The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-12-19

patients. The transfers made the last
year Of the period were, from county
and private institutions to state hos.
pitfalls 81, and from state hospitals to
county and private institutions ~.
Rules were adopted by the board for
the government of county and private
institutions, and they took effect the
first day of February, 1901. Most of
the institutions have complied substan-
TALLY with their requirements. In some
counties where the buildings were of
character that suitable provision could
not be made tor the care of the insane
the patients have been transferred to
the state hospitals, and when the Cher
okee hospital is opened and additional
room provided, transfers from other
counties in which provision for the care
Of the insane is inadequate should be
made. 1t is said that the operation of
the law requiring supervision of county
and private institutions in which insane
persons are kept has been most salu-
tary; that while before it was enacted
the insane in some counties were fur
nished with kind and skillful attend.
ants, good food and clothing, and good
care, in others they were treated with
less consideration and care than the
careful farmer gives to his live stock.
Troublesome inmates were locked up
and treated as criminals; the food fur
nished was frequently insufficient in
variety and badly prepared and poorly
served; wearing apparel and bed clothes
were of poor quality, neglected and
filthy; and little or no attention was
paid to the cleanliness and personal
habits of the inmates. In some insti-
buttons they were seldom if ever bathed;
In some, six or more inmates were
bathed in the same water; in many
cases the rooms in which inmates were
kept were indescribably filthy; in one
case young man was given charge of
six insane women, and other cases were
found whore men had unobstructed &C.
cess to the rooms Of female inmates.
The bad conditions which prevailed
were not due in most cases to intention.
al wrong-doing, but to the policy which
prevails in some counties of awarding
contracts for keeping the poor and the
insane to the lowest bidder or to per-
sons on account of their ability TO man
age the general business Of the farms
without regard to their qualifications
for caring for the insane. The general
result of the investigations Of county
and private Institutions and the making
and enforcement of the rules 50 far he's
been to close institutions which we're
not taking reasonably good care OF the
insane and greatly improve the man
agement and condition Of others.
Results OF Treatment OF The Insane.
Stress is laid upon the necessity of
sending persons who are insane to the
state hospitals for treatment just as
soon as possible after their malady is
discovered. 1t is shown that those who
were sent early after they were thus
afflicted very large per cent recovered,
much larger than IN cases of those who
were sent after the disease became we'll
established. Attention is called to the
treatment accorded insane people in the
state hospitals, the means provided for
their care, occupation and amusement.
| The standard Of care in the hospitals is
constantly being elevated, and the duty
of the state to afford these people high
degree of care and the best medical at.
tention is being fully discharged. 1t
appears that at the hospital at Mt.
Pleasant during the last year of the last
biennial periodit cost $144.72 per capita;
at Independence, Sl56.S4, and at Clar-
linda, Sl4S.53. 1, will be seen in some
cases that the per capita cost was great.
er than the per capita allowed by law.
This increased cost was met from the
surplus which existed in the Support
funds" Of the institutions, as we'll as
from the proceeds of the shops, farms
and gardens.
Legislation Rscomme ended.
On June 80, 1901, the three state hos.
pitfalls contained 37S insane persons who
were state patients, that is, patients
whose legal place Of residence Is un-
known, and who are Kept at the ex-
pense of the state. The law requires
county officers to remove non-residents
! of the state found to be insane to the
place of their legal settlements, and
authority is also given if such persons
are in the state hospitals to remove
them to such place. 1t also provides
, that no patients shall be received in 8
state hospital to be maintained at state
expense without the formal order Of
this board. These provisions, SO far as
they apply to nonresident insane who