The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-03-01

Discharged improved.
Discharged unimprOved
Remaining at end Of the
Average present during
the year. .........-...- ~ loI SUI
AT the commencement Of the fiscal year
there were 700 applicants foradmssionintOth the
white asylums of the State. During the year.
ont Of eighty male applicants, we We're able to
provide for sxty-tive, nearly the entire num-
Der residing i'm the Tdewater section OF the
state The other fftecn-generally hopeless,
mcurahle epeptics-were residents OF the
Southwestern or Western sections.
"Sevcuty-three females applied for admls-
sion. OF this number we could only take
thirteen. owing 20 the over-crowded condition
which has existed in our female wards Tor
Ovor five years This fact should appeal
strongly 20 the General Assembly 10 give. AS
soon as possible. increased accommodations
i'm our female department, as the female IN
sane for ffiy-tWO counties in the state cannot
be taken TO the nearest asylum, and are only
admitted 10 the others after those naturally
contiguous TO the Western and Southwestern
Asylums have been accommodated.
"Our recOveries are large when compared 10
the recent admissions for with seyenty-eight
admissions. our report shows thlty-nine re-
coverieS. or fifty per cent, the usual average
being about thirty per cent.
MORTALITY SNAIL.
The mortality list j. small, and Will com
pare favorahly with any other asylum. The
total deaths were thirty-one, Of whom twenty
four were males and seven females. Though
larger than last year, there were more patients
treated this year. Among the thlrty-one
deaths there We're eleyen--or one-third-be-
tween the ages ~ sixty and eighty.
Two Of the deaths resulted from suicide.
One was male patient. who has 50 Tar recov-
cred that had discharged him and sent him
home but while away his decisions returned
To him. while under the influence OF chloral,
and he returned voluntarily to the asylum,
where he enjoyed the liberties Of the grounds.
Having a razor and knife in his possession,
and procuring "a rope from the cow-shed, he
went 10 the asylum woods, made moose IN
the rope, fastened u 20 q tree, took his nat ana
coat OF. and carefully folding them up, put
th.m aside then cut his throat With the
razor IN one hand and the knife IN the other
being unable 10 get the moose around his
neck he walked up steep hill and Tell.
Another patient saw him and gave the
alarm. but before ! could reach him he was
dead This patient had been an inmate OF the
Western ASYLUM. and had escaped from there,
and for several months had not been under
any restraint lie came 10 this asylum 10y
transfer from the Western, but was at home
on furlough When he reached here he was
recovering from violent attack OF homcldal
mania as his papers described his case, but
~
SYMPTOMS Of his former mania He seemed
% be bright and genial. exhibited marked
courtesy 10 everyone ne was brought IN con-
tact with and when he spoke Of his disease,
he referred % il ~ decisions; in fact, be ap-
pearcd at ail times as rational rs any one
could be- and was trusted, as is our habit IN
this asylum.
sTRAyGLED HERSELF.
1.-THE other case was a lady of unusual men,
tai power highly educated and refined. her
insanity only showing itself IN persistent
efforts to destroy herself She was carefully
watched and every means by which she might
succeed in self-dcstructlOn was removed from
her reach. as we supposed. she was placed
in q guarded room. and the nightwatch IN
structed 10 look after her-speclally at all
hours Of the night. In some way she got pos
session of a small Irvine string. which is used
for small packages This she introduced be-
tween the meShes Of wire in the transom TO
her door. after the nightwatch retired.
but before the attendants of her ward opened
the door she hung herself and was strangu-
lated. Life was extinct when the attendant
opened the door.
GENERAL HEALTH
"The health Of this asylum has been Won
derfully good during tins year rs usually, the
mortality list viii compare favOrably with any
other asylum in or ont of the State for any
series OF years, especially when we bear III
mind the large number If very old patients
who are inmates We have q patient here
whose residence has been continuous since
1896. and quite "a number who have been IN
mates since 1910 10 1850, practically demon
stratinc the injustice Of the charge that this
locality Is not healthy.
"During the fiscal year about $50 applica-
tOus were made 10 the three white asylums
of the State: Of these J4l were admitted. leav-
inc over 200 VINO cannot be received for want
of accommodations. | would. therefore,
respectfully request that the General Assembly
"a, its next session will supply You with the
means 10 increase our female department suf-
6ciently TO provide for the fifty females i'm
properly crowded into our present wards and
for fifty additional female patients. 50 that
those unfortunate females seeking admission
In the tidewater section of Virginia can be
received in time 10 render it possible to cure
them and return them to their friends and re-
latiOns.
II again call your attention 10 the necessity
for increasing our administrative buildings.
For five years since the fire III June, 1884, we
have been much crowded for room. and have
been trying every conceivable temporary eX-
pedient 10 supply our needs in this respect.
1t will require about $1,000 to put up a gen
erd dining-rOOm, kitchen and stOre-roOm,
which we so much need.
At present much OF the room in the asv-
lum proper Is taken up with small ward din
ing-rOOms scattered all over the buildings and
at a great distance from the kitchen. necessi-
tatiug the GOOD TO be handled several times
between the kitchen and the patient: it being
impossible 10 provide the patients with their
food in the condition they should receive 1t
THE OFFICIALS.
1T affords me pleasure to testify 10 the
general efficiency of the officers and en-
ployes who, with rare exceptions, have
aided me cordially and intelligently in con-
Quoting the affairs of this asylum. My
warmest thanks are due and are hereby cx-
tended To the medical officers. Drs. Shield
and Garlick, for their cordial support and
cheerful cooperation in conducting their
respective departments-fo their unceasng
care and devotion in looking after the wants
and providing against the suffering of the
patients committed 20 their charge. 1t is al
most needless to refer to Messrs. Armistead
and Mercer whose departments are always
kept in perfect order. and vino have for more
than six years commended themselves 10 me
personally as worthy of the trust reposed in
them. / cannot refrain from. bearing testi-
mOny 20 the efficiency of our new engineer
Mr.. TOpham. His department has been con-
Quoted not only WELL but very economically.
For the first time since have been con-
nected with this asylum have been able To
report that the farm has been conducted with
my entire satisfaction and approval. Mr. Be
thune has supplied the patients and employees
with ample vegetables throughout the season.
RECEIPTS.