Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-01-23
COUNTY CARE BETTER
Marsh, Of County, Argues Before Convention
In Favor Of County Care Of Insane


the next ten years will show such num-
Der. With Cherokee completed the ca
pacitN of the state will be about $500.
leaving 1000 yet at the tender niercies
of relatives, friends and counties. AS
a state we nave paid our money and
made our Laws for the benefit of half
our insane. but shake our heads and
discourage all efforts on the part of the
aforesaid relatives, friends and coun-
ties to care for the other half If the
state insists in being wholly paternal
IN this matter In providing for all of
this class on the scale already estab-
ltshed, 1t would neccssitate further
investment of s2,37O.000 in addition TO
the compilation of Cherokee. one
5eightieth of which is s29,625. Which
would be this county's share of this adj
ditional investment. Need / again
speak of what the county could do
with this additional amount on its
farm ] permitted?
Again as to maintenance In this hos
pitfalls at the present standard of ex-
pense our seventy cases would cost
l0,0S0. Allowance, $1,000 thru the state
appropriations and enough additional
In the cost of commitments visits, etc.
TO make $4,000 annual cost With the
buildings and appliances that the above
mentioned $29,625 would provide this
county, can feed, clotfie. furnish all
needlful medical aid, nursing and at
gte ndance and in every way support and
maintain its seventy cases as we'll as
the state is now supporting Its cases,
Sat a cost to the taxpayers OF $4,000 per
year, thus saving $1,000 per year. Why
are We not permitted to do II?
am fully persuaded that sordia con-
siderations should not prevail a mo-
ment agars the claims of humanity.
but when all such claims are provided
for and when the facts of experience
show an average Improvement in the
mental and physical condition of those
who have been changed from hospital
life to comparative home life. it would
seem that the financial side Of the
question is entirely legitimate. So far,
indeed. greater stress has been laid
upon the saving IN money urd.r the
management of the board of control
than upon all the rest of their work. 1t
must be remembered that up 10 this
time counties have had 10 deal almost
entirely with the. failures of the hos
pitals, those Whom they have failed 10
help, but who have dTifted into that
hopeless condition usually Genominat-
cd "incurable, and frequently into a
condition soon TO end in death. OF
course it WOULD be presurnptucus in
county management TO talk about cur
ing such cases, Yet experience has
abundartly shown that in tile quieter
and more homelike atmosphere Of the
county farm many marked cases Of
Improvement and not a few apparent
cures have occurred. During the last
seven years this county has removed
forty-one cases from the hospitals ~
its farm. Out of this number five have
improved 50 much as to be permitted
to leave. while twelve Others have
shown marked Improvement in both
mental and physical condition and IL.
their power TO care for themselves and
contribute TO their support. And in the
meantime their support has cost this
taxpayers of the county less than half
what it would have cost them in the
hospitals. The reasons for reduced
cost are not difficult to find. LIN the
first place. medical skill and expert SER
vice having failed in giving relief. a
Oh vi tlites III e
serve the general health. security and
Well being of the inmates. no longer
seams essential Furthermore. all those
able TO work can 50 easily be given
something TO do that will contribute
materially to their support in ways
that VIII cost little pi' nothing in case
OF its being poorly done. On the farm,
in the garden or elsewhere their labor
assists very materially in reducing the
expense TO the county at large, WHERE
as whether they work much or littlesin
the hospital those buidened with their
support get no benefit from it, since the
monthly cash allowance for their sup
portremains the same.
Now as To the relative conditions
surrounding these patients in hospital
or county. Assuming that proper prep
aration has been made and proper care
exercised, believe the following could
be expected:
i. Easier elimination of the criminal
features connected with their arrest,
trial, commitment and confinement.
The board of control well says that
they should not be treated as criminals
but as diseased persons for whom rela-
lives desire treatment, yet under the
Law the procedure is almost exactly the
sarne as in criminal cases, about the
only difference being hat the convict
can look forward to a day certain for
his release, whereas the prisoner in the
hospital cannot. In his case it is only
too apt to he Imprisonment for life.
DIR. Gilman, once an authority, now for
gotten as such. once said regarding
county and private hospitals: Who
enters here leaves hope behind" Can
we not extend the application?
pr Tomlinson. before quoted. says:
When a man is brought to a hospital
for the insane he is not only filled with
resentment toward his friends. but on
account OF the legal proceedings in
yolvett in his commitment, believes he
is being imprisoned and wrongfuiiy de-
prived of his liberty, and unfortunately
there is often too much in his SUR
roundings In the hospital 10 confirm
this belief as to the quasi criminal ma
ture of his position.
This condition of resentment, which
DIR. Holt uses 10 excuse q policy OF as
alienation as possible. is only
patient receives and may have no con-
rection whatever with the causes of the
disease: in which case this policy OF
alienation becomes simply an unneces-
sary hardship and cruelty and Will lead
most surely. in case of recovery, to flu
ture hard feeling and recrimination,
therefore it is to be deprecated rather
than commended. Another point in this