Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-12-13
VICTIMS HOPELESSLY INSANE
Many Patients at Farnhurst
are Incurable.
THE STATE MUST KEEP THEM
Prevalent ignorance About
the Asylum.


AT the monthly meeting of the trustees
of the State Hospital for the Insane
at Farnhurst Thursday Superintendent
Hancker's report was read. DR.. Hancker
says
After careful study of 1856 patients
during the past biennial period it is safe
to say that 70 per cent are absolutely hope
less so far as ultimate recovery is CON
cerned. This means that the State of
Delaware will be compelled to shoulder
the burden of support of this number of
unfortunates for the rest of their lives,
One cause tending to the chronicity of
the insane is the desire OF relatives and
friends to retain them at home until the
last spark of reason is dethroned.' The
doctor finds the cause of this in the pre-
valent ignorance about hospitals for the
insane and the treatment OF the patients
there. He thinks this would be overcome
if the people of the State would visit the
hospitals and inform themselves of the
conditions and treatment He gives the
following statistics of the hospital popu-
lation: During the year there were III
males, So females, or total of 1856 patients
admitted; there were 327 under treatment;
80 discharged 80 of whom had recovered I;
q improved, Is unimproved and one was
not insane; there were IS deaths, making
the whole number of discharges las. The
population of the hospital December |,
1884, was 90. The average number of
patients were 2S3 and the average cost of
support was Sl3S.
Compared with the cost of patients sup
port in other hospitals the Delaware Hos.
pital average is the lowest with one eXcep-
ton. In siXty-three hospitals the average
cost of a patient is reported at S20l 40; in
twenty-five hospitals in the Eastern States
the average cost was S2l7.l6.
RECEIPTS AND DISBURSEMENTS.
The receipts of the superintendent for
treatment and board of patients were as
follows
Balance due December LIST, 1892 .......s 6l7.lg
hecelpts Ter Two years. 1876 "a
- Total receipts. 49, >6
EGpenditur s........................ ~
Balance on hand. sJ,272. IA
A summary of the expense account paid
from the State funds for two years is as
follows Salaries, SIG, 4Ooll; fresh and
salt meat S7,SO4.4S; butter, milk and
vegetables, SiSls.3S; bread, groceries, ice,
drugs and medical supplies ST., $50. 20; coal
and light, sLD09.5S; engineering depart.
ment supplies and repairs SlU9LG6; hard
ware, furniture, dry goods clothing, books
and printing, S7,43l.O9; insurance and tele.
phone rent, s99O.42; carriages, stlndry bills
OF the superintendent and condensation
Of trustees, S3,l70.i6; balance 81 cents.
Total from the State fund for two years,
| SCI, 0722l
The report of the board of trustees tc
the governor urges the necessity of more
buildings, caused by the Overcrowded con,
dition OF the hospital. From the record.
of the hospital it is deduced that lis reve
nues under conditions fitting it to accept
and that pay patients will be sufficient tC
| pay the interest on the sum of money
needed-about S35, 0O0-for the building Of
| two outlying wards for violent, noisy anC
unclean patients.
The plan suggested in the report for rails
| ing the amount Of money needed for The
i building of the new wards is the ssuin.
of State bonds at a low rate of interest
the interest to be provided for from the in
come from pay patients. ThisinCome havir.
under present conditions reached d sun
sufficient to warrant the payment of The
interest and also to warrant the anticipa
ton of very large increase under i'm
proved condition made possible BY an en-
largeinent of the buildings The repor
was adopted and was signed by the mem
beers of the board.
The finance committee reported the ex
haustion of the State fund of 100000 fo
the support of the hospital during th,
biennial term, and a deficit Of 500, which
had been supplied from the superintend
ent's funds.