Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1866-02-02
A COPY of the report of the President an,

-4- 54
Directors of the Western Lunatic Asylum
Of Virginia, located at Stanton, for the years
1864 and 1865 has been laid on our table.
The whole number Of patients treated in this
Asylum since ita organization is 1921. The
number treated during the past 2 years is
424, of which number 331 were in the Asy-
lum at the commencement of 1864, and 90
admitted during 1864 and 1865 The num-
Der discharged, improved, much improved
and recovered so eleped l and died 66,
makinga total Of III, which left, at the
expiration Of 1865, BOT patients under treat
ment.
In reference to the mortality during the
years 1864 and 1865, we make the follow
ing extract from the report Of DR.. F. T.
Stribling, who has so long and ably filed the
the position of Principal Physician and Su-
perintendent, and whose untiring energies,
careful management and earnest devotion to
the welfare of the unfortunate ones placed
under his charge, and to the interests of the
Asylum, has made it one of the proudest
monuments of Virginias charity.
''The per centage Of deaths, though some
what less than reported for 1868, exceeds
considerably the average mortality in previ-
Gus years. This will not create surprise, if
the details furnished in following tables, A,
y, c, be properly considered 1t should be
remembered that under the law, all patients
admitted here must be retained until cured
Or removed by death, except those (and they
are comparatively few whose friends take
charge of them, under bond The large
majority brought here, were incurable long
before their admission, and as consequence,
as years roll On, the disease both of body and
mind becomes more and more chronic, until
nature is exhausted. The yielding of the
vital powers in these cases is, of course, very
gradual. The death of such is recorded in
the table Of causes, under the head Mara
mug"
Tables 4. B. c. referred to, show the ages
of the large majority Of those who died to
have been between 40 and 70 years, the du-
ration of Insanity from 10 to 40 years and
the duration Of residence in the Asylum from
s to more than 20 years. There we're only
Is deaths of those who had been residents Of
the Asylum less than years, ofwhich were
paralyzed before admission, one Of % years
standing, one Of four days duration and mo.
ribund on arrival, and much exhausted By
mental excitemen. and physical disease when
admitted
We have, heretofore, frequently alluded
to the trials and privations to which the .Asy-
lnm had been subjected during the war and
especially during the last two years, and the
ability with which they were met by the SUI
perintendent, Steward and other officers Of
the Asylum, but there were some which, from
their character, they were unable to meet,
and which were sources Of great inconveni-
ence, of which we extract the following from
DR.. Striblings report.
ION the 18th of March last detachment
from General Shcridan's command made an
assault upon the meat house, -four house,
store room and other out buildings, bearing
off and destroying about 100 barrels flour,
10000 pounds bacon, 800 bushels corn-a
considerable quantity of hay-135 bushels
rye and oats-wagon and carriage harness.
so pair coarse shoes-many articles of wear
ing apparel from the laundry and valuable
mules. promptly and earnestly announced
to the officer in command the character and
object of the institution, cited the number of
the unfortunate insane under our care, e.
prised him of the difficulties we had encount-
cred in obtaining these supplies, and the dan
ger that, if removed, they could not be re-
placed-but without avail It is gratifying
to add, that none of this party intruded with
in the buildings occupied by patients of either
sex-a happy circumstance for which I felt
well assured, from careful observation, we
were more indebted to the .forbearance of the
privates than to any restraints imposed by
their officers"
From this report we also learn that the en-.
Tire Indebtedness Of the Asylum amounts to
S25,77 due to officers and employees as
salaries, and for the purchase of provisions,
on the faith Of the State, at specie prices.
The Superintendent returns his acknowl-
sdgments to the press, which, for the good of
the unfortunate inmates of this cminently
charitable institution, We copy and commend
10 the consideration of our confrores, not only
in Virginia, but elsewhere.
''No ono priyation caused by the war
has been more frequently commented upon
in our wards Or seemed to be more regretted,
than the suspension of newspapers. For
many years, editors or proprietors through
out Virginia, and in some of the other states.
had sent us gratnitously their issues. The
arrival of the mail was ever anticipated with
solicitude. and contents eagerly sought after.
The following papers are being now regularly
received, for which We return sincere thanks,
md must add our belief, that if generally
known. how cordially these arc welcomed,
there are but few in charge of the press with
in -onr common wealth who would not pronpt