The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-10-18
WESTERN STATE HOSPITAL
Many Additional Patients Since Fire at
Eastern State Hospital.
fsneciaI pispatch to The Times

STAUNTON. VA. October 11-The
Board of the Western State Hospital met
ir annua: session ut the hospital to-day.
The report of Superintendent Benjamin
Blackford shows the institution to be in:
a more healthful and 3 bstter@ condition
than for many years.
There IS now in the hospital OF pa
tents. There were admitted during the
vear IA nal. ..,a liz female rat.alsfs.
This IS tbs n gest nGruber the i,osr.tll
nss ever admitted d.trirra any one yeas..
,r.tre was disehirge1 s r..eles and IS
lenaie5: 81 males and 1t females died
I=,tl1cips the year. Number Teadmttted. -
males and q females. The whole min,-
Der Of PATIENTS admitted from III. open
ing of the hospital IN 1898. to September
80 1862. was $50 OF this number 81
have died. and 3.6i1 We're discharged, rs
restored to sanity. OF the deaths above,
there were II between the ages Of 20 and
I 50 years; / between 40 and Sd years: nj
G between 10 and 20 years 'rhe amount
per capita to maintain each patient is
siia.1G per year. and il the TRANSPORTATION
he added this per capita cost is raised
to sl21.2s per year
Owing to the fire at the Eastern State
+ Hospital. the hospital here haS had an
| unusually large number of applicants and
admissions, many from distance parts Of
tn. State These facts have lrade the
| tiistit
during the last fiscal year. The hos
pital is row very much crowded with 4
number of applications on file. awaitin-
vacancies. Superintendent Black-oro IS
c.aEing every effort in his power 70 keep
the sails. empty as rapidly rs posSioie
and there IS at this time. but t"o or
three recent applicants ato are ii -aii.
The superintendent in his report calls me
attention of the Legislature TO make some
provisions for the increased aceoniroda-
ton of the insane He says that we nave
reached that So In NirSiHta. IN re-
gard to applications OF insal!e persons iof
admission into thA hos9ittt. Hhfcs d Gem
promise must either % r1sde y tWesn me
tax-rayer and the lunatic. or We must
increase our accou:n odstioh Tor the IN
sane We are undergoing III Virginia the
sa.ne experience that our sister states
Rave gone through; sns', haze osen Gem
relied to build Additional hospitals TO
surpiy the deniaii;t lef NOR looiB i.r
the insane He thinks that the epiiep-a
fire should be eliminated firm the wards
Sc the hospital nad placed In separate
Buildings or establish q ceiorIy. This
viii give temporary relief OF the congss
ton at present existing IN the hospitals
for the white insane of the state He
rrnews his recommendation for the es-i
t.. blisnrnene of suitable buildings to car
~ on industrial pursuits, and for tbs
erarloyment OF a large number OF the
IA tents The hospital is greatly in need
os more land for farming ard gardening
purposes
During rhe7la asst year the general health
OF the pa tents has been remarka bly, good.
That an insane population OF over LOCO
should enjoy immunity from enedimic
and epidemic diseases and be measurably
free from such casualties as are OF COM
mon occurrence among like number of
persons taken at random. is matter for
rejoicing. In a crazed world like this.
where SO many are bent on suicide,
where others are the victims OF hnmicidaI