The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-12-10
LARGE PER CENT OF CURES
THE DEATH RATE THE LOWEST
EVER BEFORE KNOWN.
NEARLY 400 PATIENTS RECEIVED
This is the Largest Number Ever Before Re-
ceived in the Same Length of Time.
Discharged as Cured $780, Re-
commentators 10 legislature,
concentrations 10 Legislature.

The report of the executive committee
to the board of directors of the insane
asylum at Raleigh is this year very in
teresting one, and is therefore here print
cd in full. 1t is as follows:
IF the object of this institution is the
care and treatment of the insane in this
district we feel that we are to be con-
graduated on the attainment of this OBJ
iect. rs up to this time every patient in
this district who has applied for treat
ment and whose case offered any pros
pect of being benefited has been re-
ceived.
During the past two years we have
received 312 patients. which is more than
has ever been received before in the same
length of time. and have discharged as
cured go, which is also more than ever
before in the same length of time We
have rejected twenty-four cpilepticS. also
three applicants as not being insane,
eleven as being harmless and too old to
be benefited by treatment and who
would be better off at home. Nineteen
applicants to whom orders for admis-
sion have been sent have. for various rea-
sons. failed to come; four applications
from the Western district have been re-
jected as not being IN our district 50
that 1873 applications have been sent to
that institution for admission in the
past two years.
THE percentage of deaths on whole
number treated has been AZ per cenr.
There has been &C per cent. of cures in
number admitted. The immense increase
in the number Of persons applying for
care or treatment at the hospital we
think may be dependent on three
causes:
Il. The reputation which is daily ex-
tending that the patients are well treat
ed and kindly cared for and many cures
made. and that the patients should be
sent to the hospital early in their af-
Fiction in order that cure can be
effected
80 The extremely hard times which
force many persons to get rid of the
expense of caring for their afflicted
friends and relatives.
IS. The facility and ease with which
they get their friends into the hospital.
I'VE do not believe there has been any
material increase in mental troubles but
the poor unfortunates who at one time
langllished in the poor houses and jails,
and many of those cared for at home
are now received and treated at the
hospital
I'VE are clearly of the opinion that
this hospital should be provided with
thoroughly up-to-date operating room,
amply furnished with all kinds Of instru-
ments and hospital supplies to carry out
the treatment incident to such diseases a
fall within the purview of this insti-
tuition. We authorized the superintend-
ent to employ a thoroughly gradua ted
trained nurse who should be I'm instruc-
tor to all the nurses and perform the
functions of Il head nurse to this insti-
tuition, anticipating of course that your
honorable body would appeal to the APP
propriating power of the State to grant
sufficient amount of money in addi-
ton to the regular appropriation for the
care of the patients. to construct and
maintain an operating room. There are
n great many cases daily bein@ received
into the hospital requiring operation, the
successful results of which would restore
tone TO their systems, and reason TO
their mental life, thereby returning them
to the bosom Of their families. largely
adding to the percentage of cures, dl-
minishing the mortality, Offering oppor-
tunites to others similarly afflicted, and
increasing the usefulness and efficiency
of the mana cement of the institution.
rhe most desirable room in the house
for the purpose is the one now used as
n store room which is too small for its
present purpose. The cost of the
| changes incident to making this an OPP
Grating room and supplying it with the
necessary instruments will be about So
ha OF OH hn in,
house separate from the main building
and should be sufficiently commodious
TO have apartments iii which to quarter
employees.
I'm addition to caring for the insane in
| our district the last Legislature transfer
red from the Western to our district the
two counties of Durham and Robson,
with a population of 49,403 or in round
numbers $4,000, reducing the population
of the Western district 10000 and in
creasing ours 10000, making a differ
ence of one hundred thousand. This
was done while cutting from the S64, 1885,
asked for, to 500, 400 or about $4,000 per
annum. For twelve years previous to
1S91 che appropriation for this institu-
ton has been about $4,000 with pop
ulation of from $50 to 800 patients, while
now our population has increased 80 per
| cert, our appropriation has been only
increased about 5 per cent.
| THE per capita cost of caring for
patients at this institution has been re-
duced from $192.S0 in 1893 to $40 at
! present.
'The Legislature Of 1897 having failed
! to make an appropriation to furnish our
male annex we have been obliged to in
cur the expense of nearly $4,000 in heat
/ ing, lighting and furnishing the same
or LET the building stand idle while many
! patients were camoring for admission.
| We also have had the unlooked-for ex-
! pense of a new smoke-stack which cost
MS about $4,000. and various other inn
proyements 5000. making our outstand-
ing accounts S6,597.03.
1T is evident from the report of the
superintendent and other officers that
this institution is most economically
managed. We are pleased to say that in
our regular monthly visits to the insti-
| tuition we have always found the wards
| clean and neat, the attendants kind and
I attentive 10 tho wants of tho n1tianfS