The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1889-12-05
.LUNATIC ASYLUM.
FACTS AND FIGURES FROM THE LAST
ANNUAL REPORT OF DOCTOR
DORSET
Aninterestlnx Statistical Document show
ing Movement of the Population
Exceedingly Low Death Rate.

Lunatlc asylum, ana tine lacCS ana
| figures given win be found interesting.
Speaking of the movement of the
population for the year ending Octo-
Der 81, 1889, he says:
On the 31st day of October, 1888,
there were in this asylum $50 patients,
of whom 80 we've males and 275 we're
females. There were admitted during
the year 160, OF whom 115 were males
and 40 females. There were dis
charged during the year SO, of whom
40 were cured and 36 much improved.
There were A discharged
unimproved and taken home by
their friends. These latter were
chronic and harmless cases, and their
friends preferred to take them rather
than they should end their lives in a
lunatic asylum. Sixteen were fur
Laughed and taken home, in each case
the friends of the patient bearing all
expenses of transportation, etc. OF
this number six have been returned,
showing ten out on furlough, and the
superstition is they are well, or would
have been returned, as the rule is to
return all upon the expiration Of fur
Tough if not cured.
There have been ten escapes. OF
this number nine were returned.
There were remaining on hand the
31st day of October, 1880, 62l patients,
of whom 345 we're males and 276 were
females, making the largest number OF
patients present at any one time since
the opening of the asylum.
The daily average attendance was
during the past year 593 against that
OF 500 last year, resulting in per
capita cost for the year OF $1,000 or
$3.50 per week.
Seven hundred and forty-fve pa
tents were treated, and out of this
number there were twenty-four
deaths. OF the above number, twenty
four, one was here Only ten days,
three two weeks, three we're here three
weeks and two remained two months,
making total of eight who died from
ten days to two months after having
been brought to the asylum. These
cases were upon arrival found to
be suffering with acute physical dis
ease and should never have started
from their respective counties in such
a low state OF physical health. OF
three of those who died, one had re-
sided in the institution twenty-eight
years and two were here for fourteen
and sixteen years respectively. In
consideration, Of this prominently
important matter, ] refer with especial
pride and satisfaction to the table,
wherein will be found the number
treated and death rate OF same for each
year since 1873, save those OF 1879 and
1880, of which no record can be found,
nor is there any record thet can
be found on the files of the asylum Of
the death rates previous to the dates
embraced in this table IL will be
seen that in the three years OF my adj
ministration the death rate has de-
creased each year; that during the
year previous to my taking Office the
percentage was 1862, while during
the past year it has been reduced to
1922, the lowest point ever reached in
the recorded history of the institution.
The nearest approximation to this re-
suit was obtained in 1878, but there
were treated that year fraction less
than enc half the number treated the
present year.
The financial statement, as found
in exhibits and 2, is sufficient to
show the manner in which the several
appropriations have been expended;
also the balances remaining in hands
Of the comptroller at this date.
AS we have had a much larger num-
Der of patients under treatment, and
with only 81 900 appropriated for the
purchase of medical stores against
that OF ~, 600 for last year, / fear that
TIE small balance now remaining will
not be sufficient for the coming four
months, the end OF the fiscal year. 1t
| is not to be supposed that the small
per capita OF $1.33b is sufficient for
the purchase OF all medical stores, dis
: infectants, ETC., needed for each pa
tent during the year. OF this appro-
priation considerable part is for the
, purchase Of surgical instruments and
disinfectants, the latter Of which a
very large amount is Of a necessity
+ used in every part OF the institution
and around it, and the unusual good
5 health is to be credited to the free
use Of these agents along with
the other means employed"
z OF the number admitted during the
{ year there were lis males and 45 fe'
: males; SO married, So single, 8 widows
s widowers and / grass widow; l3l
we're white, Is colored and 5 Mexi
: cans.
Z OF the 100 admitted 80 had no oc-
cupation, 81 we're farmers and 81 la
$ borers, while the balance we're scat
! tered through other occupations. 0
!. the number admitted only 40 wer'
natives OF Texas.
The following shows the death rat
since 1874:
A 4