The Brunswick daily news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1903-1906, 1903-06-18
Report Made on COndi-
tiOn of the State
Asylum
ADJUSTMENTS BADLY NEEDED
For Past Eight Months it Cost Over
100000 to Properly Care for
the Patients Now in the
Asylum.

report of the board of trustees of
the state sanitorium, which has Just
heen issued, there are 2,716 lunatics
| in the institution, and the cost of
maintenance for the past eight months
has been $202, ,122,S7.
Among other things the report says;
Your attention is earnestly direct.
ed to the urgent necessity of provid-
ing us with means for accomplishing
the complete isolation of patients af-
, llicted with tuberculosis. Particular
ly is this called for the distressing con-
diion existing among our negro pa
tients, who are peculiarly subject to
this dread disease. Of the deaths oc-
curing among our patients during the
eight months covered Oy this report
3O.O5 per cent of them can be attrib-
uted to this cause, and this percentage
is steadily increasing. Modern science
has demonstrated the extremely in
fectious nature of this disease, and
the necessity for completely isolating
patients of this class if a spread of
it would be avoided. This we cannot
accomplish in oUr pr 9sant buildings,
The isolation woull be imperfect.
IL is extremely ,dtsirable mat fom
small frame buildings entirely sepa-
ate and apart from the other build
fngs be erected, pro fili.lg IN t,,is man
lner the accommodation of tuber
no cases from both sexes of both
,piajn Such pul, lssgs cou:s DO er-,
s'c. u IS
eacii'.slsld this WORK 81 3.iti Ia IONS at
otSffce. Our apnropriati IN is not large
enough to permit US to make such
an expenditure and other provisions
must be made for it.
zone case Of smallpox has been
brought mot the institution since our
last report, but The prompt p!eyeEta-
tive steps taken by the superintendent
prevented any spread of the disease.
Our last report, dated Sept. 1, 1902,
showed 2,675 patients on hand, with
800 applicants awaiting tdmission. To
day we have 2,716 patients on hand
with 437 applicants awaiting admis-
sion. We have received during the
years 462 patlents and have discharged
or lost by death and elopement 421,
leaving Al more patients on hand than
at the close of the last year. Not
withstanding the large number re-
ceived during the year tfIere are Al
more appncaUlons ON hand now than
last year. In our last report we ask
ed for an Appropriation OF $34U,UUO Iul
1908 ana $360,000 for 1904, settingforth
IN such request the necessity in our
judgment lor Unese amounts.
'"Ihe great bulk OF the insane i'll
the public hospital are not SICK IN
the Scense that they are incapacitated
for physical labor. The majority are
chronic cases, men and women in
average health, whose happiness ant
welfaremay be best provided for by
taking them dSelui ana conscious Oh
their usefulness. To this end, under
proper limitations, such of our patients
- are aDie are encouraged 70 worl
ON the farm, in the gardens, in the
laundry, sewing room, work shop and
elsewhere, but no patient is forced to
work against mis- Will. That this policy |
is a beneficent one is shown in the |
Gact that a large per cent. of our re-
coveries are from patients SO employ |
ed.
AS fully as our mehos will PERM
the day rooms are supplied with |
games. etc. Once each week dance
is given the patients in the amuse-
ment hall, which is always a source
OF great pleasure to them. Religious
services are conducted by the chap
IAN twice week. 1t is a source OF
Keen regret to us that we have not
sufficient funds with which to provide
our untortunates with musical AMI OH
Or entertainment as are suited tol
them"