The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1903-02-20
ADMIRABLY
ADMINISTERED
The Reports Of Managers and
Officers Show This to
be the Case
AT MORRIS PLAINS HOSPITAL

The Board of Managers Favor the
Separation of the Ordinary and the
Criminal Insane. Are Awaiting
Morristown's Action in the Matter
Before Proceeding with an Elaborate
Plan of Sewerage.
The twenty seventh annual report of
the managers and officers the New
Jersey State Hospital at Morris Plains
for the year ending October 31st, 1902,
has been issued in printed form
Many matters of considerable i'm
portance are discussed in the volume
and there are several recommendations
contained in it which should receive the
earnest attention of the State Legislature
The work of the Medical Department
is set forth in detail in the report sub
mitted by the Medical Director. This
document emphasizes certain facts and
conditions which, in the growth of the
institution, have assumed unusual i'm
portance. The statistics in this report,
prepared with exactness, show what the
hospital is accomplishing in the custody
improvement and recovery of those
committed to its care.
The report sets forth the advantages
of the religious services furnished by
Protestant and Catholic pastors to those
of their own faiths and says that they
contribute to the. restoration and pre-
servation of orderly haoits and natural
ways of thinking.
The pathological report which has
been completed by Dr. IL. A. Cossitt
indicates the thoroughness with which
the medical department, with the con-
currence of the Board of Managers, Is
pursuing the study of mental derange-
ment.
The report of the warden recounts
receipts aud expenditures, improvements
and repairs made, the products of the
farmland with the report OF the treas
urer-exhibits the business done by the
institution with the precision of an
account of stock and trial balance.
The report recommends that proper
officers be appointed to proceed against
persons, or companies, who fail to com
ply with the license law.
In regard to the sewer matter the re-
port reads "We do not submit any plan
for further extension or improvement in
view of the fact that the city of Norris
town contemplates constructing trunk
line sewer to tide water, and in the event
OF this being done within a reasonable
time, we will make an estimate as to the
cost of connecting the hospital sewer
system with this proposed trunk sewer
and submit the same for the considera-
tion of the Legislature.
The gentlemen making the report
again lay particular stress upon the evils
of housing the convict and criminal
insane in the ordinary State Hospitals
There are they say, 1877 such persons in
the two state hospitals, as well as a
number in country institutions and they
recommend that building be erected
tor their accommodation not far from
the state prison at Trenton. The Medical
Director, DR.. Britton d. Evans, in his
report called attention to this matter in
detail
DIR. Evans also reported that the year
closed with 146l patients in the hospital,
729 men and 732 women. During the
year there were in all 1742 patients under
treatment. The death rate was ~ per
cent aud the average age of death was
81, far above the average given by
statisticians The report is a very com
plete and interesting document.