Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1859-01-13


: number was doubtless understated. l. al
b satisfied that the present number is not les
Il than two thousand The Superintendent
: of the Central Asy lum thinks it does nc
o fail short of three Thousand. The argu
ments which establish the duty of som
!, provision for some of the Insane, requir
f doubtless adequate provision for all. Sever
/ al plans for such provision have been sug
!, gested. One contenp lates the enlarge
ment of one or more of the existing Asy
lums; another proposes to provide for th'
!, support and treatment of the Insane in thu
county Tntirmaries; while third, not ne
. cessarily excluding the others, suggests th'
J, enactment of law for the establishment
and regulation of private Asy lums, in which
large portion of the Insane would be pro
vided 70, y,heir friends withou, charge to
\ the State. Ihave no hesitatio in recon
mending the Legislation contemplated BY
this latter suggestion. The information
necessary to well grounded choice be-
tween the other plans is not yet accessible.
! Ny impression is that the first will prove
! most economical and most bene6cent; il
indeed, after the completion of the South
western Asylum and the leDaetment of a
judicious law for Private Asylums, either
shall be found necessary. FL ra.r.a q
The condition of the ldiotic, equally with
that of the Insane, must engage the, atten-
tion Of the philanthropist and statesman.
A few years ago this hlapless class seemed
beyond reach Of effectual relief Recently,
however, attempts TO rescue them from their
apparently hopeless condition have been
crowned by results which inspire hope and
encourage perseverance. The iudicious
humanity of the last General Assembly in
augu rated systematic plan for their in
struction and improvement, which has been
SO far executed under your auspices, that
ult mate success is no longer doubtful. 1t
is not, indeed, to be expected that the ldiotic
can be elevated to any high degree Of ca
pacity; but very many of them can be quali-
fed to earn their own subsistence, and
nearly all can be trained to habits of neat
ness and propriety. The whole numoer of
idiots in the State is reasonably estimated
at about 1000. Of these. 500 are of a
proper age to receive instruction. In the
Asylum, recently opened for their reception,
there were, at the commencement of the
present year, Is; there were received during
the year 90; there were discharged s.; there
are absent 6; the number under instruction
at The commencement of the present year,
was 26; the average number maintained at
the States expense 20, the expense of The
year, excluding the cost of permanent. i'm
provements has been S3.S45 g.. The
average annual expense of each pupil, was
$l92 SO. When the Institution is full, the
average expense of each pupil will of course
be less, and will not exceed the average
cost of each inmate of the other Asyluns.
The question of the permanent establish
ment and location OF the Institution should
be promptly decided. If decided affirma
lively, provision should be made for the pur-
chase, either of the property in which it is
Temporarily established, or Of some other
site. After careful consideration of al Cir
cumstances, think it my duty to recon-
mend the first of these alternatives as most
judicious and most economical
Deaf mutes constitute another class for
whose education public provision mus. ne
cessarily be made. To our State belongs
the honor of first recognizing this principles;
and nearly 80 years have now elapsed since
her Asylum was first opened to these un-
fortRnates. The mum ,er now in the State
is estimated at 1000. Of these, more than
II b,v IL
Asylum, and probably another third are Of
suitable age for admission. OF this latter
number $50 are in actual enjoyment OF its
benefits, while $50 are necessarily excluded.
The number admitted during the year was
35, and the same number was discharged
The expenses oe .he Institution paid by the
State during the last year were $2J,l77 "a
The average cost of each inmate was $l4l.
The importance of adding to the instruc-
tion in this Asylum,s proper training for
some industrial occupation, as well as the
necessity of some further provision for those
whom it's limited capacities exclude from
admission, will doubtless engage your
serious consideration. ---..--
o Another class whose situation enlists the
warmest sympathifs of every feeling heart,
and invokes irresistibly the provident be.
nevoleace of the State, is the Blind. The
total number of this class is estimated TO
be $40. OF this number about goo are Of
proper and legal age for, adm ssion to the
Asy lum. OF these about so have either
already received its benefits, or are thought
by their friends too vounp to be sent to il:
leaving l40 who should be under instruc.
tion. There were in the Asy lum last yehr
100; there were admitted or re.admitted
during the year %; the whole, number un-
der its instruction up to its close was lO5.
The average, number in daily attendance
was "a. The expenses. excluding $500
for permanent improvements, were $l3,387
95, showing an average outlay for zach in
nate of near $l42. .-.-..-t -.
1t thus appe ars that the whole number OF
persons rendered nfirm and dependent by
defective and diseased organization is g.
040; that of these 40 are in conditions
requiring provision for, them in public or
private institutions; that s47 are actually
in the State Asyu ums, leaving 2,l93 unpro-
vided for, except So far as they may find re-
lief in county Infirmaries or private families;
that the average number constantly in the
Asylums through the. last year was 834;
that the total cost to the State Of their
maintenance during the year was S l2S,4l0;
that the cost of each inmate for the year
was $l54; that to provide for those needing
l. 60 r Al.