Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1855-03-01
Insane Hosnital R.ennrts

Insane Hospital Reports.
The report of the superintendent, trustees,
&C., of the Insane Hospital, represent the in
stitution 10 be in fourishing and satisfactory
condition. These reports abound in interests
ing information coahected with the affairs Of
The hospital, and valuable suggestions in rela-
tIon 10 the management and treatment of tho
insane. They are, however, too voluminous
for our columns. We are enabled, therefore,
TO give only few extracts from the several
reports. The trustees, in their report, say -
The trustees have, agreeably to invariabfe
Gusttm, visited, by committees of their body,
the hospital without giving previous notice 10
the officers Of the time of visit, every month
| and have examined the stewards account once
quarter. They have invariably found the
hospital neat, clean, and in good order in every
part of the buildings, and the patients as COM
Portable as persons with dsordeIed reasons
could be expected TO be. They have found
the food wholesome, nutritious and abundant,
and geSerally of the same kind and quality as
they have themselves partaken of at tine table
OF the officers, VIII, they have been on duty at
the hospital"
I piial, for which an appropriation was made
last winter, is rapidly going forward, and will
be ready for occupation next fall. Owing 10
the high price Of provisions, they have been
obliged to change the rate Of board from 50 10
So, IS per week. An epidemic disease broke
out last summer, which prosirated the super
| in'endent, and carried OF seventeen persons in
the establishment. The trustees complain Of
an insuficieney Of pure water, and of the pres
entlaw relating 10 the discharge Of patients,
| The Superintendent, DR.. Harlow, reports
/ that =
The present condition of the Institution is
/ as good and its prospects as fair rs any pre-
vious years. Our average number of patients
has been larger than any year in IFS history,
except oue--the year the Hospital was burnt
and had ii not been for the sickness, the per
cent Of reeoyeries would also have been larger.
The number Of adpssions has hsen considera7
bly, augmented, as has also been the number
of discharges and deaths.
There were remaining in the Institution on
A. anih nf November, 1853, one hundred and
| nineteen pailents--slxIy- -vno rsNlos and ffiy-
eight females. There have been admitted
during the year, one hundred ten-ffty-seven
males and fitty-three females; making total
under treatment two hundred twenty-nine--
one hundred eighteen males and one hundred
eleven females. OF these, there had been dis
charged one hundred tourteen-ffiy-six males
and fifty-eight females of which forty-nine
recorcred-twenty-six males and twenty-three
feTaales fifteen improred-four males and
eleven females; eighteen unimprored-te4
males and eight females died, thirty-two-
sixteen males and sixteen females
The cause of deaths were, dysenterq, six
teen; general paralysis, FIVE; consumption,
two !; cd age, two; mardaaus. two; serous
dpopie1V, one congestion Of bruin one; ty-
PhOid terr, one; gdngrene, one; epilepsy,
one
Amcng the causes supposed to have pro-
duced insanity in those admitted last year, he
enumeraies-ill health, 81; intemperance,
10 over exertion, 8; puerpera Z loss of
friends, 6 various other causes few each
while 81 are unknown. The extreme ages of
the patients are 10 and 79, and greater num-
ber are found between the ages of 80 and 40
than in any other decade.
DIR. Harlow goes at some length into dis
cussion of the characteristics of insanity and
of its prevention. This portion is eTceedng-
ly interesting, but cannot be we'll abridged.
Instead Of attempting 1t, we give the following
glimpse of hospital life -
We are happy to say that our corps Of at
tendants, nurses and assistants, the past year,
has been, with few exceptions, worthy of ther
vocation, and such as we would always like to
have about us 10 co-dperate with US in The du-
ties of the Hospital.
AS in previous years, the farm lss furnished
good wholesome exercise and amusement for
all Of our male patients who have been willing
to avail themselves Of its advantages; and
while they have benefited by the few hours
labor each pleasant day. the products of the
farm have come in to supply their tables with
the q creature comforts, and 50 far assist in
keepipr their weekly expenses at a lower rate
than we otherwise could.
Many of the females employ themselves use-
fully in various ways, knitting or sewing, or
assisting the attendents in performing the du=
ties of the wards, while others pass their time
in reading or constructing articles Of fancy,
The garden and grounds about the Hospital
have much pleasure and amusement in their
outdoor walks. In warm, pleasant weather
we make ii point to have all the patients in
the open air during some part of each day,
either riding or walking.
A portion Of our patients who have q taste
for reading, find the Library of the Institution
valuable source of pleasure in beguiling
many of their secluded hours. A choice Sc
lection of new books are added to the Library
each year, purchased by the income Of the
Mcclellan fund. The Library numbers nearly
one thousand volumes, including the medical
books presented by the heirs Of DR.. Vaughan.
Devotional exercises are holden every eve
ming in our pleasant little chapel, where all
who can preserve good department are per-
mitted to assemble and silently engage in send
ing up the aspirations Of the heart TO the
| giver Of all rood. -