Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-11-06
The Gever.me.s Insane Asylum.

\ whole number OF cases under treatment in Ii
/ course of the year was 1872, of whom 1s9 were re
| males. 80 males and % females died during tn,
year. The Tecoveries we're 6S per cent of tn,
discharges, and 10 per cent. of the discharges
I cent of the whole number (562) of cases under
| treatment. There remained under treatment
/ on the 3Oth day OF June, 1S73-males, i6S; fe
males, 152; total, $40.
Since the hospital was opened for the recep.
ton of patients, in January, 1855, ,34S different
| persons have been under treatment In the insti.
tuition, 81 OF whom were natives Of the United
States, and 80 natives Of foreign countries
The nativity Of 1Sj could not be definitely as
eertained, but It is believed that large proper
ton Of this number was born in Europe.
The report shows that during the prevalence
OF the smallpox last winter, the disease was in
troduced into one of the largest wards in the in
stitution. by an attendant, who spent the 9th OF
February in the CITY, and was seized with pre-
monitOry symptoms on the sd He give the
disease TO three patients On the ward with him
before his own case had reached an infectious
stage, but by the Immediate repetition Of vacci-
nation of every person in the house, and the
stIictest isolation of the first cases, the further
spread OF the disease was happily prevented.
Two of the cases proved 10 be continent small
poH. and two the modified disease. One OF the
former died, and the other three recovered. No
case Of suicide occurred during the year.
THE GROUNDS OF THE ASYLUM.
Soon after the preparation OF the last report
the hospital came into possession of the tract of
~ acres, rood, and 40 perches of agricul-
tuTal land, for the purchase of which Congress
had made the requisite appropriation; and more
recently the United States has received the
gratuitOus deed of One-third Of an acre of land
wing adjacent to the northwestern boundary of
the ncloSed grounds and embracing a deep,
narrow ravine, the cOntIo of which by the hos
pital authorities will enable them to prevent
the undermining Of the boundary wall at that
point. There are now owned by the United
States and devoted to the objects of the hOspi-
tai a little upward of il9 acres Of land, about
SEQ acres of which are embraced in one nearly
complete parallelogram. The remainder is a
single tract, conveniently situated for grazing
or the cultivation of the staple annual crops.
The original purchase of about 1S5 acres, with
in which the hospital edifices are situated is in
closed by a wall 3 feet high, except on the river
front, and perhaps there is no other establish
ment of the kind in the world wherein the
great deslderatum TO the insane of liberty, COM
bined with privacy, has been rendered as prac-
ticable, and been realized to the same extent
that il has been here.
RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES.
The expenditures for the support of the hos
pital. including current repairs, &C., amounted
to S136, 992 i3. The receipts were From the
Treasury of the United States, SIPS ,000 from
private patients for board and treatment
s9.5I4SG; from pigs, hides, rags, &C., sold
s2,2E.5I; total, 1886, 1872 .43. In addition to the
expenditures for the support of the hospital, an
appropriation OF SSI 800 was expended in the
erection of an extension of the wards for the
excited classes Of patients, and $1,000 for heat
ESTIMATES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR.
The estimates already submitted for the wear
ending June 80, 1875, are as follows For the
support, clothing, medical and moral treatment
OF the insane OF the army and navy and rev
enue cutter service, and of all persons who have
become insane since their entrance into the
military or naval service of the United States,
and who are INDECENT, and of the INDECENT in
sane of the District OF Columbia, in the gov
eminent hospital for the insane, S1i0.7Sj. To
supply the deficiency in the amount (Si2j,O 0O)
appropriated TO support the hospital during the
current year, 1894, S1i SEQ. For repairs and
Improvements, $1,000. For completing the
river wall and raising the boundary walls
at their intersection with the latter, SST4S.
For tie erection, furnishing and fitting up of
an extension OF the center building of the hos
pital edifce, S25,gJ6. The center building of
Offices OF the establishment. the principal
kitchens and StoreroOms, the general assembly
room and the officers quarters. The hospital
was originally intended to accommodate maxi
mum of $50 patients, and the present center was
planned for an institution of that size. The
number of patients now under treatment ex-
ceeds COO, and is increasing, and more room is
required for the assembling of the patients, both
for worship on the Sabbath, and for lectures,
concerts, &c.l For coal vault in rear of the
east wing, 81 200. For the erection, furnishing
and hitting up OF an extension of the west de-
tached building for patients. $4,000. This
building was erected in 1886 to accommodate 20
patients, and IL may be extended so as to COM
fortably accommodate at least a. The room is
needed, and il can be obtained in no cheaper
way nor in any manner that will be more ad-
those classes Of insane whose "most humane
care and curative treatment" is required alike
by the laws of Congress and the public sent-
ment which those laws embody.
WORK OF THE woMEN's CHRISTIAN Asso-