care of the male patients, see that they are kindly treated, that their clothes are taken care of, that their food is properly cooked, served and distributed, 2. The Steward shall receive and store all provisions, fuel, clothing, etc. provided by contracts, and, also, all supplies purchased under the direction of the Superintendent, and he will be held responsible for the safe-keeping and economical distribution of the same. 3. He shall keep just, accurate and methodical accounts of all articles received, and all articles purchased by him, together with all distributions of supplies to the several departments of the Institution—each and every day’s accounts exhibiting, in detail, the number, quantity weight or measurement, as the nature of the case may be, of each and every article received, and from whom, and distributed, and to whom. 4. On the receipt of supplies, whether obtained under contract, or purchased by order of the Superintendent, the Steward shall require a bill or invoice of the same, and if, upon a careful examination of the quality, quantity, weight or measurement of the article or articles, they shall be found to correspond with the item or items of the bill, he shall enter the aggregate amount, with the date and number of the invoice, in a book provided for that purpose, after which he shall endorse the bill correct, and file it, together with an abstract of his daily disbursements, in the office of the Superintendent. 5. The Steward will be expected to devote his whole time to the interests of the Institution, assist, in every way in his power, to preserve order in the house, and faithfulness among the employees, and see that all the rules and regulations of the Asylum are fully observed. |
Breakfast. | Dinner. | Supper. | |
---|---|---|---|
December, | |||
January, | 7 A. M. | 1 P. M. | 7 P. M. |
February. | |||
March, | |||
April, | |||
May, | 6½ A. M. | 12½ P. M. | 6½ P. M. |
September, | |||
October, | |||
November. | |||
June, | |||
July, | 6 A. M. | 12 P. M. | 6 P. M. |
August. |
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
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,
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;
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
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
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.