The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-02-05
GOING CRAZY FAST.
Insanity in Kansas Keeps Far
Ahead of the Capacity
OF THE TWO INSANE ASYLUMS.
Insane and There Are Now 600 for
Whom There Is No Room in Asylums.


Whom There is No Room in AsyIums.
Is there an epidemic of insanity in
Kansas? For some reason hard to ex-
plain, the lists of insane persons on the
pay-rolls of the state are increasing at
rate alarmingly out of proportion to the
general increase in population. The
legislature is confronted by bill of more
than 100000 for the care of destitute
insane persons for whom there was not
room in the two big state asylums, which
must be paid at this session. This bill,
it should be remembered, is accumulated,
Notwithstanding the fact that the asylum
facilities are increased year after year.
Five years ago the capacity of the To-
peka asylum was nearly doubled,
and at Osawatomie an additional ward
was erected four years ago and an even
more costly one two years ago.
The state provides that so cents day
shall be allowed for the care of persons
pronounced insane by a probate court,
but who are denied admission to either
of the state asylums for lack of room.
This allowance amounts to $3.50 a year,
which indicates that there must be nearly
800 insane persons in Kansas outside of
the asylums. They are cared for either
by the counties in which they live, or by
guardians or friends.
Chairman William Rogers of the SEN
ate committee on ways and means, who
has more to do with appropriations than
any other man in the legislature. says to
a JOURNAL reported, "This bill for taking
care of destitute insane people keeps
growing Notwithstanding our best efforts
to keep up with it. We keep making
additions to our asylums and still there
are many who can't get in. The bill
which this legislature will have to pay
for this item alone will amount to more
than hundred thousand dollars"
How do you account for it2" inquired
the JOURNAL man.
81 account for it on the theory that
people are going crazy"
"Will the state pay all this amount"
"We have to pay it, or else repudiate,
and suppose no one wants US to do
that"
The support of this unfortunate class
of society is one of the greatest expe nses
the state is called upon to bear In the
past two years it cost 1925, 900 to run the
Topeka insane asylum and $4,000 to
run the asylum at Osawatomie This
| does not include the appropriation for an
additional ward to the latter institution.
The total is more than 100000, which
does not include the asylum for imbecile
youth.
The claims against the state for care
of destitute insane are filed in the audi
tors office. The claims are nearly all in
the name of the counties in which the
claimants live. as the amounts named
have been paid and the counties are
merely asking for the reimbursement to
which they are entitled under the law.
here is no hope of the bill being cut
down to a smaller figure by any auditing
process.
The matter of taking care of the desti-
tute insane as we'll as the astonishing in
crease of mental disorders, is attracting
the attention not only of physicians, but
thinking men in all portions of the state
The bill prepared by Albert Bigelow
Paine, which passed the senate last
| week, may have wholesome effect. In
some counties the care of pauper insane
! is let to the lowest bidder, sometimes as
| low as 10 or 20 cents a day. The county
then collects so cents a day from the
state and realizes a handsome profit by
! the transaction. The senate bill is aimed
| to suppress this practice.