Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1898-01-21
REPORT or INSTITUTIONS.
Insane Hospitals Have Many Faults =
J{eDOrt nv synopsis.

REPORT or INSTITUTIONS
Insane Hospitals Have Many Faults -
Report by synopsis.
The four insane hospitals are given first
attention. A detailed account Of me
methods of doing business, in each one
is given. In each of the three that are
now opera ing it is claimed by inc Gotta oito
allowance could be made If the marriage
sTaton Of Sara b EgveEythnbg ere IS IS me
competitive system of bidding for the
construction of buildings or the purchase
of supplies. The systems OF bookkeeplng,
where there are any, are de1ec NV ,> me
one at Mount Pleasant being the best.
The superintendent, except IN the case OF
Ciarinda hospital. are compelled to give
their attention to matters OF building ana
b9y h 19 afe TheS pad
for making trips to annua! convent I.I or
superintendent Of the United states
which the committee holds was never con m,
last Assembly providing for the drawing
of the quartely allowance of the hospl.
tails in advance is said to have brought
no With It fSefpe so The
last assembly reduced the salaries, of the
superintendents of the hospitals. CUES
ton has arisen as to the the power OF
Of trustees. The committee believes that
In no instance will the trustees reduce
vised by the law officers Of the state that
no greater compensation ca, can be PAID
Some Of the evils of the different hosp1-
tails are, reviewed as follows ,:.,,a ao,,ors
has been expended annually in street car
tickets for the suse Of patients IN recrea-
ton on a street car line running between
the hospital and the city of Independence.
II is largely bonus to the car company
to retain the operation of the line for the
benefit of the hospital, and the committee
that i pc not
nected with the hospital. and employed
occasionally at $40 day to assist in OPP
erations and give lectures in the training
school for nurses, an unusual expenditure
and one made by no other state institu-
AT At Mount Pleasant the salaries paid are
higher than at any of the other hospitals as
The steward receives 81 500 per year. Two
clerks of the two prisons render more
service and have greater responsibility,
Of the law providing that no appropria-
lions shall be drawn from the state treas
ury unless needed for use within thirty
days from the date Of reGusieont TINS
sand dollars which has remained IN, the
hands of the treasurer for period Or
twelve to fifteen months u me s1 ndc
The treasurere receives from $gcO to $l.3U0
per year The hospital has been COM
pelled to pay exchange on remttances
purchased at the banks where he keeps
his deposits TINS is Hnmsna bv me ne c6
that such is the custom at the Mount
Pleasant banks. The hospital is shown
to have paid $1,000 annually to a private
corporation for gas: The trustees do not
Justify this expenditure and the superin--
| tendent claims that the state was asked
| twice to appropriate money for the equip
~ ~r,fx =, nj,
The resident trustee owns shares of stock
| in the gas plant. The. committee recon-
mends that the Legislature forthwith
equip the hospital with it's own lighting
| plant. 1t is shown that one of the trus-
| tees is a member of the firm of Allen Il
Co. at Mt. Pleasant. which has fur
nished much of the clothing for the hos hos.
the trustees connection with the firm is
| such as should prevent it from selling
any merchandise to the hospital under the
statute.
Trustees Get Double Action.
At clarn 1 when the l lp|I bnse
pital the work Of construction was
given into the hands of building COM
mission. Subsequently the board Of trus-
tees was created ana ~, the " this or ho tne
which Is now acting in q dual capacity.
The compensation of the members. as
trustees is paid by warrants out of the
state treasury tne COIlpeilSttlluI VI HIciN-
bers for services on the building commits
sion is paid out Of the appropriations
made by the legislature for such build
ings, The trustees have incurred more
EXPENSE and drawn greater mileage for
trips over the state and into other states
! than those of any other institutions.
In investigating Cherokee hospital now
| In process Of erection the committee has
ascertained that If left in its unflnish ed
condition for time no injury will be
caused to the property. and in mild way
suggests that further work on 1t for a
! condition of the States finances and the
increased facilities for patient S which
| Clarinda now has.