Buchanan County bulletin and guardian. (Independence, Iowa) 1866-1869, 1868-04-24

as n1otioE Va sPccloi lnleIesS 10 tne cltl-
zens Of Buchanan County, we shall publish,
from time 10 time, such information concern.
ing the Insane Asylum at Mt. Pleasant a
we can glcan from the report of the officers
of that institution, and from other sources
We make the following extracts from the re-
port Of the Superintendent to the Trustee.
To the Board Of 7rustees:
GENTLEMEN The bien>
nial period which has Just closed has been
one Of general prosperity and success for the
Hospital. He have not been visited BY any
epidemic, and the geaeral health of the in
mates, particularly during the year, has been
as good as could be expected. The officers
and employees have shared the prevalent
exemption from acute disease. The num>
Der Of admissions and of patients under
treatment have been larger than during any
previous period and those results which
seem more obviously TO measure the success
of an institution of the kind, have been OBJ,
tanned in greater degree than heretofore.
This is due, in some degree, probably, to
the diffusion Of information respecting the
character and working ef the Hospital, thro'
been freely admitted, and through almost
countless visitors. some Of whom have re-
peatedly passed through . portion of the
wards. The quarterly nssetings Of your
Board, and the visits Of inspection By com.
mittee, monthly or oftener as has seemed de-.
sirable, have given you opportunities to gain
full information relative to the practical
working Of the Institution and have afford
ed the public strong guarantee that those
unfortunate persons needing its treatment.
shelter and protection, have been properly
cared for. The period has been marked by
repairs and in provements which characters
ize it a. an important era in the history of
the Hospital. These improvements have all
been most successful and will be spoken of
more At length in = subsequent part Of this
report.
Since the opening of the Hospital, ten hun.
dred and twenty Eve patients have received
its care and benefits. Of these, SIX hundred
and eighty one have been discharged leav-
ing three hundred aud forty>four under care
aud treatment at the present time.
At the close Of the last biennial period,
there we're in the Hospital .vo hundred aud
eighty-fuur patients-one hundred and forty
six men, and one hundred and thirty.eirht
women. Since then thsr. have been admit
ted, one hundred aud ssyenty>sight men,
and one hundred and sixty FIVE vomen,-in
all three hundred and forty three and there
have been discharged one hundred and 6fty-
live men aud one hundred and twenty>eixht
al, two hundred and eighty>
three leaving in the Hospital, October 81,
three hundred and forty>fnur patients, Of
whom one hundred and sixty>nine are men,
and one hundred and seventy 6ve ars wo>
men.
Of those discharged, there we're regarded
~ recovered, one hundred and thirty>eight,
seventy nine men and fifty>uins women
Eventy>nine others were more or less impro-
ved, fourteen men and fifteen women thir-
ly>two, or sixteen ofeach sax, appeared uu>
improved and there have died forty>six
men and thirty>uine souen,-or eighty Eve
in ALL"
Also, from the report Of the Trustees:
"The Board concur with the Superintend
ent in the expression of extreme regret that
he Legislature did not nee st, in its wisdom,
1t its last session, 10 make an appropriation
for the purchase Of additional grounds for
The use Of the Hospstal, ~ such grounds
could then have been obtained on much bet.
Ter terms than At present. While We deem
i injudcious to purchase for the purpose
and which cannot be pro6tAbly used, We are
Of the opinion, for reasons urged
by the Sarerintsndeat, with others that
might b. named, that the present accomms.
iations, in this respect, need to b. very con>
enlarged. It should bs borne in
mind that the number to be accommodated
i some four hundred d-sufticiens to populate
) village Of considerable size. While il may
not now be practicable to obtain, on reason
Able terms, 10 large additional grounds as
he Superintendent regards desirable, and
70 believe might be proitally used, We
should deem it most unwiss on the part Of
he State not TO secure additional grounds
of sufficient capacity to meet what would
seem to be the Indispensable needs Of the In
stitution.
In looking forward to the future, the Board
Ars compelled 10 contemplate the fact that
It day no. distant, more hospital room win
be needed for the accommodation Of the in>
sane Of the State. This Institution was de-
signed for the accommodation Of three hnn>
ired and Eny patieru. For most Of the
time during tha past two ycan It has been
filed near.y 10 the extent Of its capacity,
and much care, in tho reception and dis
charge Of patients, has now 10 he used 10