The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-12-08
Recommendations of Commits
sioners for the Insane.
FEEBLE MINDED MINORS
Suggests That Other Quarters Be Pro-
idsd for Thsm-Repors OF the
superintendent of the
Orphans Home.
Special Dispatch to the Standard.

IStdl year tuuiub ANON. a tuO"c Una
IL cost Sl17 .65s.15 to run the asylum for
the year., against $3.50. s22. so for the pre-
vious IL months. The reduction of s13,-
1861 was occasioned by the reduced
contract price, which became effective
early last year. Nov. 80 there were
45T patients in the asylum. 35s males
N 80 females. Forty-ive patients
were received during the year. IS males
and Z females. There were rs deaths.
% men and 5 women. and 80 patients
were discharged. 80 of whom were men.
only $~l,061.5S was received from the
relatives Of patients who are not indi-
gents. The report gives a number OF
tables showing the different forms OF
mental disease with which the unfor-
tunates are afflicted. Silver Bow has
more patients in the hospital than any
other county. ~Seventy-six of those con-
fined at the end of the year came from
that county. Deer Lodge is next with
So, Lewis and Clarke third. 81; Missou-
la fourth. IS; Cascade fifth. %. and
Carbon and W have the least, 2
each. Among the American born pa
tents the greatest number come from
Montana and Minnesota, there being
IL from each of those states, and Illi-
nois Is second with IS. OF foreign
born patients Ireland claims SO. Ger
many IS. Canada "a. Sweden %. Eng
land and other foreign countries a
lesser number. From the standpoint Of
occupation the greatest number, liz.
are placed as laborers. Fifty-four are
miners, Is farmers. IL carpenters, IL
ranchmen, 10 sheepherders, and so on
down the list of occupations. A ma
jority OF the patients confined in the
institution last year were foreigners.
26S. as compared with 1s9 who were
born In this country.
IL Is recommended that the legisla-
ture make provisions for caring for the
feeble minded minors elsewhere. Re-
ferring to the element of cost and the
matter Of providing other quarters for
feeble minded youth, the report says:
The approximate cost of maintaining
the insane inmates OF this state
for the next two years will he i'm the
neighborhood of $3.50. 900. and added to
this the cost incident to court proceed
ings in holding inquisitions and the
transmission of the unfortunates to the
asylum. an item of expense confronts
the people Of the state. limited in its
taxing powers, appalling I'm it's magni-
tude.
The situation is n serious one and
should enlist the earnest and painstak-
ing attention OF the legislative assem-
bly, a. to whether the state should not
own and manage this institution. In
this connection IL would be proper TO
inquire what relation the expenses in
conducting like institutions I'm other
states bear to the expenses which are
Incurred in caring for the insane OF
this state. The state should not be
niggardly or parsimonious i'm providing
for the care and maintenance OF those
unfortunates whose reason IS de-
throned. Every appliance which nod
ern science and research has made USE
full or profitable for the relief Of these
people should be utilized. At the same
time il is equally incumbent upon the
state, considering the large number Of
those thus afflicted, and the enormous
expense which their care occasions. To
adopt a most economical method for
their treatment and care. In the asy-
lum at the present time a number OF
weak-minded people and minors are
domiciled for want of a better place.
Provisions is made by law for the care
OF such people at the deaf and dumb
asylum. but IL is insisted by the man
agement OF that institution that no ao-
commoda ton exists there for those
thus mentally afflicted. and In conse-
quence of this the state has been COM
PEELED to care for them at the insane
asylum. Some provision ought TO be
made by the legislative assembly for
the care and maintenance of the weak
minded, rather than have them detain-
ed at the insane asylum. Their
intermingling with the insane is in no
way helpful to them. and should be pre-
vented as much as possible"
Wiley Mountjoy. superintendent OF
the orphans home. and the trustees of
that institution have submitted their
annual report TO Governor Smith. The
report is for the fiscal year ending Nov
30. At that time there were so children
In the institution. During the year 81
were received and 26 were placed In
homes. Since the home was opened.
oA-s "a IRaA &C 49, Ill 49,
been received. OF these 80 have been
provided homes. "a returned TO rela-
tives. % discharged as self-supporting,
IS die and the balance are still at the
home. Since the home was established
Silver Bow county has furnished the
largest number. IS: Beaverhead county
second. Is: Madison and Cascade coun-
ties are third, II each; Jefferson fourth
with IL; Grant, NTH. nine. Five coun-
ties, Broadwater, Dawson. Gallatin,
Sweet Grass n Teton have never had
occasion to send little ones to the home.
II cost SIC, l29 20 run the institution last
year. The produce raised upon the farm
was sold for 81 sos. This means" says
the report, that the expense is 81. 800
less han IL would be IL there were no
Ian in connection with the home. Say
that the land. stock. implements, etc.
involved an expenditure of 5000. we
have interest on the investment n
an additional profit of $1,000. This shows
the wisdom Of a farm home for the
states children
The health Of the inmates has been
very good. only two death since the
school VAS established. The estimated
cost for the present fiscal year is sii. 900
and for 1900 Si5.0
Referring TO the future of the insti-
tuition and the feasibility of adopting
the cottage or congreeate plan of car
ing for the inmates or combine the two.
superintendent Mountjoy says:
"First-Shall we adopt the congre-
gate or cottage plan or combine the
two? Personally I favor the cottage
system, though not from much expe-
rience. We have recently tried II on a
small scale. The last four months we
have had all the children. under school
age. at the hospital i'm charge OF a
nursery matron. There are 10 OF them.