Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-03-22
The Subject to Have Considerable
Attention from the Legislature.
STATE AND COUNTY CARE COMPARED
Instructive Thesis by Forest Ensign OF
State University-An Investigation
Into Iowa Insane Asylums,
State. County aud Prlvate


much attention in Iowa as that Of the
care of the insane. At the present time
the total number of insane in Iowa
is about 4,700-the last report, several
months ago, gave 1885,, showing that
one person in about 400 in Iowa is in
sane. OF these, 2,759 are in state hos
pitfalls, receiving the best OF care. In
county poor houses and asylums 1,147
insane persons are confined in more
or less neglect and abuse, while about
$50 are in four private asylums. The
state has three fine hospitals in Mt.
Pleasant, independence and Clarinda.
The one in Mt. Pleasant was establish
ed in 1855; opened in 1861; the Inde-
pendence hospital was opened in 1878,
and the one in Clarinda in 1888. In
1894 the legislature authorized the be-
ginning of another state hospital in
Cherokee. The sum Of $4,000 has
already been spent in enclosing that
hospital. An additional appropriation
of 100000 is now required and will be
allowed, to finish it. The state spends
annually not far from 100000 a year
in the care of insane. The amount will
rapidly increase, as insanity in
creases and the capacity for state care
increases.
The phase of the question now upper
most is, TO what extent shall counties
be allowed to care for their insane?
Many counties were compelled to pro-
vide asylums, or care for chronic in
sane in some way, because state hos
pitfalls were crowded and chronic cases
had to be removed to make room foc
acute cases where there was some
chance of recovery. The horrible condi-
ton of some of these so-called asylums
and worse poor houses, now just be-
coming known, has aroused public sen
timent to insist upon more humane
treatment Of the insane. Senator Garst
OF the senate appropriations commit
tee, has introduced bill making the
insane state charges, to be supported
by a general state tax, thus removing
the motive for counties to care for
their insane. AT present the counties
pay the state SIP month for the care
Of insane charged to each county. This
bill may not pass at this session, but
the state board of control will be given
more authority over the county and
private asylums aud more discretion in
the management of the funds, with
power to transfer money from one in
stitution to another. The powers OF
the board will be enlarged gradually,
for the new system, now in force only
about twenty months. has proved to
be a powerful influence for improved
methods in the care of insane and in
all other institutional matters.
Forrest G. Ensign, of Iowa City, has
made an important contribution to the
study of the care of insane. Mr.. En-
sign, who is the principal Of the Iowa
City high school, devoted several
months last year to an investigation Of
the conditions prevailing in Iowa in the
care Of insane. He visited personally
twenty county insane asylums and poor
houses, and received reports from re-
liable, unprecedented persons in regard
to eight others. He visited the private
asylums in Davenport, Dubuque and
Iowa City, and the state hospitals in
Mt. Pleasant, Independence and Clar-
india. He made this investigation for
the purpose of preparing thesis upon
which to earn his masters degree in
the State university under Prof. Isaac
A. Loos of the apartment of political
science. The result of. this investiga-
ton is report full of startling facts,
presented in clear, systematic, force
full and yet conservative manner. Com
ing from an entirely unprecedented
source the findings Of Mr.. Ensign are
received with great respect, since he
had no object for presenting other
than the actual facts as he found them.
The report is regarded by the state
board of control as possessing such i'm
portance that it has been published
entire in the quarterly bulletin, pub
lished by the board OF control, which
will be issued in a few days.. This in
formation will be OF much interest and
value to the legislature, which is now
considering these questions with view
to changing the system and improving
the treatment and conditions OF the in
sane in Iowa.
Mr.. Ensign finds the Iowa hospitals
for the insane to be all that could be
desired, tho their population has al
most reached the limit, showing the
need for the new hospital in Chero-
kee. The absence of mechanical re-
straints; the careful grading of pa
tients according to their degree OF
mental disturbances; the employment
of patients in various occupations,
which give relief from morbid mental
conditions and form an important part
of the treatment, the entertainment
features, taking patients into the open
air as well as giving them amusements
indoors; the skillful treatment and
absolute cleanliness and the cheerful
surroundings in the state hospitals
are wildly contrasted with the wretch
ed conditions prevailing in many of
the county asylums and poor houses,
where the insane are now confined and
made worse instead of better because
of the lack of facilities for treating
them and ignorance and neglect of the
use of such facilities as are at hand
Speaking of the state hospitals, M
Ensign says:
I'm none of the state hospitals are
there such relics of barbarism as stock.
AIDES or airing courts, the last one hay.
4 ing been removed by DIR. Hoyt imme,!.
lately after he took charge of Mt
\ Pleasant hospital. In all, the small
amount of mechanical restraint EN-
4 ployed is matter of surprise to ons
not familiar with modern methods
4 All attendants are kind and gentle ir
their dealings with the patients anG
hold their positions on condition of SC
II continllipp In all the state hospitA,.