The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1891-01-07

I PoPhidtlo1 IA-tfcbSti, ITO
and directors feel that during the nex
two years they will be able to do ever
better than this. and the Legislature VII
be asked 10 merely coutinue the presen
appropriation of 800, 900 per year Thu
Is $50 90 per year per capita for 500 in
mates, and 1t should be understood tha
this amount not only feeds and clothe.
the patients, but provides skilled
treatment. pays all salaries. pays tol
drugs, fuel, lights, repairs, ana meet.
! all expenses Of every sort Rhatsoes. r
The Jaller Of Ired IL cour .a.l =
cents per day Tor boardu taa p istu
er5 III the comfy jail al az c.rc d,
that the figure l. verF .oa -3u- couu
ties pay 10 cents aud Other a- nag 3.
50 cents This % cea;s par oay MAJ.
the board oI prIA :uer cos -. . cer :,
| IN year Bur ord cu. u. n4-t
bought to cover hltn, I a. 1sco.
| naked clothing must he DJugt.. !. I illlu.
If he gets sick a physician mus ~ peIa
and so must the drug bill, ana all III : Is
extra. When the state can provide every.
thing in the way Of comfort, care and
sklllful treatment for its unfortunate in
sane at less than double What it costs 70
feed a prisoner in a common jail, II
will be admitted that it Is doing it.
| humane work at very small cost.
One hundred and eighty dollars per
capita Is ind. ed much below the aver
Sage of the running expense of the
asylums of the United States, but the
managem, ut of the Western North Car
olna Insane Asylum will undertake to
| provide for its inmates for the next two
| years at this figure, and, moreover, will,
| II allowed to retain its savings, under
tniya t,xy
adding to these savings, to construct
during the next two years, apart from
the main building, congregate dining
rom. which will enable them to con
vert the present dining rooms in the
building into bed rooms, thus making
room for sixty more patients.
The General Assembly will be asked
for some legislation regarding the iusti
tuition which will involve no expense,
but which will Increase its usefu,n ness,
and this legislation 1t is supposed there
will be no objection from any quarter:
a. 1t will be asked that the name,
1.-The Western North Carolina Insane
Asylum" be changed to The State
Hospital ut Morganton." The words
''insane asylum have a terror for the
people, and many patients feel that "a
stigma attaches to them as inmates Of
an institution so called. "Hospital" Is
pleasanter to the ear and is of less terri
bic significance to the mind. 1t is be
lieved that this change of name will have
good effect upon the patients; area ly
there is rejoicing in the wards in pros
pect of it.
(2) Certain rooms of the institution
twelve on the male and an equal mum
Der on the female wing-were construct
1 l..
might pay their own expo nses and have
their own attendants could be cared for
The institution, however, having been
built and being supported by the money
of all the people, it is not The policy of
and treat and care for Others without
charge Hence these private sections
are unavailable for the general purposes
of the institution and il is proposed to
open them to inebriates and victims of
the opium habit to the number OF
twelve of each sex. 1t is pro-
posed to charge the patients of
these classes an amount for board
eqnal to the expense Of caring for and
treating them, and /, is fet that in thl..
way good work may b. q "a in re
claiming men an wOren VINO have be-
come disqualified tor usfulaees throus,u
the drink and opium babI :, aud 10.
without expense to tn - ,fe and VII
out excluding in5 n person wao ulgh'
otherwise te admitted
This, then, is The ST. -ie.t Of =
case to the Lagi-la'u i,r nr Vest
North Carroll "a Iusane a. i9-l. an
stitution which is dong gi ariun work
in amelioraring the unhappy c"Edl'l"t
of a great many of our teliow-e!tZ -
1t is an honor to Moth Carolina AMI uo
North Caroilnian can regard it other
wise han with pride. DR.. T, L. Murphy
its able superintendent is emlnently fitted
in every particular for the important
trust which he exercises with such wis
dom and conscientiousness; Drs. Ivey
aud Taylor, the assistant physicians, are
accomplished medical men, fond of their
speciality and ambitions in it; the posit-
ions of steward and matron could not be
more acceptably or more worthily filed
than they are by Mr.. F N. Scroggs and
Mrs. G. A. Marsh, and all the subo.di
mates are chosen with reference to their
fitness and take a just pride in their
work. The institution is controlled by
board of eight directors, whose trav-
cling expenses to and from the meet
ings are paid and who serve without
compensation. AS citiZ rs and tax.
payers they have jlst the same interest
in the institution that other patri
otic aud enlightened citizens should
have. They desire to see it reach the
highest measure of usefulness aud at the
same time have tee same interest that
all other tax payers have that it should
be conducted with the Utmost economy
consistent with good service. Neither
upon this nor upon any other point OF
management do they fear to meet the
Legislature, and the most they have to
ask of this honorable body is rigid in
yestigation of their management in the
past, feeling confident that the closer
the inquiry the more ready the General
Assembly will be to accept what they
now have to say as to what Is necessary
to conduct the Western Insane Asylum
in the future with the same measure of
off clancy that has marked its ODarafiOnS