New-York tribune., 1903-01-08

considerable SUCCESS thus relieving their rela-
tves from the necessity OF placing the1n g III ',e ae
the Hudson River Hospital and f5insnanton
Hospital say that in their particular institu- s1
tions where all of the decrease practically oc-
ours tho class of patients which they are reeeiv-
ing almost debars hope OF recovery The pnysl-
clan at Binghamton says: IT Is dlmeuit rcen TO ae
tage but 1t is undoubtedly due in part to the
advanced age of many OF the patients admitted.
and in part TO climatic conditions, which were
not as favorable as usual, If we eliminate from
consideration the patients who on account OF sne
length of duration Of mental disturbance prior
20 admission or who because of extreme old age
were presunab bly, incurable at the time they
came under treatment. the percentage or recoV,
cry viii be seen to pc nlpch more Iayorsps lis "
The physician in charge at Poughkeepsie ex-
presses the belief that by reason of the opening
of the insane pavilion in connection with the
Albany Hospital, and tne treatment an ato .cnte
cases which formerly were committed dlrectiy
TO him, the quality of the patients as regaras
recoverabi bility has been markedly decreased.
This consideration has led the Commission 10
suggest that at New-York there shall be a
similar hospital provided, so that such "a aeu,e the
cases can receive not only the attention or the
physicians who are employed by the State, but
of the distinguished alienists residing IN the
metropolis. That the average number OF pa
tients admitted to the hospitals would be thereby
considerably lessened and the cures increased
is certain, and with this Recommendation an. am
in hearty accord. The health of the patients,
however has been very much improved NOT
withstandng the fact that there were six hum
number of deaths has been sixty less than the
preceding year. To sum up the situation the
percentage of cures, while less than In l9oi IS
quite equal to the average OF the six years pre-
ceding and markedly in excess of the rate OF
some of these years, while the death rate has
been lower. The increase in the insane pepula-
tion will ultimately require the establishment
of another hospital, but for the present the fol-
lowing suggestions are made: The expenditure
of 1925, 900 in separate buildings for the superin-
tendents and medical staffs at Peughkeepsie,
Utica, Buffalo, Binghamton, Rochester and
Gowanda; by the establishment of tuberculosis
hospitals at six of the institutions at an expense
of 100000, the danger of communicating this
disease to other inmates can be avertedi by
erecting home for the nurses at Kings Park
of $150o00 at Bedford Reformatory and by
transfer of it's inmates TO another institution.
Sssh 5 beds sha al sneak a sf uf1ner Of ep an on
average per capita cost of S194 A can be pro-
vided, which would care for all the patients dur
ing the next two or three years and would save
S6S2500 in the accommodations furnished.
WORK OF FISCAL SUPERVISOR.
The only change that has been made in regard
to the charitable institutions, has been
stated. in the direction of comforting au-
thority upon some one whose sole duty it would
be to supervise their financial administration
and who should have power to suggest and per-
feet system similar to that which has so
greatly reduced expenditures in the Department
of Lunacy and to take advantage of existing
conditions for the employment OF the inmates.
There is no reason why the farms connected
with some of these institutions should not aid
in supplying food and other necessary articles
which are required for use in other State asy
iums. The State prison industries cannot fur
nish all of the manufactured articles that are
necessary, and frequently the State is obliged
to make purchases of such goods in the open
market. OF course, there is no desire to inter-
fere with any industry in which free labor Is
employed, but inasmuch 1t has been the
policy Of the State to provide, so far as possible
for its own needs, it would seem to be desirable
that some action should be taken to make effec-
tive the labor in these homes, which, aside from
other considerations. would be for the benefit
of the inmates themselves.
There three asylums for the reformation
of girls and women, one at Bedford, at
Hudson and the other at Albion. The present
easily taken care of at Hudson and Albion. If
the law so amended that only those who
frequent offenders as well. should be committed
to these institutions, much better results would
follow from the standpoint of reformations, as
1t would prevent the conmingling of old Offend
ers with younger deinquents. 1t is because OF
the waste of effort in these three institutions
that l recommend the abandonment of one and
its conversion into a hospital for the insane.
Aside from the to which 1t could be put for
that purpose it would effect q saving of many
thousands of dollars without detriment and
without in any way interfering with the results
which we all hope may come from the admin
istration of such department.
The Elmira Reformatory is overcrowded, and
perhaps some measure should be taken to en-
ahgs us eaRaGlty nc me ,,S nrst Shange an
its by the United States Government, thus
relieving the prison to a certain extent from
At the last session of the legislature COM
mission was authorized and empowered to Sc
Iect a new site for the State Industrial School
at Rochester, where farming could be engaged
in and the inmates given a more wholesome life
than Is possible under the present arrange
nent. This commission will shortly submit its
report to the legislature, While at first opposed
to the plan because at the time it wGs proposed
/ understood 1t to be simply transfer from one
section to another without corresponding ben
eft, cannot now but urge upon you the neces-
sity for making this Improvement along the
lines which will be suggested in the report to
which / have referred. In all of the States
work there is nothing more desirable than the
reformation of those who perhaps have been de-
prived of proper home influences and of the
amples of good citizenship. No branches of the
States charitable work should appeal to us so
strongly as its institutions for the insane and
its reformatories, because there is something in
this work that has reward at the end, which
is not possible with the unteachable and chronic
in other institutions. False economy should not
dictate action in this direction, but there
should be ready response TO every legitimate
demand that may be made for the advance
ment Of this work.
While this department has been In operation
only since June l. the supervisor has established
similar to that adopted by the Commission In
Lunacy. which has already resulted in a mate
rial decrease in the cost of supplies for these
institutions,
In the matter Of expense for construction of
buildings for this department there has been a
marked decrease. For instance, the new board
created under the Charities Act to pass upon
plans for betternents and improvements adopt
ed plans for buildings at Sonvea at the Thomas
Asylum. Oxford and at Newark where a bet
ter class of buildings have been provided, fur
nishing the same aceemmoda tfons at great
saving over the cost of similar buildings that
were erected during previous years. The food
supply has been improved. Impure goods have
been thrown out and everything that could be
accomplished In giving a better and more whole
some dietary has been done. The same careful
supervision by the State Board of Charities is
still maintained, and the correction of abuses
for WI