The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-03-01
The State Hospital.
Editor q mis- Mn e. Dispatch:

Il
Editor Of This Times Dispatch:
slr,-.t read In ono Of the city papers
wliero senator Barksdalo wanted to know
why tho western State Hospital. stntn-
toni always took the liberty of exceeding
its annual appropriation. and stated that
II the Legislature passed the bill to make
UP the deficit Of this year 1t would bank
rupt the State. Could We bankrupt this
grand old state for any grandor, nobler
work than to alleviate the sufferlngs OF
this afflicted GLASS OF people7 who Of
us can poaltively assertilot our social POI
sition, wealth and learning, be what II
may, that we Will never become as help-l
less and ns dependent as the most for
saken and worst patient confined IN any
OF our State asylums7 May we not by
some sudden calamity or eavement be
bereft OF both reason and property7 The.
crying ana greatest need of Virginia IS
not that she should have better jails
reformatorles and that tho penitentiary
should be enlarged but the shameful
ncglcst should be corrected. It would
DO moro humane for the Legis--
lature, which Is now In session, to pass
law providing that every insane person
who Is absolutely dependent upon tho,
State to be cllloroformned than be rs sadly
neglected Ono can we'll understand why
It costs more to maintain the Western
Hospital than the Eastern or Southwest
ern. 1t Is our largest; the climate Is
better for the health Of patients, and for
this reason patients prefer going there.
and this year they were forced to take
patients which could have been sent to-
williamsburg. nm confident that II
members Of the Legislature only knew
the working Of the Western Hospital
that instead Of picking to- pieces the Eas-
Gecutiye Board and the physicians In
charge, they would make a much larger
appropriation not only for this hospital
but every ono in the State,
Dr.. Bent. Blackford, perintendent, Is
a man emlnenty suited for the position
he occupies and has q corps Of noble
Christian men and women-Drs lsorge5
s.. Walker, h Joseph 8. DeJarnette and
5Chertsey Hopkins-as his assistants.
suffering. add to the happiness and hast
en- the recovery of those persons entrust-
ed to their care, but are sadly crippled
F. in their work BY an appropriation not
sufficiently large tor the proper mainte-5
nance Of such an institution. Mr.. c.
Miller, seward. and Mr.. g. ]. Armstead,
clerk, are we'll posted IN their work, and
faithfully perform H every duty.6 q " nat
could dozen OF our most eminent and
talented physicians, much less five, in
Guiding the superintendent, do for. the
number Of patients to be treated. when
we consider the detailed work which
must Of necessity be done in such an In
stitution as we find at stanton Ought
there not to be at each Of these hospitals
at least one physician who is an expert
on insanity. NO would be relieved OF all
duty. and study the Individual case Of
each patient, as they may be received,
to enable them to be given proper madi-s
cal treatment and not be treated en-
nass9 as IS now being done? Does not
the State DO as much for her convicts,
who deliberately BY their own actions.
bring not only suffering upon the44r own
heads. but sorrow and disgrace upon the
innocent? Are they not as comfortably
clad. as well fed, when nsick, given as
equally good medical q treatment, and
are they required to work any harder
than the, insane who are able to work
God grant that the day may soon dawn
when not only our law-making. but our
citizens. generally, be aroused to the i'm
portance Of caring for this class Of suf-g
fcrng humanity IN &
sALL1E ", WEST.
Richmond, Va.