The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1877-01-25
3 Il5snllal loT lIIo IIIEano.

4 Tbo REPORT d the Directors ano
4 SUPERINTENDENT 81 his Institution 4
Before rs, from which We learn that
IadaiionSl 1oQfn for so patients have
ibten added & the building, and that
Isthe Superintahdentha has been enabled
Ito keep iails clear OF these unfortu'
mate persons for the last year A
good substantial brick building fol
Tie accommodation 81 the colored in
Isane has been erected out Of the ap-
Precipitation of SIS, 600 made last win
ter, for that purpose. The bakery
laundry and smoke-stack have boon
I builtwith 4 view ofahswering all the
I wants Of the Institution. The ne
1 ceSsity Of making provision for the
colored insane was long felt, andi i
!. gratifying to know that their com
/ fort is to DO looked after. The Di.
rectors in their report say:
SThe operations Of the Hospital
lhave been highly satisfactory Tho
2 cost Of keeping the patients has been
iattbc unusually low tighres Of S2.Ss
Iper capita, per week, for tho pass
year, and when compared with the
average cost Of other hospitals inthe
limited States, which is $500 per
week, should be qualifying to- the
tax payers Of the State. lnecompar-
ling The, number Of officers Of this in.
! stitugion with that Of other institu-
tionsIwo tindthat wo,have fewer Off
GERS and pay less officers salaries
than any other institution of the
same size. For ipStance, the officers
salaries at the Stalliiton Asylum,
which accommodate about the same
number of patients as this, is 1929,
while the aggregatesalaries paid otfi-
GERS here is but $4,000 DR.. Camden
has, in addition to his labors ofSuper-
I intendent, and without extra com
pcnsation, performed the duties Of
experimenting the construction of
the engine house and colorcd asylum,
! and has performed that duty to the
| entire satisfaction Of the Board"
The report of the Superintendent
shows that on the 30th day of Sep
| TENDER 1875 there were 397 patients
in the hospital. OF these 222 were
males, and 175 females. During the
year, l24 had been admitted and rs
| discharged, of these 80 were cured, 81
| have died and 10improvcd. During
the year the hospital suffered an ep-
idemic of typhoid fever caused from
deficient sewerage. Two Of the at
ltendents died from this disease but
none Of the patients.
! The old wooden sewer, which had
become rotten, has been replaced by
terra Gotta one, and no apprehen-
sion of a repeated epidemic is felt by
the officers. The Superintendent
urges the necessity for extending the
Hospital, as it is now about full and
the jails are likely to be soon filled
up again, and he urges an additional
! levy on the taxable property of the
State of 3 cents on the 100 dollars for
this purpose.
The superintendent plan is this;
ITO place an annual tax Of three
cents on the (s1O0) one hundred dol
lars of taxable property, and it be al
lowed to run until the Hospital is
completed! This tax, | believe, will
amount to near $4,000 per annum,
and would bs about as much as could
be judiciouSly expended in Il work
| ing year, and to proprietor the next
year. With this amount available
every year, the work could be done
more cheaply, The tools and appli-
ances would always be on hand and
cared for, and would in this way be
saving to the State. To have to
make new beginning every
few years, every thing has to be re-
newcd-tools, ropes, derricks, carts,
and hundred minor necessities
No one would complain of such tax.
No one ever complained of the five
cent tax on the 500 that did run
for a year or two, and as this would
be less not one dissenting voice would
be heard for so great n charity, and
an act of the Legislature creating it
would meet with universal approval
and favor, and Respectfully ask that
such bill be presented to the next
Legislature. Such an act, if passed,
would also enable the hospital to buy
the Borgess. lot and Flcsher property,
which the hospital must own sooner
or later. 1t wouldalso furnish means
to grade and beautify the grounds,
which they are sadly in need Of"
We think, however, if the Govern
or's recommendation Of making the
institution a hospital and not an asy-
ium is adopted the necessity for this
additional tax will be done away with,
Patients who aro incurably insane
should be discharged and give room
to such as will yield to medical treat
ment
This institution in connection with
the Deaf, Dumb and Blind Asylum
appeals more strongly to our sympa-
thy than any others. Yet in taking
care of this and all others the State
must use economy and make no APP
nrnnr;nfinnc that nrn nOt ohenluto lv