Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-01-04
SHORT APPROPRIATIONS.

The Deaf Dumb ana Bllnu iHStltu'i"H
had 10 make choice between refusing ad'
mittance - a number OF applicants. OF
running into debt and chose the later
| alternative. The Western State Hospital
| having had balance on hand from 1884,
managed 80 pull through 1888 but the
Board Of Visitors hold out little hope thar
| they will be able to close the present
year without deficit. The Central state
| Hospital. at Petersburg. has. we believe
lived within its appropriation; but 1t has
been compelled. 20 refuse admission ia
many applicants who are now confined
in county and city jails.
We quote the following extracts from
the report of superintendent Drewry, be
cause they set forth state % facts that
are not credltable 10 Virginia. and because
we wish to have the corrective applied
as soon as possible. Surely, If the hos
pitals cannot accommodate tho lunatics
who are now imprisoned. the judges and
grand juries Of the several counties and
cities ought 10 see to 1t that these poor
creatures are looked after as well as
practicable in the jails. Here Is what the
superintendent says:
In my last annual report it was my plea
sure 10 inform you that on the 5Vih OF
September, 1887. there was not a siugle
legally committed insane negro IN the
state outside Of this hospital. That was
n fact 20 be proud Of. ! regret 10 nave
10 report to-day that there are 90 insane
negroes scattered in IS different counties
and cities OF this Commonwealth rory
Of these are confined in Jail Dnth req
ruary al applicants for admission We're
promptly received into the hospital We
asked the LEGISLATURE for an annual ap'
propriation OF $4,000, but il believing that
TOO large sum to be expended in the sup
port. care, and medical treatment III TINS
boepital. Of all the insane negroes OF the
state. and the keeping in repair the large
and valuable property here, only S'1'WO
was allowed, which amount, IN spite OF
the most rigid economy, was Inadequate
10 provide for more than daily average
number of S52 patients. Applications
were received seeking admission for ga
patients. as against 21 Cor the previous
wear OF these one hundred and sixty
eight OGS) were admitted Is died in jail,
aud IS were released as cured 1t mas
been a matter Of almost daily occurrence
for us TO receive letters appealing TO us
I'm behalf of some poor, insane creature
locked up in Jail. In many Instances
pat.ents were brought here from the jails,
half-uaked. ill-fed. and otherwise appa-
rentlv so neglected as 10 make the in
ference a fair one. that the average Jail
I'm Virginia is n discredit to any enlight-
ened cOmmunity-ln short, the insane
seem to be treated there as "iunatics'
were a century ago. What sad COM
mentary upon our boosted progress in an
important branch of social science! 10
turn a deaf ear to the cries Tor help
coming from those neglected unfortu-
mates. az we were compelled 10 do, has
been the most painful duty we have had to
perform ia connection with our ofheial
position.
From an economical point Of view and
that is a matter in which every tax
payer IN the State is interested, note this
comparison: In this institution We sup
port a patient-that is, clothe, feed,
nurse, and give him medical attention,
&C. &C.. for the small sum OF % cents.
or a fraction less. a day. or S7.52 a month,
while to keep him In jail costs Nc. day.
or SIS a month for board alone, and the
taller is permitted 10 eXpend $50 year
for clothing for each insane person, and
the physician is paid 20 cents or more
for each professional visit. surely, no
respectable physician could be expected
20 make a visit for less) Hence, 20 main
tain a patient in this institution costs
less than half what il does in jail. Think
Of It! For the past six months an ave-
rage Of about 80 insane negroes have been
supported in the Jails at cost to the
state of not less rhan $3.50. The same
number of patients can be, indeed are,
cared for in this hospital Tor that length
of time for s.. go. q difference Of more
than $4,000 These are facts worth the
attention Of our legislative friends.
Now, to return to the matter of legis-
lative appropriations: Far be it from the
Dispatch to say that any board has failed
in its duty. So far from that, until the
contrary is shown we must presume that
each and all Of them have exercised all
possible care and economy in eXpendi-
lures Still, if the State institutions have
not been able TO live upon the appropria-
tons made by the Legislature, one of
two things will have to be done-i. e.,
the Legislature will have to make a new
attempt at retrenchment Of the States
expenses, or it will have to find additional
revenue.
The cutting down by the last Legislature
was by no means so large as the public
had first expected; but we think that tax
payers generally were satisfied. They
took into consideration the difficulty and
disagreeableness Of the work, and made
themselves content. But if it should APP
pear, aG now seems probable. that the
saving claimed was much larger than has
been realized it follows that the re-
uenchment job will have 70 be done over
again by the Legislature which is to be
elected this year.
II any other conclusion than this can
be reached, we should Ike to know what
it Is. To say that no further action
would be necessary is TO confess that all
the speeches and reports urging retrench-
ment were mere buncombe.
However, when all the annual reports
are in; when the official figures are all ac-
eessble, it will be possible to prepare a
comparative table showing what savings
were counted upon by the Legislature,
and what savings have actually resulted
from the bills passed: also what are the
results of the new revenue bills passed at
the same session. Till then we can
only wait and wonder.
--
The current No. of the Southern Planter
begins its sixticth year. II is favorite
with the farmers of Virginia. Originally,
its price was $50 per annum. but it has
been gradually reduced until now the an