Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1897-10-21

WESTERN STATE HOSPITAL.

The board held its SEVENTEEN annual meet
ing on last Friday with full board consist
ing of the following gentlemen present: j.
j. Beckham, president, Alexandria, g. &.
Conway, Orange H. j. Williams, Augusta,
A. F. Withrow. Bath, J. l.. Treadway,
Pittsylvania, F. B. Berkeley, Staunton, p.
h. Trout, Staunton, E. E. Stickley, Wood
stock, j. B. Larrick. Frederick.
The board inspected the buildings, grounds,
finances and conduct of the hospital, and
complimented DIR. 1lackford, highly upon
his management of the hospitals affairs.
An excellent dinner was served and few
guests were invited.
The Superintendent's report showed an
average per capita cost per patient for the
year ending Sept. 80. 1897, of $125.s0, which
is the lowest in the history Of the hospital.
1t further show that on October LIST, 1906,
the beginning of the fiscal year, there were
799 patients in the hospital of whom 422 were
males and 377 females. Admissions during
the year ending September 80. 1897,-115
males and 90 females. Total. 207. Total in
the hospital during the year: 537 males and
1859 females Total, 1,006. Daily average
during the year: 1874 males and 1888 females.
Total, 922.
Discharged during the year: Recovered,
81 males and 80 females; total. 81. 1mprov-
ed; males and females. total, 81. Inn
proved; males and females, total, 8. Not
insane, 8 males and females. total 4. Dis
charged on bond. / male. Died. u males
and 10 females; total 46. Whole number
discharged during the year. Males 81 and
females g.; total, I49. Removed during the
year. Males 81, females, 81: total, 149. Re-
naming September 30. 1897. $50 males and
407 females, total. S57. Proportion of re-
cOveries to admission. AZ to loo. Proportion
of deaths to daily average, " to 100. Total
admitted during the year, lis males and 90
females; total, 207; 81 of these were read
mitted. The highest number of persons un-
der treatment on any one day was S57 on
September 80. 1897. Lowest number. Octo-
Der /. 1896. 1874. There we're 240 applications
during the year. The number Of patients
admitted from 1927 to 1897 was 5,479 of whom
1858 died and 3.OS9 were discharged, leav-
ing 1857 in the hospital.
The health of the household has been re-
markably good during the past year. This
is doubtless due to the superb sanitary ar
rangements of the hospital.
DIR. Blackford strongly recommends the
erection of separate buildings in which to
place patients suffering from epilepsy. He
states that in this way both classes, epilep-
tics and non-epileptics. can be given much
better care. In this connection DIR. Black
ford spoke of a thriving colony of epileptics
at Beilefed, Germany.
DIR. Blackford also recommended change
of onr lunacy laws as follows: That instead
of the present system of magisterial courts,
composed of three magistrates, constituting
a commission de lunatico inquirendum, that
the county or corporation judge and the
commemorative attorney of each town,
city or county and two physicians and other
witnesses should pass judgment upon all
persons applying for entrance to an insance
asylum.
Anumber of improvements and repairs
were made during the year. Among other
things complete cold storage plant was
put in; also some new steam boilers.
Those patients able to work are given
light tasks to keep them occupied. Among
the amusemen.s are the weekly dances, bill
lizards, cards. tennis, gymnasium work and
concerts by the Hospital band.