Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-03-13
IN EPLEPNC COLONY
DR.. Powell's Plan of Caring For
Iowa Epileptics Seems Very
Feasible
IDEA MEETS WITH MUCH FAVOR
Il Seems Very Probable That When
Taken Before the Legislature, the
Scheme Will Be Adopted, and an
Epiieptic Colony Established, Which
Will Engage in Fruit Growing.
.ial to Times-Republican.

/
Special to Times Republican.
| Des Moines. March 13.-Dr. f. M.
| Powell, whose resignation as superin-
tendent of the state institution for the
feeble minded at Glenwood has been
accepted by the state board of con-
trol to take effect July / next, may
not long remain out of the service of
the state of Iowa. DR.. Powell has been
many years at the head of the institu-
ton, is deep student of mental mala-
dies and has achieved a national repu-
Itation as an expert in all matters re-
lating to the care and treatment of de-
fectives. He has broken down in health
| from overwork, and the institution has
grown to such proportions that he felt
called upon to resign and seek rest.
But for number of years DR.. Powell
has made a special study of epilepsy
| and has given much time to consider
alton of the care Of the large number
| of epileptics in Iowa. A few years
lago he placed himself in correspondence
| with physicians in every county ofN
the state and with the heads of all state
and local institutions for the care of
detectives and he gathered statistics
showing that there are in fact about
| 1900 epileptics i'll Iowa Several hum
| dred of these are in the state hospitals
classed as insane, others are in the
feeble minded institution, many are in
county asylums or on poor farms, While
still others are in the care Of relatives
or are attending to business. DR.. Pow
| ell was one OF the first in Iowa to make
special study of these people. He con-
tended that they should be classed
neither as insane or as idiots, and
should receive treatment different from
any other class of the states wards.
He Is in favor of the colony system, in
use u number of years in New York
state and now being adopted generally
in progressive states and in European
countries, under which the epileptics
are placed on a great farm farm where
they are given as much outdoor work
as possible and live in comfortable cot
tages practically without attendants.
DR.. Powell made a report to the state
board of control which board reported
it to the legislature recommending the
establishment of colony for epileptics
In Iowa. He personally urged it on
members of the legislature and insisted
that the state should take the primary
steps in that direction as soon as pos
sible. Nothing has as yet come of this
movement in Iowa, but the missionary
work already done by Dr. Powell is
likely to bear fruit in due time and al
ready q great many others have be-
come interested in the subject. 1t has
been considered by the state conference
of charities and corrections and by 9TH
er bodies and is favored by many state
officials. All of the heads of insane hos
pitals and other institutions agree that
lit Is all wrong to put the epileptics in
the hospitals and class them as insane
or weak minded, and declare they
could be kept much cheaper and to
better advantage in a colony by them
selves. DR.. Powell has lost no oppor-
tunity in recent years to spread infor-
nation on this subject and to lead to an
enlightened treatment of the unfortu-
nate epileptics. 1t is now stated that
DR.. Powell will be released from his
labors at the feeble minded institute
in July and after resting the remainder
of the year and engaging in travel and
study he will go before the legislature.
backed by the strongest recommends |
tions of the board of control and others,
and secure the. establishment of an |
epileptic colony in Iowa; and if this
Is done he will be the logical man
for head of the institution. DIR. Pow |
ell has some original notions in this |
connection that would render him of
great value to the state. He is an I
authority on fruit growing and WILL !
after his retirement go on fruit farm; |
but he would have the epileptic colony |
engage largely in fruit growing. The
management of such an institution |
would be much easier than that of |
the feeble minded institution where |
there are over thousand to care for /
and govern.
1t is proposed that there shall be |
labor day at the state fair OF Iowa
this year and Secretary Simpson of the /
department of agriculture will go be /
fore the state meeting of the federation
of labor and present the matter to
that body for its approval before 1t is
definitely announced. The plan is to
have the day designed as labor day
and make special inducement to labor
ing men and union men to join in
making the day one notable in the an
mails of the fair. 1t is proposed that the
fireworks for the day have special ref
erence to the labor movement.
Members of the board of trustees
of the state college are generally of
the opinion that there will be no pres
ident of the state college elected at
the meeting March g. when the matter
will be discussed. The members de-
clare that they are all at sea in re-
gard to president. They have reach
ed the conclusion, however, that they
will chose an Iowa man, if that is pos
sible. They also agree that II they can
do so they should make the selection
very soon so that preparations can be
made for the next year before the close
of the present school year. The fact
was discussed at the meeting OF the
committee on president held here that
not more than two of the members
would agree on any one man. and