The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1891-12-01
the asylum /, too crowded TO receive recen, ca.

"hen tue asylum 10 TOO crowded 10 receive recent ca
@It has never been the Intention of the managers.of
the asylum to criticize any particular class or classes
Of persons concerned in committing patients to this
Institution. But there certainly must he n lack of sp-
of the purposes II the asvlum, % well as
= disregard FOR the tights cf Individual, when two
are sent here al the same time as Insane, when'sufer-
ing from chorea or ST. Vitus's dance: or when the
father Of q sixteen-year.old boy, who had been idiotic
from his fourth wear. was allowed to think that his
sons mind could be restored by treatment here.
While instances of this kind are far from uncommon,
yonr board might again call the attention of the 7 egg,
islature to the statute which has operated well in
Alabama. enabling its asylum to receive only proper
cases. This law provides that before any patient is
sent to the insane hospital full and explicit answers
to the interrogatories must be forwarded to the
surpt rintendent of SAID hospital and notice received
ir9m him that said patient can be admitted"
COUNTY SUPPORT.
Under this head DR.. Babcock considers the meth.
DDS Of maintaining patients In the States where the
State does not pay the whole amount for the support
OF beneficiary patients" In New York public pa
tients are maintained at a rate not exceeding the ac-
tual cost, and II is charged to tho patients county.
In Pennsylvania and Maine the counties are required
to make such payments. Ic makes this comm
datiOn: "If such n plan meets with your approval,
tho suggestion might be made to the General Assem-
bly, to consider the advisibility of having tho com
ciary patient q portion-say onc-halI-of the actual
expense through their treasurer into the State treas
tives of patients to contribute to their support will
be called to the attention OF the county officers more
iorcibly than appears to have been possible by exist.
ing laws, while the statc treasury will be relieved of
q part OF the burden, and at the same time greater
discrimination as regards proper cases" will be en-.
forced. This will divide beneficiary patieuts into two
distinct classes: UD County Patterns, or those who
have settlements or legally established claims for
support upon the communities in which they live :
() State patients, or those who have not established
claims upon any community by birth or legal resi-
dence.
CARE OF CoLoEEp INSANE.
II cannot close this portion Of this report, without
having called your attention again TO the urgent ne
cessity of building here or elsewhere permanent aud
cornfoi table structures for the colorcd male patients.
The wooden lodges now occupied by them, were in.
tended for TEMPORARY use only. They are now un,,
healthy, insecure, and dangerous in case Of
fire.
TRAINING SCHOOL FOR NURSES.
wishing to improve the standard of service in the
care OF the insane, and recognizing the great and
wide. spread demand for skilled nurses. your board
has determined to establish q training school Tor nur-
AS | npprchcnd your intention, it is to establish n
school not merely for the instruction Of attendants
on the insane, but to tit young women, as In general
hospitals, to undertake nursing In all its branches.
Nurses who enter the school will be regarded rs COM
ing hercst fit themselves for an honorable calling, as
this asylum"
DIR. Babcock says occasional lecturers by members
OF the stan Will be given on mental symptoms etc.
with this broader conception of the needs OF the Asy-
lnm and of the State the course Of instruction has
been prepared. The plan at first will be to give the
female attendants now in the service OF the institu.
ton the option of entering the school, but hereafter
all newly engaged attendants will be required to be-
gin as probationcrs in the school. The course of in
struciion will be simple, direct and practicable AS pos
sible. and will include in addition q daily training in
ward duties, q recitation from approved textbooks
and a lecture from n member of tho Asylum medical
staff every week. Examinations TO test the pioiici-
ency Of the nurses will DO held from time to
Tho estimated first years expenses arc about
1900.
WORK SHOP FOR rATIsNTs.
In September an experienced instructor was put in
charge Of n work shop for white male patients. 1t is
ing much interest in the work and almost daily Access
stons are made to tho ranks Of workers.
FINANCIAL RESULTS.
Tho Treasuieg's report gives In detail tho
receipts and expenditures Tor the year.
II shows Q balance to credit from last
r,:.. .:~-.S 1l,2l4 III
Additional appropriation for maintenance. IUJ,rTJT
Receipts from patients and other sources.,. Hips OG
Giving as the total. income sl22,Gi2 lG
Deduct for maintenance. .."""sll3,5i 2 ~
Deficit Regents Aceount"...". l6I % Il3, IOG 81
Leaves balance to credit : S.935 70
rms amount the board has thought best to apply rs
Farm improvements. $4,000 90
Bal. for purchase Of dry gocds.&c a,S$5 70
If we now consider the cost per capita, wo
find that tho gross amount expended on
maintenance .sli3,5i2 IL
But out of this fund was paid for cXtraor-
binary expenses:
Permanent improvements..... 1851 81
For coal lS9l-S2 i20S 90
l,O02 4O l2,oi2 Oh
Which deducted leaves rs current expenses 100000 %
DIVIDED ny i5i, the average number Of pa
tienls and we have the annual per cap
iia INTERCHANGEABLE. 1873 ~
DIVIDED by 800, gives the daily per capita. 3Gi
II SlO,953. %, amount paid by private pa.
ticnts, be deducted from $lOQ, GOOOO.
we have as the annual per capita cost
to the State for maintenance. ..... lis IS
And q daily per 32l
ESTIMATES FOR NEXT YEAR.
have been instructed 20 estimate for maintcnan nee
SiW,Wo. The appropriations applied for will be:
TOT maintenance 90
Mileage and per diem of Rcgcnts......... 2,lOO 90
Training School ior Nurses. COO 90
For patients library. iUt %
~ $l0S,SOO 90
The proprictors Of the following daily newspapers
have grituit"usly supplied tho Asylum with copies OF
thoir issues THE kLGIsTEI and the Eucning Rec.
ORD, Columbia, the Netrs and Couricy, Charleston.
The weekly newspapers published throughout the
State are well represented on the table II the Asylum
reading room.
The tables appended to the report give in detail all
facts as 10 tho patients, their residence, matters in
connection with their support and much other data.
The largest number of patients admitted during
The year was between the ages OF thirty and forty
years. One hundred and seventeen were single, las
married, thirty.ihvc widowed, and eleven unknown.
Two hundred and twelve had but one attack previous
to entering the asylum all but fourteen had uccupa-
tons. For all but SIS cases, causes are assigned. One