Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1874-01-23
THE MESSAGE.
TContinued from First Page.

Continued from First Page.
MT. PLEASANT HOSPITAL. FOR THE IN.
SANE.
The hospital for the insane ut Mt.
Pleasant is shown by the accom-
panying report Of its board of trus-
tees to have been skillfully and eco
nomically managed, and to- have
met the requirements of such an in
stitution during the past two years
as efficiently as at any former peri
cd of its history. AT the close of
the biennial period there were 495
patients in its wards. OF the num-
Der OF patients treated during this
time 2S.l6pcr cent. recovered; 2l.65
per cent. improved, and 27.64 per
cent. remained stationery; which,
by comparison with other institu-
tions of the same character, is q
record that does honor to the per-
sons having it in charge.
There has been received from all
sources belonging to the current ex-
pcnse fund $235,795.a3; Of which
there has been expended $229,44l 25.
The appropriation of the fourteenth
general assembly Of $1,000 for
bathroom in the basement of the
west wing was thought insufficient
for the purpose, and therefore re-
mains undrawn. An addition of
5000 to cover this improvement is
recommended, and to this l add my
Endorsement. An appropriation of
$4,000 is recommended to build a
carpenter shop, at greater DIS
lance from the boiler-house than
the building now occupied for that
purpose, as the proximity Of these
two buildings greatly increases the
danger oftire. Being convinced of
the urgent need Of this improve
ment by personal observation, not
only as matter of ordinary pru-
dence, but as embodying the first
principles Of economy, | desire to
enforce this recommendation to the
extent Of my earnest approval. The
trustees also ask for $4,000 to i'm
prove the grounds; $500 for renew
ing steam.pipe; tor contingencies;
and $3.50 for iron doors. In the
reports of the trustees and superin-
tendent are given at length the rea-
sons which seem to demand these
expenditures, to which your atten.
ton is invited.
THE INDEPENDENCE HOSPITAL FOR
THE INSANE.
The report OF the building COM
missioncrs and Superintendent of
construction of the Hospital for the
Insane at Independence, together
with the reports of the Board of
Trustees and Medical Superinten-
dent, constitute complete and in
teresting history Of the construc-
ton, the organization of the super
visory force, the opening to receive
patients, the progress of the hospi-
tai work, and the present condition
of that institution. AS frequently
as my other duties would permit, l
have attended the meetings of these
Boards and assisted and cncour-
aged the building commissioners
and trustees in their joint duties Of
forwarding the work SO that every
room which it was possible to COM
plete with the funds at command
could be utilized; and it gives me
pleasure to say that the conscien-
tious devotion of the members of
these Boards to the public interests
and their patient efforts to do all
that was possible in the presence of
great difficulties, have been to me a
source of satisfaction. The COM
missioners, as is generally the case
in the prosecution of a great enter
prise, met with unexpected obsta-
cles; and from circumstances be-
yond the forecast OF human wisdom,
when the time came for an expendi-
ture to be made, they frequently
found their estimate much below
the actual demand. Notwithstand-
ing every encouragement, however,
they pushed forward the work, and
on the first day Of May last the hos
pital was opened for the reception
Of patients. Up to the date OF the
accompanying report of Dr.. Rey-
holds, l78 patients had been re-
,eived and 26 discharged, leaving
hen in the hospital 1872.
1t must be understood that the
main central building, and the first
section of the north wing, ,are not
complete, as was anticipa-
ed when the last appropriation was
made. The causes which prevent
ed the commissioners from accom-
olishing as much with the appro-
oriation as was expected, are fully
explained and accounted for in
heir report, to which special atten-
ion is invited. 1t will be apparent
o the reader Of these reports that |
he State will snstain serious loss if |
he central building, and the first
longitudinal section in the north |
wing adjoining it-now tar ad-
'anced toward completion, large OK
'enditures upon them already hay
ng been made, and the room they
VII furnish being almost indispen-
ible, not only to accommodate the
insane of the State, but to make the
occupancy Of tho entire building at
III convenient or suitable to the per-
nanent accommodation of any num-
'er of patients-are not completed
t as early day as possible. In
to this, the superintendent
+ construction reports that the
already completed will be
eriously injured unless this central
is also finished. He esti-
mates that $4,000 will finish it, and
II my Judgment, humanity and
ound economy alike dictate that
he appropriation should be made.
he trustees also regard. it as i'm
ortant that an appropriation Of
10000 should be made for the pur-
ose of buying furniture, building a
arm, grading and improving the
rounds, fencing and breaking prai-
lie, and purchasing stock, and for
contingencies. All these things are
important; some of them are indis-