Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-07
INSTITUTION CROWDED
ARRANGEMENTS FOR INCREASE
OF PATIENTS TMPRACTIcABLE.
Report Of Boardsof Charities on Pro-
posed Legislation Affecting Hos
pital fpr Insane.

The board of charities has made report
to the District Commissioners In regard to
Senate bill 1908, to provide for suitable
commodations at the Government Hospital
for the Insane for the detention and treat
ment OF INDECENT female epileptics and
1eeble-minded persons resident in the Dis
trict of Columbia. The report says:
THE present crowded condition of the
Government Hospital for the Insane makes
| 1t practically impossible to provide for any
additional classes Of patients at present
Indeed, the facilities are not adequate to
meet the present needs of the institution.
Even when the new buildings now in
course Of erection are completed, in the
opinion OF the superintendent, the entire
space now being provided will be required
for the class Of patients now being received
at the hospital
The board is of the opinion that the
work of an institution for the feeble-mind-
cd and epileptic is sufficiently distinct from
that OF the hospital for the insane to make
1t exceedingly desirable that the feeble
minded and epileptics should be provided
Tor IN an institution wholly separate and
distinct from the Government Hospital for
the insane, and especially would this seem
TO be desirable because of the fact that the
government Hospital for the Insane, with
the additions already authorized, will be
such large institution that it would be
unW1se to impose upon the administration
OF that hospital additional work of diff
ferent character from that now being per-
formed.
I'VE are not advised as to the number of
feeble minded and epileptic persons in the
District of Columbia who are dependent,
out there cannot be any very considerable
number OF such persons; certainly not
sufnc1ent number to warrant the establish
ment here of an institution specially for
their benefit.
The board deems 1t very important that
ind If hnfh
sexes should be sequestered, both for their
own protection and because Of the serious
menace to the community when such persons
are allowed to be at large and perpetuate
their Kind. On this account there is con-
siderable agitation in the various states at
present looking to the enactment of laws
authorizing custodial care Of these classes.
only few states-notably Massachu-
sets, New York and Ohio-have thus far
established colonies for epileptics; but the
need Tor such institutions is now generally
acknowledged and movements are on foot
TO start them in many additional states
AS the board Is of the opinion that the
number of these classes in the District of
Columbia is not sufficiently large to war
rant the establishment Of an institution
mere, we would respectfully recommend
that If authority of law were given for the
priat1on made for the expense of their
maintenance. probably arrangements could
be made with some state for their care in
an institution established especially for the
care and treatment of epileptics AS YOU
are doubtless aware this method is now fol-
lowed by the District in providing for blind
and feeble-mtnded children"