Omaha daily bee., 1903-06-18
BETTER WORK At HOSPITALS
Conference Lays Plans for Scientific and
Original Research,
ALL TO Be ALLIED WITH STATE UNIVERSITY
Auctioneers want n state Board to
Pass on Qualifications of Those
Who Are 10 Cry
Sales.
CFrom a staff Correspondent

DES MONIES, June T.-(Special )-The
conference Of the heads or state institu-
tions with the members OF the Board of
Control today adopted the report of com
mittce appointed at the last conference,
consisting OF the superintendents Of state
hospitals on the subject Of the betterment
of scientific work at the state institutions,
and the suggestions therein contained,
which are TO be transmitted to the legisla-
ture by the Board Of Control, may lead TO
a radical innovation in the matter of
scientific study and investigation in this
state. The committee report was signed by
Messrs. Witte, Applegate and Crumpacker,
Dr. Voldeng, who originally brought up the
subject not being present. The report rec
ommends, in brief, that the scientific work,
particularly as it relates to original re-
search in the four state hospitals for the
insane and the institution for the feeble
minded, be consolidated under the guidance
of a general director who shall preferably
be associated with the State university, and
who shall be competent to engage in this
special work. The association with the
State university is suggested because Of the
advantages he will there have of we'll
equipped laboratories as well as the CO.
operation of men of advanced and special
knowledge In other and contributory
sciences. There shall then be medical as
sistant who shall have psychological and
pathological training and be able to do ad-
vanced work under the guidance of the
general director at each hospital. The
committee would then require at the several
institutions that the personal and clinical
history q all cases be obtained and kept
with the greatest accuracy; that the super
intendents be legally empowered to order
post-mortem Examinations, etc. This mat
In IN he takaD m md Nv ha
state board before the legislature. It
would result so the members believe, in
securing greater practical results in scien-
tifc investigation, which has thus far been
much neglected at these state institutions
An interesting paper was read by Super
| intendent Greene of the Nebraska State
hospital at Lincoln on the increase Of in
| sanity and the way to prevent this in
crease. He declared that undoubtedly there
is a positive increase in insanity in the CIV
ilized countries. As a reason for this he
assigned, first, heredity, which It is shown
is a cause Of most of the insanity; second
is the use of alcohol. and. third, is the
prevalence of certain diseases poisoning the
blood. He urged in regard to heredity,
that Il should be made forever impossible
| legally for persons known to be predis-
posed to insanity to marry. A paper read
| ny JuuBS mime OF IHe state BOARD followed
similar lines and reached the same conclu-
sion.
Plan for Decoration at st. Louis.
Members Of the State Capitol commission
and of the St. Louis commission, at a con-
ference today. laid plans for the decora-
! tton Of the Iowa building now being erected
at the st. Louis exposition in a way that
VIII surpass all other states. The matter
was laid before the capitol commission in
a letter from L. A. Palmer, in charge of
the art work for the Iowa commission, in
which he suggested that the capitol COM
mission loan the exposition commission the
mural decorations which are purchased for
the adornment Of the state capitol and
which will probably be finished on can
vas by the time the exposition opens. This
suggestion is looked upon with favor by
both commissions. 1t will be a way in
which the state Of Iowa can have a most
beautiful interior with comparatively small
expense to the state.
Iowa Sunday school Work.
The Iowa state Sunday school convention
in session here is attended by about 500
delegates and as many alternates. The
financial report showed that the receipts
were over S5,OO0 but there is debt of 81, ,OOO
The report of Secretary Mrs B. F. Mitchell
OF Des Moines, as made this morning
4 shows that ninety-five county conventions
were held last year. Six counties in the
state. where the work is weak. did not hold
conventions last year. There were eight
district institutes held. The secretary wrote
6.eS4 letters and mailed 1855 bits OF printed
matter. In ALL 3Ss addresses were made
during the year by this department and l7S
visits to different. parts of the state were
made.
AuctiOneers Want n Board.
The State Association Of Auetioneers to-
day resolved upon asking the state legis-
lature for law for the creation of a state
board to examine auctioneers and deter
mine on their fitness to cry sales, and a
committee of the auctoneers was appointed
to present the matter to the legislature.
The commission, or committee, will certify
as to the competency of the acceptable
auctioneers. The matter was considered
two years ago and bill introduced in the
legislature, but 1t met with little favor.