The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-01-02

Forty-twO of the patients are supported
entirely by the State two hundred and
fifty.two being In INDECENT circumstances
receive State aid of one dollar and fifty
cents per week towards their support and
| fifty either pay their own bills, or are
| supported by their friends.
Since the opening of the Hospital in
| October 1910. three thousand six hundred
aid thirty mine patients have enjoyed its
benefits. Three thousand two hundred
| and nineiy-iour have been discharged, OF
| whom, one thousand four hundred and
! eightyAhine recovered, six hundred and
| thrty-six improved, FIVE bundled and
fifty-feur were unimproved, and six hur-
dree and fifteen have died.
DR.. Harlow says it may be supposed
that the Hospital as now provided will be
sufficient for all the wants of the State IN
this direction for many years to come, bur
such will not prove to be the fact. The
Hospital as now constructed is capable of
accommodating three hundred and fifty
patients without crowdng, and the present
| number in The institution, three hundred
and iorty-tire, plainly shows that more
room will soon be needed The Hospital
is now as large as one Institution of the
kind ought TO be and new one in some
other part of the State he seems to think
will soon b. needed. There are Ia the
State between twelve and fifteen hundred,
Insane persons who need the care and
comfort of an Asylum, aud there are only
abodt one third of tn 1t nunlbrr for whom
provisions Is made. Hence, the impni-
tlnce of some immediate action.
During the year, the faithful chaplain,
Rev. c. F. Penny, resigned, and Rev.
Joseph Kicker. D. D., of Augusta, was az
pointed in his place. DR.. Kicker repqr,s
that the religious vices have been char
acteiized by deccrnm end the good atten-
tion of the patients.
Jefferson Parsons, Esq, tor many years
| Steward and Treasurer of the institution.
resigned in August las, and William E.
| Leighton, Ed, was appointed to that
| place. From Mr.. Lciyhton's report, We
learn that the finances are in most salts
factory condition, as shown by the follow
| ing:
| Expenditures, s9tJ49es
Receipts, sS272,S2
| Balance dne the II TIeasnrer, 81 S7G,s6
! There are $50 305 6S due the hospital
and s5,s7l,65 debts against l.. The
| products Of the farm amounted to $S, ,143,
and The stock, tools, furniture and fixtures
| hal nuiu 10 II al, y q Of
| The Superintendent closes his report
| with brief ,eview If villa; The institution
has done for the insane OF the S ate. The
inception Of the hospital commenced d abnut
the yesr 1885. hen the frs. appropriation
was made. which with the private munif-
cenee of the late Hon. Reuel Williams
and The late BENZ. Brown. Esq, laid
the foundations of the noble structure.
The first patient was admitted Oct. 14th,
1S40. DR.. Cyrus Knapp was the
| nrst Superintendent and Physician.
He remained in Office only until March,
1911, when he resigned; his place was
filled by the appointment of DR.. Isaac
Ray. In 1913 the control of the hospital
was vested In n board of six Trustees.
DIR. James Bates was appointed to the
office of superintendent in 1915, and held
IL until 1850, when Dr. II. nj. narlow, the
| present able and faithful incumbent was
appointed. There has been appropriated
from the State Treasury for The insane,
| directly and indirectly since the inception
of the hospital, 30 years ago. the sum of
| $762, ,926. 60. Since lS40, the hospital has
nearly quadrupled in size. Four large
wings. three s;orieS high. have been
| erected. The farm has been In
| creased from 60 acres to 300. The
receipts and disbursements have in
creased from seven or eeht ihonsaud to
nearly one hundred thousand dollars per
annum. I he Superintendent speaks in
| high terms of tie courtesy and kindness
| o. his associates.