New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-01-31
THE CITY'S INSTITUTIONS.
,rpopT OF THE VISITING COMMITTEE.
rvr DEPARTMENT OF CHARITIES AND COR
FICTION CRowDED-MANY IMPROVE
MINIS SrGGE:TED.

MENTS sUGGE;TED.
xew.Yors County Visiting Committee for Belle
Uospltal and other Public Institutions, has com
W, ,,s twentieth annual report TO the state Charl-
IN Association. The report Is long one, and
w. .ses in thorough manner the condition OF ana
~.nrss in the city's varions institutions 1t shows
cue" on October l. 1902 there were 1887 persons in
. n.nartment OF Charities and Correction, consist
v" -o7 officers and employees, 1910 inmates,
W. o-O unpaid helpers. This is an increase OF 253
~. inmates and of 144 In the employees. and a de-
w. n 49, in the unpaid helpers. compared with the
,s,s on October /, 1891 In the penteniiary and
~" .pv prisons there were ,53S inmates. leaving
=, sos In the other Institutions. The report refers
.,o appointment of Elbrdge T. Gerry, Franklin
r..on oscar $. straus, f. p. Barker and William
,r,s AZ an Advisory Committee on the Care of the
sn. "a the most important incident affecting the
nor,ment of Charities and Correction during the
year.
In accordance with the recommendations OF this
.mm,t,ee the city acquired from the state title TO
~. whole Of Wards Island. and has boon authorized
~ ,ba legislature to issue $500 900 OF bonds for the
lection O. suitable insane asylum buildings.
The number Of insane persons In the four city
.-,ums on october I, 1892, was 5,16'-an increase
~ Az 40 men. 105 wOmen) since october l. 1901
rno nesent capacity OF the four asyums is given
Ia,3 an increase Of 1873 since last year; that Is,
h.,e Il really no room for Oncf fourth OF the patients
VA tho patents have increased more than twice as
os, as the accommodations. The employment of more
na keepers at and Harlem Hospitals ana
,bs completion Of vaiioas Improvements arc noted
encouraging changes.
The visitors found some Improvement in the con-
ation Of Bellevue Hospital but the alcoholic wards
.re ound 10 be much crowded last winter The report
saws: In one day, in November 1891, forty-six
msn were admitted. and in December thirty-nine men
ware found there OF whom eleven were confined 10 bed
and most of the others lying on the floor. There are
hut five cells for men. with three beds In each; The
womens SIDE though not quite so badly crowded was
usually found with more patients than beds"
While there were l63 patients admitted 10 the
Emergency Hospital during the year ended October
I and $50 births, there was not single death among
tho women confined. The hospital Is reported In good
condition.
Al Gouverneur Hospital the increase In patients
admitted was about One-thd and the visitors recon-
mend more room for the housekeeping ana better
wsterworks
Better ventilation for the laundry building ana more
room for the dspensaFy were the Recommendations
far the Harlem Hospital. al which there were l.4lo
Office. eases and 24479 dispensary cases treated
during the year.
MANY recommendations are made for Improvements
in the institutions on BlacIwelIs. Wards, Rahoaii
end Harris Islands, and general increase IN ihHc
Is noted. To the practice OF transferring lr'h 'ie
WorlIhouse 10 the AmshOuse al. persons too oiu vi
eetl. 10 work IS ascribed the overcrowdiIg III Inc
Almsholse.
The ovelcrowded condition Of the Blackwehs lslA'u
Asylum Is severely criticised. The report says;
1.-The crowding OF this asylum grew gradually worse
through last winter and spring. on OCTOBER -
1891, there were l,7sc patients. 021 OF whom weTe
In the ten rckey wooden pavillons, the capacity oi
which were they fit TO be occupied at all Is mol
than GOO In the two basement wards. "ich
OF thyone rooms. there we're sixty-nine and seven
ty-six beds respectively and the patients OF 'he'e
wards had day but the dark passage 9etVcSA
the bedrooms On April ,. visitor iouhd i,oo',
patients in one ward; seventeen beds were placed
In the hall on May there were l.033 patients ana
on November IA, 1850 The condition OF the old
wooden pavilions l. deporable; and III par.
tcular are liable 70 fall IN any violent wind WAT
could be done with the patients In such case sup
posing any OF them 10 be taken out alive, 1t Is not
easy TO see
The Central Islip Asylum was also reported over,
crowded Last winter the visitors n1ted state OF
decentralization at the Randalls Island Hospital
food was abominable clothing and house-li men were
lost and stolen and the responsibility c)Hd NO De
fixed. Since the appointment OF DR.: H. ;: Williams
a markell Improvement had been n0tlcc1 Inc cIoti!-
ing OF tho inmates in the North Hospital va, nld
insufficient and general enclosures pervaded the
In Hint