The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1903-01-14

department in his efforts to build up
and cnergiZe the militia system of the
| State. In the face OF meagre appropri-
ations and many discourage1nents, the
militia Is in good candition. end in any
emergency in which the civil law Of the
commonwealth IS jeopardized. or the
peace endangered, we have u military
force ready and competent to cope with
any necessity. In every case in which
II has been necessary for the governor
to call for troops the response has been
prompt and effective. l most respect
fully urge upon your attention the
great necessity or fostering and sup
porting this important branch Of our
government. 1t should have your pa
triotic interest and liberal care. be-
cause upon the strength Of the militia
OF the State rests at last the safety Of
our structure Of civil government.
! For further information as to the
! condition OF this department, you are
directed TO tho full and exhaustive re-
i port OF the adjutant and inspector gen.
eral.
STATE BOARD OF HEALTH.
! The report OF the State board OF
health will be submitted to you. It con-
tains information and suggestions
which should receive your careful and
favorable consideration.
| In reviewing the smallpox situation,
! II !s stated that this disease. which
was introduced into the country from
| Honduras. has prevailed in every State
In the union. In this State 1t has been
| prevalent to Il greater or less extent
| during the winter season. and latterly
| is showing Il greater virulcnce in the
number Of deaths which have occurred.
For lack Of funds the board Of health
has not been able to enforce vaccina-
ton and isolation AS they should be
enforced, aid as these two are the
only effective means of stamping out
the disease, very little progress has
been made In effectively eradicating
the disease from the State.
| The board urges upon your favorable
consideration the Importance OF pro-
viding for Il State bacteriologist. The
value to physicians and to the public
of such an officer is most evident.
Many lives would be saved as n result
OF laboratory examination. Your at
| tention is especially directed to this
part Of the report of the board. BY
the appointment of such an officer
water. milk and food supplies suspect
ed Of producing disease, could be
| tested, and boards OF health and ply
the source and the cause of infection,
and preventive remedies could be ap-
piled and life and health protected.
! You Will be asked to make perma-
schools Of instruction for health off,
GERS and conference Of State and local
boards Of health, and to require that
all local boards have one or more
representatives attend the meetings to
be held, and that the expenses be paid
by the local boards. This is important,
for the purpose of obtaining informa-
ton of decided value in the handling
of diseases and practical knowledge
as to other matters pertaining to
health.
| 1t is also stated that it is difficult
| to get reports from local boards of
health. and the legislature will be re-
quested to amend the law SO as to give
the State board more power to secure
compliance with the law.
The health of the State has been
| fairly good. but there is nothing of
SO great Importance as the health Of
the people and the prevention of cpl
| denies and the spread Of contagious
and infectious diseases.
STATE HOSPITAL FOR THE IN
| The board Of regents present in
| their report somewhat extended ac-
count Of the development Of the State
! hospital for the insane, and set forth
certain conclusions as to the policy
OF Its management, past, present and
| future. Since its foundation over so
years ago the doors OF the institution
once opened have never been closed,
been refused admission. The demands
made upon the institution have for
years frequently been greater than
| Its capacity or means afforded. For
the first half Of its existence any sur
plus income from pay patients, who
came from neighboring States as we'll
as from our own, was applied to t.ie
maintenance OF pauper lunatics, who
were required to be supported from
the county treasures. Since the bet
ed 80 years ago the annual appropri-
atoms by the general assembly have
often been barely enough for necessi-
ties, and although additional wards
and dormitories have from time to
time been built, the demands for the
admission of new patients have COM
monty been in excess Of it's legitimate
hospital capacity. ld
Begun in small way as an expert
ment before the care of the insane
had been adopted by other States ex-
cept Virginia, the asylum has grown
tar beyond the expectations OF it's
FOUNDERS and early managers Through
the foresight of the regents the origi-
iarged by the purchase Of adjoining
tracts of land till the institution now
owns about three hundred and sixty
acres. or this about fifty acres are
occupied by the various buildings as
signed to hospital. administrative, resi-
Dental and mechanical purposes and
for exercise grounds for the patients
the, remainder being used for farming
ana gardening and thus largely re-
ducing the per capita expenses.
| Nearly fifty years ago the general
assembly after long deliberation def
nitely located the asylum in Columbia
rather than in the country as was
seriously advocated by we'll INFORM.
ed minority of the regents and resi-
dent officers The question OF main.
tanning the negro patients in sepa.
rate institution was kept under con.
sideration by the regents and legisla.
tive committees for n long while, tt
be finally decided about q dozen years
ago In the negative for geogra rhica
as well as for economical reasons.
The State, the, af0rf, hnc nantrnI liz La