The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-12-21


STATEMENT OF PATIENTS RECEIVED DIS
ruAResp. AND DiFD--soME INTEREST
,xc oAsEs-wHAr THE COMPILATION or
Tgr NEW WARDS HAS DONE FOR Tue IN.
s,xg or THE srArE--LxPENsfs OF TUE
ssyLuM--R AND DIsBURsE'
EE>Ts, &C. &C.
re annual report Of the Board Of Direct
s,ss Of The Eastern Lunstic Asylum has oeen
rnnt 10 the Governor. The Board say tnst
a. INC bsglnnsng Of the year the number OF
nsr,enfs IN the asylum was 32y-l63 mates
ana 100 females. Eiphty.iiye-62 males ana
~ f,smaIes-hayc been admitted since, ma"
a,rc tae whole number treated during tue
yeas s0S. a
and 20 died, making the whole number
removed IS, and the number remain
icy AZ the end Of the year 1880. The
vum.er OF admissions was "a more than
tse preceding year, the necessary room
Setcc furnished by the opening OF TWO
wards in the new building. -
Daring the past year, however. tneie
wtsc thirty-nine mere males tban femaies
asmis,eu--an unusually large proportion OF
them old and feeble patients, worn down
ON fUfoutC fuSauty VI e~''.7 49,
seniic demeutia.
ronr OF the deaths reported were caused
nv exhaustion from chronic mania; i've
fretp chronic mania complicated with con.
<uuplion; four from chronic mania termi-
ua.inc with convulsioDs; four from chronic
uania terminating with apoplexy two from
epitepsy: two from senile dementia and pa
ratss.s; one from dementia with commissions
nj an epileptic character; one from senile
.demculia with superyening COMMISSIONS;
one from chronic mania with paraly-
ais and chronic cystitis OF several years
duration: one from acute mania with
Synbj!itic taint; one from acute mania
AND consumption; one from chronic mania
and impacted fracture OF the neck OF the
fenur, and one from dementia In which
there had been slight attacks Of epilepsy Tor
eighteen months, and which terminated
with well.maiked symptoms OF apcph Ky.
Ten OF the cases were over sixty years OF
Ae,, four OF them between seventy and
eigtfy. One of the deaths from acute mania
occurred in one month and twenty days, and
shc other, complicated with consumption
in twelve days after admission.
Ihes;ase Of fracture OF the femur occurred
In IN old lady seyenty-two years OF age.
gLe received the injury by being pushed
ting. in the yerauda, living, however, Tor
several weeks afterwards. The number OF
cases--six--c complicated With consumption,
shows the pronepess Of the insane TO that
disease.
10 admitting oil the patients applied for,
we Necessarily receive considerable num-
Der of cases of senile deDeniia. III may DC
of prac.icaI use to some 10 know tbat tnis
Glass OF cases is probably less benefited by
frealment than any other. They are often
drought TO the Asylum by their friends un-
der the delusve hope that, II not restored,
tbey NAV be at least benefited. But they
are usually broken down, both physically
and mentally, incapable OF being Interested
In their surroundings, and often uncon-
scious as 10 where they are. during the
dav, so long as they haze sufficient
strength, they go wandering about the
halls OF their ward In confused stale,
without aim or purpose, and hnally, as
sbeir inhrmity increases, have 10 De nursed
and cared for as child. The breaking up
of tome associations, generally so useful
in other forms OF insanity, is more inju-
yious than beneficial 10 this, nor Is there
sny specia! treatment which We can give
rbem that they could not receive at home
under favorable circumstances. We en-
desyor to give them DourlshlDg food,
keep them VAIN, nurse them ten
derry. and prescribe medicine for them
when indicated; but generally, in spite OF
.our best efforts. Ia few months we have TO
add their names to our u Ortality list. Much
better. when their friends have the means
TO support them, that they should retain
them at home, and patiently minister 10
their wants forthe short period which they
have TO live.
OF those discharged 40 were discharged
rs recovered, as improved, and one unim-
proved. One patient was brought 10 the
ss,lum, and after remaining until the COM
nittee convened was decided to be not IN
sane and returned.
The case reported as eIoped was admit
ted by order OF court as kIep,omaDac.
He bad been once convicted of THEFT ano
served term IN the peniteniiary, and
twice acquitted upon the plea OF Insanity:
He eluded the vigilance of the police OF
Norfolk and Richmond after his escape.
and was recently beard from az being 10
Washington city. IL requires the exercise
OF some charity 10 regard him as truly a
kleptomaniac.
or the 20 deaths reported, 10 were males
and 10 females. The rate OF mortality ia the
two sexes Often varies largely In any one
yeaf--one OF the proofs OF the little value oil
moriuaTy statistics, unless taken fot Ions
series Of years-as, for instance, last veal
che number OF deaths among the m lies wa
u aud the females ~, while in 1878 there was
the remarkable disparity OF 10 miles TO
Female, although there were SO more females
than males present during the year.
The Board next refers to the completion
OF and opening OF two OF the new wards
one on August 9th and one on the I'd OF
September. Most OF The eases received were
brought from the iails and the Plpel HOspi
cal. Many or them were old chronic, in
.eurable cases and epileptics. Applications
were made for the admission Of those In the
Valley and Southwest; but having been in
10rmed by the supe. intendent OF the West.
egn Asylum that the new building for males
1t thar institution would be completed at an
early day, II was deemed expedient to res,ric
che admissions TO the eastern part OF thu
State, otherwise this asylum would have
been again crowded with chronic incura
bies, without vacancies for recent cases
while Tue Western Asylum would have {
3asge number of vacancies, which would
remain unoccupied until filled by receh
eases throughout the State. This explana
zion IL due TO the friends OF the insane IL
the western part OF the State, whose appi
cations, since the completion OF the build
Jag, have not met with favorable response
and to which may be added that, to have
admitted all. would have so increased th,
amount for the cost OF transportation
and maintenance that the burden coulG
not have been borne by this institution will
sas present appropriation, which, since ii.
reduction to $4,000 two years ago, ba'
toeu insufficient for Its support; indeed, 4