The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-02-05
Report on the Condition 0fthe Eastern
Lunatic ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Re-.
csnu1 IN nxsr1xah -


committee Of the Senate which recently Wis.
tied Williamsburg, has embodied the results
of his observations In an interesting report
which will probably be presented to tue Sc.
nate to-day. The report says -. q
CATER a thorough investiga Of tf1eloca-
ton, building, and surroundings, the com
mittee desire to express xheir great gratifca-
| ton arid satisfaction ut The able admiDistra-
| ton and economical manner in which the
Board of Directors, under the immediate and
judicious supervision of the superintendent,
DR.. D. r. Brewer, are conducting the affairs
| and business Of the Asylum" = !.
The buildings, rooms, and premises gene
rally, the report says, are kept in neat cOndi-
ton, the wants Of the patients are fully sup
piled by careful and practiced nurses, and
wise economy seems to be exercised in every
department. <nsE tsssl &3i!, J
The officers of the Asylum are superin-
tendent, assistant physician, steward, matron,
storekeeper, clerk, and teacher, with an ag-
gregatc salary of $7,409.6e.
The number Of patients for tho past year
was 265 Q31 males and 1874 fen1ales); OF
these 26 have recovered and "a have died,
leaving in the institution 211, with daily
average during the year of 213. The num-
Der of recoveries equals 46 per centum of the
number admitted during the year, and the
number Of deaths equals per centrlm of the
whole number treated. All of the latter were
incllrable cases except two.
The committee are satisfied that the pa
tients derive great advantages from working
upon the farm, which has been source Of
profit to the State, the proceeds from which
last year were 81 ,161. .78, and after deducting
the expense of cultivating the same, leaves O
clear profit of 9t,812.s1. The work of re-
pairing the buildings, under the appropria-
ton made by tho General Assembly at the
last session, is proceeding satisfactorily, and
the committee declare themselves we'll
pleased with the character of the work thus
far done. They recommend that further
appropriation of 500, 900 be made for the pur-
pose of putting in steam heating apparatus,
which they regard as indispensable to the
completion of the comfort economy, and
safety Of the asylum. -.
After a careful investigation Of the books
and accounts, the, committee. state that q
more thorough system Of bookkeeping cam
not be found anywhere; and by the checks
and balances in use sit Is utterly impossible
that frauds can be practiced in any pay part
| of the account-keeping Of the institution"
The report says: " The number OF pa
tients accommodated in this institution is
not by any means an economical one. 1t has
| been shown by DR.. Stribling, Of the West
ern Lunatic Asylum, that 400 is as many as
any one asylum ought to contain, and this is
perhaps the number that can be most easily
| accommodated with less administrative cost.
Now, with this data shown by the expert
ence of DR.. Stribling to base our suppositions
upon, would it not be far better to enlarge
the capacity of this institution to its maxi
mum number, which can be done at an eX-
pense Of $1,000? And it will then be am
pie to accommodate all the unfortunates Of
| this class in the State now uncared for, and
perhaps for ten. or fifteen years to come.
"The erection of new asylum at any
other place would cost the State between
three and four hundred thousand dollars,
| besides the furnishing Of the institution with
bedding, clothing, and all the necessary ac-
cessories attending the outfit and starting OF
an asylum; in addition to which, oil the Of
fcers and attendants necessary will have to
| be salaried and paid, at cost of not less than
from four to five hundred thousand dollars,
to do what? Why, exactly. what an expen-
diture of $50, 900 would now do, if expended
ut the Eastern Lunatic Asylum. The same
number Of officers, cooks, laborers, farmers,
and attendants that are now necessary to
manage and care for the patients in the
asylum could manage and care for four
hundred persons" '.".
In conclusion the report most earnestly
recommends the appropriation of 10000
I for the steam heating apparatus. The mat
ter Of enlargement is not now pressed.