Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1881-06-02
CAPITOL NOTES.

uuuef the auspices OF sHe VETERAN
Soldiers Club. Governor Smith is
president of the day, Col. W. +. Vi
las is chieftmarshal and Maj. S. S
lockwood is orator.
The most important state matter
of the past week is the issuance Of
the circular Of the State Board OF
Charities. 1t may directly affect
Iowa county, hence liberal extracts
from it may be given place in our
columns very properly. which is
done here with
10 ,Supe,inte's0ents Of tue Poor and
Members Of County Boards:
GENTLEMEN F: There are at pres
ent in the state of Wisconsin about
LOO insane persons under public
care. OF these there were, as re-
ported to US April IA, 568 in the
State Hospital tor the Insane, 522 in
in the Northern Hospital for the In
sane, and 272 in the Milwaukee
County Insane Asylum, of whom on
ly go were from this state. There
were thus at that date, 1850 insane
persons in these three Institutions
belonging to the state of Wisconsin.
The remainder, or about $50, are
in poor-honses and jails, mostly in
poor-houses. The number of the in
sane in this state is increasing faster
than the population, and faster than
state institutions are likely 20 be
built to accommodate them. 1t is
not therefore probable that the poor
houses can ever be emptied of their
chronic insane.
Recognizing this fact, the legisla-
ture this winter passed law Chap
ter 233 of the laws of 1881, which
provides for the more humane care
Of the chronic insane in poor-houses.
According to this law, whenever
there is insufficient provision for the
insane in state hospitals and county
asylums, the State Board of Chart
ties and Reform may establish rules
for the care OF the chronic insane by
counties, and the counties which
come up 20 the rules shall receive
from the state one dollar and half
a week for each insane person thus
cared for. The law also provides
that the accounts of counties for the
care of such chronic insane are to be
approved by the State Board Of
Charities and Reform. The State
Board of Charities and Reform may
remove any insane persons from
counties which do not have proper
accommodate for their chronic in
sane, to counties which do properly
care for them. Ia such case the
counties from which the insane are
transferred pay the same price as
they would for the same persons at
the State institutions, and the coun-
ties to which they are transferred
receive the same, and also one dollar
anu u uail NCoN Aioill thC olabC,
making in all three dollars q week
and the cost Of clothing.
Acting under this law, the State
Board of Charities and Reform have
adopted the rules for the care of the
chronic insane in poor-houses which
are given hereafter.
1t will be noticed that no rule has
been adopted in regard to the size
or location of buildings for the in
sane. The circumstances of coun-
ties and the number and character
of their chronic insane vary so great
ly that no general rule can I've adopt
ed. In many counties the present
buildings with some inexpensive
changes will be quite enough for
the present. The board do not be
lieve that the insane need costly
buildings as much as they do proper
attention by those having them il
charge.
We call special attention to the
rules 4, 5 and 6, which relate to
occupation and non-restra,nt fol the
insane, and would refer you to the
same subject as treated of on page
$50 of our last annual report.
Counties applying to be placed
upon the list to be certified to the
secretary of state, should be sure
that all the insane are properly