South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1877-01-19

establishments or tue hospital is the cure
OF the insane, and. in the second place,
the confinement and maintenance of
iunatics who arc so violent as TO make
them dangerous. There are, however,
In the institution many patients perma-
nentiy insane. but simple, harmless and
inoffensiye. Some of them have been
insane for years, and there is no pros
pect of their cure. 1t is rather an usy
hsHs than hospital The number of
cures effected is very small when com.
pared with other hospitals. In saying
this do not mean to reflect on the skill
Of the officers. The difficulty is that,
when many Of the patients reach the
hospital. they have passed tho stage
when they could have been successfully
treated. The fault is i'm the SYSTEM
There shonld in all instances be room
for new patients. II tho hospital be
foil. then harmless patients who can
receive no benefit by remaining longer
could be discharged or otherwise dis
posed Of, so as TO afford room for new
applicants. DO rot mean, Of course,
10 suggest that this unfortunate class be
simply turned out OF doors and no furlh h.
or care he taken of them, but as il has
| cost the State so far nearly $4,000 to
furnish room for each patient, do mean
that this class of patients can be as well
and much more economically provided
for in some other way. On the other
hand. as it is diflicnlt to define the boun-
dairy between sanity and insanity; pa
tients somewhat erratic or afflicted with
] nervous diseases not rendering them
insane may be admitted improperly. L,
therefore, invite your attention to this
subject believing that some beneficial
changes may be made in the present law
The report of the directors which will
DC laid on your tables, presents the con-
dition of the hospital aud its expendi.
lures. They ask for $50, $40 for current
expenses. $4,000 for the transportation
of pst;ents for the present year, and the
same for the next year. They also ask
for 81 900 to finish the engiue-house.
THE DEAF, DUNE AND BLIND INsTITU-
TON.
No special legislation is needed for
the Deaf, Dumb, and Blind Institution,
other than the customary appropriations.
All necessary buildings have b, Ell erect.
ed. and nothing more will be needed for
some years for construction purposes.
The Report of the Regents gives the
history. condition, wants and expendi.
lures OF the institution for the past two
years. The Improvement in its condi.
ton is sufficient evidence of the fidelity
amt intelligence with which the Regents
have discharged the trust imposed on
them. The number of pupils in atten-
dance last session was S5, of whom Go
were deaf mutes and 10 blind.
Appropriations of $4,000 for current
! expenses, repairs, and furniture, aud of
$4,000 for additional ground, are ask.
cd for.
| TIL: UNIVERSITY.
The Regents of the Univ ersity report
that 'the attendance has not been quite
| so large as in some former years, but in
this respect the University has suffered
in common with nearly every other
school ofhigi grade, from the long con.
tinued depression in all financial and
! business enterprises A President has
not yet been chosen; q meeting OF the
/ Regents, however, has been called for
the purpose OF making IN appointment.
fou will find in their report, which will
be laid before You, statements Of the
condition, wants and expenditures Of
the institution. They ask for the nre.
sent fiscal year appropriations that a.
mount TO Sl7,7si, and for the next fiscal
year appropriations amounting to $12,-
! 800. They request an additional APP
preparation OF $4,000 for each of these
years, for the establishment of Depart.
ments Of Law. Medicine and Normal
instruction. / cannot recommend this
additional appropriation. Ample facil.
tiles for instruction in the learned pro-
iessions are TO be found in the country !;
there is. therefore, no pressing necessity
! for Law and Medical Departments. A
/ medical school, TO be successful, must
have full corps of professors, and be
supplied with aids to instruction. which
cannot be found in village and this
is, in. measure, true Of law SCHOOL
A single chair in the Department Of
Medicine, and one in the Department Of
Law, could not furnish the kind of in.
struction that may be obtained else.
where. and, therefore would ftil TO pro.
cure the attendance Of students. A
portion of the revenues Of the .nstitu.
ton is derived from the proceeds ofland
granted b. Act of Congress for the es.
Establishment of n School OF Agricn ture
and the Useful Arts. The tendency
heretofore has beeu,. TO drift away from
the original design. | think good faith
requires that any changes that may I've
made in its organization. shOnld tend
to mnko tia Scientific and Polytechnic
School rather than University, in the
proper sense Of That term. The creation
Of Departments Of Law and Medicine
would be y still wider departure from
the original plan Of its establishment
Besides these considerations, the pre-.
sem condition OF the Treasury will not
permit any experiments Of the charac.
ter recommended by tho Board. So far
as the Department OF Normal instruction
is concerned, it. IS sufficient TO say. that
the State has already established six
Normal Schools elsewhere, and there is
no necessity for any further provision Of
this kind iu fact IL has Iona hoo, a acri.