The North-Carolina standard., 1849-02-07
THE INsANE-pENNsY1yAN,,

friend in this City by of the Officers Of
stitution. We have perused this Report with
pleasure. The Pennsylvania Hospital is evia Iua
well managed, and is no doubt CARVING or. npr
complete sdccess, the benevolent and prasen'. "A
objects of its founders.
The Officers of this Institution consist of .-,
Managers, Treasurer, Physician and As.i.a"
Physician, Steward and Matron.
During the year 1947 two hundred and fo.u
tients were admitted to the benefits of the Hos,p%
two hundred and thirteen were discharged n, m
and one hundred and eighty-eight remained unda,"H
OF the patients discharged during the year laI-
hundred and eleven were cured-twenty-ono, ,''% ""
much improved twenty mine were improved. wen
ty-three were stationary--and twenty-nine diod W.
the patients discharged 'tcured,' fty-two wero ~,
dents of the Hospital not exceeding three no1.
forty between three and six months-ffteen betw'.
SIX months and one year--and four for LONGER r.+
cd than one year. F"'
The Pennsylvania Hospital was establ;.b.,
Is4I, and since that time 1176 insane persona !.
been admitted -66S males, and 5I3 females p" Sa''
table In this Report it appears that verv larr,
portion of the Patients-nearly one-third-we,or.S
mitted when between twenty and thirty wears ofoN
But one had been admitted under ten. on1v ,n,.s
tween ten and fifteen, sixty-eight between 6fao..,
twenty, while between twenty and thirty. tb,oo n-
dred and sixty-fve Were received Of the 6e9 n,-r
patients, sc were farmers, Sc were mercbor,. -.
were clerks, 49 were laborers, % were carno,..-'
l9 were physicians, 10 were clergymen, s5 We're o,
dents, were lawyers, 10 were tailors. 81 sboou.
kers, 8 Were printers, &C., &c. Of the 5I3 fem,
patients So were seamstresses or mantua majors s
were domesties, 30 were the wives of labororo On
were the wives of merchants, As were the wivos n
farmers, 26 were the single daughters of merchant.
% Were the single daughters of farmers, &c &o
Of the males, 38s were single-94O were married.
and 35 were widewers. OF the females Oil vvero Of;
| gle-232 were maried-and 70 were widows. of
these 1I76, six hundred and fifty were natives d
Pennsylvania while the others were from nearlyA
parts of the world, including ten from North Caron
The total expenditures for this Institution for the
year 1847, were $39,SI4 49, and the nett eesDs
from all sources, $34,247 4O-leaying an excess Of
expenditures of something over $4,000. The aver
age cost per week of each patient was four dollars
and thirteen cents The loss of the potato crop,
last year, says DR.. Kirkbrde in this Report "ths
high price of flour and other provisions in the early
part of the season, the purchase Of new furniture
&c. have caused the expenditures to exceed the To-
cepts rather than last year, and made the aver
age cost per week of each patient 80 cents more
than was given in the last Report This very in.
teresting Report concludes as follows: :
GA liberal economy, wasting nothing, but az far
is consistent with the resources of the institution
using freely every means that seems likely to promote
the comfort happiness, and restoration of all ntrust
ed to its care, has always been the principle upon
which this Hospital has been conducted and the re-
suits of this system, Joined to the liberal confidence
reposed in it, would seem to be the best evidence
that this course is the true one and is properly ap
preciated by the community.
The experiment of ascertaining precisely the small
est possible sum for which the insane may be treat
ed or kept in a hospital, has never been consderd
among the objects to be attained in this institution
and for the honor of our ancient commonwealth,
trust that experiment never will be made here else
where on the soil of Pennsylvania.
Each year continues to bring with ita larger nun.
Der of patients, heavier duties and greater respons
bilities. With constant feeling of dependence upon
Divine Providence for success in our exertonS, and
with deep gratitude for the blessings already vouch
safed to this institution, trust we all enter upon
another year, with increased interest in labOs,
and with determination that far individual ef
forts go, this hospital shall become still more
worthy of the generous confidence of its friends, and
yet deserving of the benedictions of the afic
ed. for whose benefit it has been prepared"
North Carolina, we are gratifed to say, will soon
enter the field of emulation with Pennsy lvana in e
forts to benefit and to restore the unfortunate insane
Sacred emulation! Work worthy of man in his most
exalted state! Though poorn s' this worlds goods"
and looked upon in many quarters behind the age
still North Carolina heart is as large and full Of
the " milk of human kindness . as any that beats
all the surface of the world; and if her Rail Roads
should never be built, (and we know they will be)
and her rivers should remain unopened and unim-
proved, her sons, wherever they may travel, may yet
point with pleasure which no language give e1'
preston to, to her Asylums for the Insane and for
the Deaf and Dumb, as furnishing some evidence
at least, that what she lacks in wealth and show,
made up for in her ample accommodations and COM
forts for the afflicted and helpless whom PrOVF
dence has committed to her charge.
"Anti-State Debt shall appear in our next. 1t
open both sides-to the opponents well as to the
friends of Internal Improvements but we must res
pectfully insist that denuncation and invectve oug
to be avoided, and that motives ought not to be uf
pugned. Though we differ from the author OF "An~
State Debt' so far as the action of the last LegSF
ture in reference Internal improvements Is concern
ed, yet he knows that we respect his opinions anu
accord to him entire purity of purpose. He shall
heard, but he will no doubt be answered.
We invite the attention of the members OF tnS
Medical profession to the proceedings of MeeuDs
in another column, held during the recent session
the Legislature with the view of establishing Sa"
Medical Society. North Carolina is, perhaps INC