The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1877-01-22

applicants, and now patients are there.
fore confined in county jails sometimes
for months. and this, toO, at q time
when medical treatment is far more Of
fectivc in procuring cures. Many aro
doubtless thus rendered permanently
insane, who could DO cured if properly
treated, in the early stages Of Insanity.
The cost Of keeping lunatics in Jail is
alss far greater than at tho hospital.
You will see from the Auditors report
that the sum Of SIS, 400 II, was OK
pended during tho last fiscal year for
tho support of lunatics in jail. HUI
mauity and economy both seeIa to Dc.
mand that room should be provided for
new ca ses either by the erection Of ad.
ditto nal buildings at the hespital,o or by
re moving or making some other dispo'
s ition Of the hopelossly insane patients
| have heretofore invited tho attention o.
the Legislature to this subject, and, d
tho risk Of repeating natter Of former
messages, | now recur to it. Ny
though. is briefly this: That the pri.
mary idea in tho establishment Of The
hospital is the cure OF tho insane, aud
in tho second place the'eOnfnemeut md
maintenance Of lunatics who arc SO VIC
lent as to make them dangerous.
There arc, however, in the institution
many persons permanently insane, but
simple, harmless and inotfeusivc.
Soma Of them have been insane ioI
years, and there is no prospect Of their
euro. It is rather IN asylum than a
hospital The nur,ber Of cures effected
is very small when compared with
other hospitals. In saying this | do moi
mean to reQec! on the skill Of the Off.
GERS. The difficulty is that when many
OF the patients reach the hospital they
have passed the stage when they could
hays been successfully treated. The
fault is in the system. There should
in all instances DO room for new pa.
tients. If the hotpital be full, then
harmless patients, who can receive nc
benefit by remaining longer, could be
discharged or otherwise disposed Of, SC
as remaining to afford room for new ap.
plicants. l do not mean, Of course, to
suggest that this unfortunate class be
simply turned out Of doors, aud no fur.
ther care be taken Of them, but as il
has cost the State so far nearly $4,000
to furnish room for each patient, I dc
mean that this class Of patients can be
as we'll and much more economically
provided for in soma other way. On
the other hand, as it is difficult to de-.
iue the boundary between sanity and
insanity; patients samowhat cratic OF
afflicted with nervous diseases not ren.
dcriug them insane may be admitted
improperly. I, therefore, invite your
attention to this subject, believing tha,
some beneficial changes may DO made
10 the present law.
The report Of the directors, which
will be laid on your tables, present the
condition Of the hospital and its cxpen.
ditures' They ask fer S6O,S40 for
current expenses, $4,000 for transpor.
tation Of patients for the present year.
and the same for next year. They al
so ask for $1,000 to finish tho engine
house.
No special Legislation is needed for
the Deaf, Dumb, and Blind Institution,
other than the customary appropria.
tions. All necessary buildings have
been erected, and nothing more will be
needed for some years for construction
purposes. The Report ofthe Regents
gives the history, condition. wants and
expenditures Of the institution for the
past two years. The improvement in
its condition is sufficient evidence of
the fidelity and intelligence with which
the Regents have discharged the trust
imposed on them. Tho number of
pupils in attendance last session vas s.,
Of whom IS were deaf mutes and 10
blind.
Appropriations of $4,000 Tor cur.
rent expenses, repairs aud furniture,
and Of $4,000 for additional ground,
are asked for"
" The Regents Of The University
report that =" tho attendance has not
been quite so large as in some former
years, but in this respect the Uniyar.
sity has suffered IN common with nearly
every ether school Of high grade, from
tho long continued depression in all
financial and business enterprises.
They ask for the present fiscal year
appropriations that amount to 81, 724,
and for tho next year appropriations
amounting to Sl2, 300. They request
an additional appropriation Of $4,000
for each Of these years, for the cstab.
lishment Of departments Of Law, med
icinc aud normal instruction. cannot
recommend this additional appropria.
tion."
" Tho psnitonIiary has not yet be.
como self sustaining, although it IS
reasonable to expect that able.bodied
c0nyicts should earn enough to sup.
port themselves and pay tho cost Of
guarding them.
The Directors ask for appropriations
which amount in the aggregate to
$4,000 for this year, and $25, 900
for the next ysar.
On December /, 1874, there were