The Portland daily press., 1894-03-03
THE STATES INSANE.
The Review of the Year in the Hospital at
Augusta.

Augusta, March 3-The annual report
of the officers of the Maine Insane
Hospital was approved by the Executive
Council today.
The trustees say the general condition
and personnel of the patients are not
materially changed from the satisfactory
report of previous years. There have
been no well-founded complaints from
The patients in regard to an insufficient
sunply of good food. There has been
careful and well-directed medical treat
ment.
In order to avoid the great danger
from fire, the trustees have introduced
the lighting of the barns and such OF the
wards as were exposed to danger, py
electricity. and as fast as the finances OF
the institution will admit it should pe
introduced into all the wards.
The crowded condition of the hospital
still exists, the trustees say. They de,
clare that the question of new hospital
ia one which must be met, by future
legislation. Every practical effort mas
been made to free the hospital OF patients
who can otherwise be cared tor without
personal or public detriment. Early in
the season a systematic and careful effort
was made by the trustees and suPerln-
tendent to eliminate from the hospital
all those patients that the laws of the
state contemplated might be removed.
We have sent to the insane department.
of the state prison fifteen of the inmates
of the hospital. We also found that
twenty mine of the male and fifteen OF
the female patients were proper candi-
dates for removal to other Localities.
This effort was effectual in nearly every
instance, ands the population OF the
hospital has accordingly been reduced
by this procedure actually fifty-fve OF lts
former inmates, but owing OF the lncom-
ing of new patients there has been only
a decrease of about fifteen patle nts.
This decrease is liable to be cancelled
at any time by the natural result OF an
increase of the insane population OF our
state and other weil-known causes. Ii
is expected that the legislature VIII meet
this question at it's next session IN an IN
telligent manner and with satisfactory
conclusions. -,
Superintendent Sanborn says, at the
beginning of the year, December l, 1872,
there were resident in the hospital 6oS
patients. 357 men, 1873 women. Two hun
bred and eigh ty seven have been ad-
mitted since, 40 men, III women,
making the whole number under treat
ment a12, 527 men, 445 women. OF these
there have been discharged 3ol, IFS men
and 1873 women, leaving at the close OF
the year 671, $50 men and 321 women.
The per cent of recoveries for the past
year based upon the number under treat
ment was not materially changed being
ri against e 43 the preceding year.
The per cent of recoyeries based upor
the mum Der ~ admissions has been 81. Il
against 26 OF the preceding year.
The patients have been supported II
the following manner: Fifty mine by
their own means, 81 entirely by the state
and 53s have received state aid of 81. 81
per week, towns and individuals paying
the rest.
mitted were: Alcoholism, 2, apoplexy,
2; business troubles, 8; childbirth, 5;
cocaine habit, /; consumption, l: aisap-
pointed affection, 5; domestic afhiction,
il; epilepsy. s; CESSATION, L; hard living,
/; hereditary, 10; ill-health, I; injury,
2; injury to the head, 3; injury to thf
eyes, intemperance, 10; Jealousy, L; ls
grippe, IL; masturbation, 10; morphine
habit, i overwork. 10; overstudy.
paralysis, 3; puberty, z; menopause, ~
religious excitement, g.; sexual lndul
oence. 1; struma, l.; seniiity, z; sun
stroke, 8: traumatisn1, 2; unknown, III
uterine disease /; w3rriment,, l..
The ages of those admitted were
From 10 to 90 years of age, Il; 90 to 30
Al; 80 to 40, 81: 40 to so. AZ: 50 to SO, So
go to 70, IS; 20 to so, 10; so to go, 2; un-
known, 2.
There were married ZIG; widowed, 2S
divorced. 2; single, 100; unknown, "a.
The duration of insanity of those adj
mitted ran from one month to thirty
years, three being admitted who had
been Insane for the latter period.
The time of treatment Of patients dis
charged was: Not exceeding three
months, 21: six months, 81 nine
months. 6; 10 months, eight; is months
eight; two years. three; three years, five
four years, two: five years, one.