The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-08-12
THE STATE INSANE ASYLUM
REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING
AND ALLOWANCES.
Report of the Treasurer of the In
titution-Insane Statistics For
the State-Questions By the Su-
perintendent.

Provo, Aug. 1.-THE regular monthly
meeting of the board of insane asylum
commissioners was held yesterday. All
the members were in attendance. The
following accounts for July were a.
lowed: Salary, $1,364. 80; current ex-
penses, 1913. 81: sundries, $S7 80.
A loan of $500. to be repaid within
six months was authorized from the
First National bank of Provo, at per
cent interest.
Medical Superintendent Hardy sub
mitted a report of the estimated cost
of maintenance for the ensuing three
months. placing the amount at $4,000.
The employment of Ellen EkinS as
an attendant. at SIC a month, was con-
firmed.
The treasurer made the following re-
port:
Cash on hand July 81, go "a
Received during month. 1876 90
Total .............$3 So, O66 "A
Disbursed-
Contingent account ............$ 3? 80
Care and treatment account. 2,f91 co
Balance on hand Aug 1......... $50 "A
Total s3.0s6 "a
Commissioner Chapman reported the
purchase of a new range from the
Utah Stove & Hardware company for
S170.
The following table shows the move
ment Of patients for July:
In asylum June 80, males, -46; fe-
males, 1874: total. 2SO Admitted, males,
s. females, 5; total. 13. Under treat
ment, males. 154; females, 139: total.
293 Discharged, males. 5; females, 2;
total I. Died, males, L; females, 0;
total, 1. Eloped. males, l; females, Q;
total. 1. Remaining July 81, males, al;
females, 1877: total, 2S4.
The following questions submitted by
the medical superintendent were direct
ed to be referred TO the attorney gen
eral for his opinion: F'irst-Whether
a commitment signed by the chairman
of a board of county commissioners, In
the absence of the judge, is a perma
nently valid commitment or only valid
till the judge returns. Second-Wheth-
er the medical superintendent is re-
quired to receive patients regularly
committed when the commitment on
it's face shows that the patient comes
under such classifications of mental
disability as the statutes provide are
not eligible for admittance to the inst1-
tuition. Third-Whether the institution
is compelled to receive patients who
are brought in a condition of such
physical illness as to be practically at
deaths door.
These questions are not given in the
language of the medical superintend-
ent. but the ideas are believed to be
conveyed. The second question is one
that has agitated the management for
some time. The statutes provide that
no person whose mental trouble is
caused by idiocy. imbecility or simple
feebleness of mind shall be admitted,
the object being only to admit such
patients as have a chance of being
cured. and the form of commitment
authorized by law. to be signed by the
examining physicians. contains a state
ment to the effect that the insanity of
the patient is not caused by idiocy,
imhecility or simple feeblenesS of mind.
But many such patients have been
committed, for the reason that the
judges have considered that under the
present conditions (there being no suit
able place for the care Of such unfor-
Inmates in most of the counties of the
state), the asylum was the best place
for them. both as regards their own
and the public safety. In such cases
the examining physicians have stricken
out the word mot" in the authorized
This makes the commit
ment read that their insanity is caused
nv idiOoV etc