The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-01-25
Hospi nj Trustees Report.

The fourth biennial report Of the Board
of Trustees of the Delaware State Hos
pital, which has just come from the John
NJ Rogers press, shows that the cost of
the new buildings on the body's property
at Farnhurst to have been $50, sos. The
building, which .is an annex to the old
one, has been nearly completed, and
$l,9i203 is left for furniture The report
calls attention to the fact that when the
new building is occupied more attendants
will be needed. It Is estimated that
800, 7W will DO needed for the hospital dur
ing the coming year.
The average number Of inmates during
the year was GAG and the annual cost was
$l52 Is for each person.
superintendent Hancker In his report to
the trustees gives these figures; Number
OF patients on December l. 1894, 232; ad.
mitted 1856; whole number under treat
ment, AS; discharged liz The largest
number under tre0tnenJ at one time
was 253 and the lowest number 226. DIR.
Hanckeralso recommends changes in Tho
present laws concerning insane.
The report further says:
In number of States law has been
passed governing autocOmmlttlnents to
Hospitals for the Insane.
A number of instances have been
brought to the notice of your officers of
persons who have voluntarily sought az: :
mission to the Hospital. They recognized
the fact that they were in condition
bordering on insanity, and although tley
were able to certain extent 10 carry out
their usual avocatiOn. still there was
something lacking, they did not have the
confidence that usually characterized all
that they undertook and they were cog
INFANT that all was not as it should be.
Dreading the usual course necessary to
be committed to the Hospital aud shun-
ming the publicity attached to the same,
they have sought our aid, by attenptn
to commit themselves for a specified time
knowing that this was their only recourse,
and by so doing the premonitiOns Of the
dreaded malady might disappear.
Tho report suggested that the Commit
tee on Legislation urge upon the next
General Assembly the passage of law
permitting citizens of this State to commit
themselves to the State Hospital for care
and treatment for the space Of four weeks.
II at the expiration OF thi, time they
deemcd it advisable to rccOmmitt them
selves they could so do for a like period.
II at this time their condition would not
warrant discharge their friends were
then to have the patient examined by dis.
interested physicians and regularly COM
mitLed according to law
The law governing tho appointment Of
Trustee or Guardian Of IN insane patient
resident of The Hospital, should also re-
celye attention at the Hands of your com
mittee.
AS the law Is at present constituted ap-
plIcation is made to the Chancellor Of the
State who orders jury of inquisition,
with power to summon witnesses to in
quire into the allegded insanity of the
party.
This involves an unusual expense that
the relatives Of patients can i'll afford. As
the patient is q resident Of the hospital
regularly committed at the request of
those near and dear to him | would sug-
gcst that the sworn affidavit Of the super
intendent of such hospital be sufficient
evidence of the insanity Of the party in
question, and that upon such testimony
tho chancellor could appoint tho necessary
trustee.