The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-02-25
Our Insane Hospital.
Editors IntellioeneeI

Editors IntelligeHeeT q"
Since the publication of some re-
marks upon this subject, in a former
number of your paper, 1 have read the
last report OF those in charge, furnish
ed me by Hei1k6OT, and have received
from DIR. Kirkbride, physician to the
Pennsylvania Hospital for the Insane, /"
his work ION the construction, organi-
Zation and general arrangement of Hos
pitals for the insane" or this work,
the compiler of the Sth United States
census, under the direction of the Sec
retary OF the Interior, speaks in 1868,
thus: "In 1854 DIR. Thomas l., Kirk
bride published a treatise 'on the con-
struction, organization and general ar
rangement of Hospitals for the In
sane," which has become a standard
authority" See Sth census United
States, page 81. propose to give some
extracts from this work, which cannot
Iail TO be OF interest to our people at
this time. At page 10th, remarkipg on
the size the building should be, he uses
this language: "AlI the best authorities
agree that the number of insane con-
fined in one hospital should not exceed
tt1o hundred and Tfty;" and whenever
that n lumber is attained, instead of the
Statels enlnrging, he urgently advises
the erection of separate building in
another section of the State. And af-
ter giving very minute description of
every thing deemed necessary to make
the establishment complete and perfect
for that number of patients, and giving
full diagrams OF his plan, which con-
sist OF large centre building, with
wings on either side, the whole to be
built OF brick or stone, and each wing
consisting of three sections, the whole
three stories high above the ground,
with cellar under the whole-dome on
centre building. He remarks thus:
The general features of the plan pro-
posed in the present ESSAY were oripi-
nally prepared by the writer at the re-
quest OF the Commissioners tor putting
up state Hospital for the Insane in
New Jersey, and the designs for that
building were mado from the sketches
at that time furnished to the architect
he regrets, however, that the Commis-
sloners varied from 1t in some respect
ia order to diminish the cost, which inn
paired It's completeness, but
which the Commissioners were
at that time supplying. That the
same plan was also substantially fol-
lowed by the State of Indiana in con-
structing her Hospital at indianapolis !:
by Illinois in erecting hers at Jackson
yillej by Pennsylvania, hers at Har-
rlsourg; and by Ohio in erecting hers
at Dayton and Cleveland, known as
her Northern" and Southern Hospi-
tals;" and by Alabama, in the construc-
ton of her Hospital, then being erect
ed at Tuscaloosa. He also remarks
thus: III there was any doubt of the
propnety of putting up the lohole build
ING at once, I should have no hesitation IN
saying that rather than Lenue or Lhe err
IRENE Oin9s, II lUouLd be advisable that The
i0OTN should De commenced at once at both
e1tre"ttleS, and made gradually to up-
PIodch me centre" See pages 81, S5 and
At page 80 he remarks thus on The
cost: The cost OF Hospital like that
described will pay at different sections
OF country according TO the price of
materials, and labor, and the facilities
for manufacturing the various fixtures,
that may be required for the different
purposes of The Institution. The esti-
mates Tor completing such a build
ing at Philadelphia as made by
competent architects is one hun
dred and fifty-fve thousand dol
lars. To the same would add for the
neatinS ana Nentilating apparatus, for
sSaIil.. Gath ana no wash rooms, water closets,
SINKS, water tanks and pipes, cooking
apparatus, washing and drying fixtures.
bake rooms, and steam engine and
pumps, 5000. The cost of furniture
for every part of such a Hospital, when
Inll OF patients, would amount to about
$1,000 The farm stock, wagons aud
tools, and the different vehicles req mir
ed would cost probably s. 900 addition
al so that, exclusive of the farm. which
OF late has generally been presented TO
the State, either as a gift from beneyo-
lent individuals, or by some town. de-
sirous OF having the Institution near
1t, the entire cost of building such "a
Hospital for the Iasane, proyidinfS ali
It's fixtures and furnishing II in every
part, would be in this section of conn
try tPhiladelphia) not far from two
hundred thousand dollars"
In making an estimate of the cost of
Hospital for the Insane felt no dis
position to IsndeTTdte IT,"
DIR. Kirkbride puts the whole ernensa
oflaborand professional care fhis com
plete hospital with $50 patients, at SI2 637
a year, and shows by his annual reports
of the Institution over which he pre.
sides, that very few patients remain
over one year, and that the number of
admissions and discharges are about
equal each month: and that of the 33S6
patients that have been in that hospital
since ISL more than half have been
discharged cured. after an uUeraoe or
stI months treatment.
Now let us compare the money al
ready expended, the present condition
and capacity, and the success of onr
hospital thus far with the facts before
stated. Two hundred and sixty-seyen
thousand three hundred and Sixteen
dollars and ninety-eight cents had been
towards its construction
before the present Legislature met; and
see the Richmond Legislature in '6I
$751; for completing a
wing OF the Northwestern Hospital so
as to accommodate the lunatics Then in
jails, which sum is not included in the
sum above named. ia
Now what has been accomplished? 1
see by their last report that Iortv-t6ree
patients are all there is room for or thar
can be accommodated; that fifty-four
patients Is the total number that had
been in the establishment batween Ian
uary first and October first-nine
months-that fourteen had been adj
mitted, six discharged, cured. one
much improved, and four had died du-
ring this nine months. They make the
current expenses during this nine
months S9,3I4 81. or this there was
paid out for salaries and labor 81, ,994 SO,
80 as much as DIR. Kirkbride
required In 1854 to equip and manapa n
complete hospital with $50 patients n
year, and cure over one-half of these
and discharge nearly all the balance
that were living. Superintendent Hills
attempts TO account for this difference in
the TACT that his cases are of long stand
ing ana therefore iucurable, and seems
TO complain that somebody has not the
power to remove these and give room
Tor such as are curable. i had sup-
posed the Board had this power. he
also urges il as a cogent reason why the
south wing-for that is all, as under
stand that is as yet cOmmenced-and
even the IEhoLe budding should. he
speedily completed. And to make the
necessity more apparent, he SAYS there
are now over forty in the part of the
wing that Is finished. over piphty an