Daily Republican., 1889-02-02

Nathaniel Williams, q former member
OF the Board Of Trustees aud m mber Of
the building committee, being asked TO
building, said he had not his papers at
hand but the total cost Of both buildings,
was f235, 900, and the insane department
building being the smaller OF the two,
the cost was about bl05, ,OG0, completely
furnished but exclusive OF the land upon
which 1t stood, the cost OF the farm Of 100
acres being 5000 The water supply
was of the best and abundant, with
facilities for supplying 1000 gallons an
hour.
The annual appropriation for both the
poor and Int ane departments was $40, 600.
The capacity OF the insane department
was 800 inmAtce, but to be within ample
scope he was going to say $50. Tho cost
of maintaining the insane department
was about one-third of the whole, or
tl3, 900. Other members OF the Board
said 1t did not exceed $1,000,
Mr. Nowland asked DR.. Springer to
state II, In his opinion, the inmates re-
eeived the medical attention they should
receive for the nervous diseases, and
whether many OF them would recover If
they had the treatment the State should
provide II this was State Asylum.
DIR. Springer said that he had been con-
nected with the Almshouse for twelve
yeare. Then there were only thirty In
sane patients. The only fault that he
ever found was the lack OF trained nurses.
The best methods, he said, were not,
when patients became excited, to chain
and handcuff them, but to give them pro-
per nursing. This is the proper plan.
Better care can be taken Of the insane
when they are divorced from county In
stitut' 'one. II Is beat to employ Q physi-
clan to devote his whole time to the pa
tients. In reply TO . question, he said
that he could not account for the increase
In the number OF patients, unless 1t was
owing TO better accommodations and
better treatment offered by the new aims
house. There were many In the asylum,
he sad, who pay their board, and there
was also large class of inebriates.
At this point Governor Biggs made q
motion that the Levy Court and Trustees
of the Poor be requested to appoint a
committee to Jay the matter under dis
cussiou before the Legislature.
Toe motion was adopted, only ont
segAtive vote being heard.
DIR. G. H. Richards, OF Sussex, said he
thought every State should care for Ia
| lntant. ne ALSO DslltNtu luht every pny
sisian in Kent County would favor thu
State plan.
DIR. shortlldge being called upon, sale
that he endorsed all that had been said ir
favor Of a State Insane Asylum. Som'
years sgo, when he was physician at tn,
almshouse, lie was frequently sent TO se'
tho patients from Delaware in the Penn
sylvania State Insane Asylum. He We
given q seat In the Office and told to wait
This meant that the patient was In NJ
untit condition to be seen. They are no
taken care of as they would be at hom
amongst their own people. The dostJ
referred to visit he paid to the SUISSE,
County Insane Asylum.
There were not ss many inmates 10 II
! as there should be, said the Doctor, frou
what he had o served. This sally Great
ed some laughter, when DR.. Richards
who was with him, said he was asked b
several who that suspicious looking fe
low was that wss with him, and he wa
glad he got clear OF him.
Train lime being announced the meet
ing burriedly adjourned, taking train 9
! FaTnhurst for down the State and o her
went home Ia other directions
A document prepared by Mr.. Frank
: Herbert, member OF the Board of Tru
= /, tees of the Poor from New Ca tie Shove
: that Delaware pays the following out
7 ? her school fund to other States.
Ii To the p. nnsylyania institution for u
/, instruction of the deaf and dumb, ", LOG
= = 90; to the Columbia institution for u
blind, $3.50. 90, and to thu same for feeb
minded children, S35i.50. Total, ,s3isl. l