The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1903-11-04

department in his efforts to build VI
and energiZe the militia system Of the
State. In the face of meagre approprl-
atoms and many discouragements, the
militia is in good candition, and IN any
emergency in which the civil law Of the
commonwealth is jeopardized, or the
peace endangered, we have a military
force ready and competent to cope witt
any necessity. In every case IN Wnlct
it has been necessary for the governor
to call for troops the response has beer
prompt and effective. 1 most respect
fully urge upon your attention the
great necessity Of fostering and sup
r rting 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
W. structure Of civil government.
For further information as to the
condition of this department, you are
directed to the full and exhaustive re-
port of the adjutant ard inspector gen
eral.
STATE BOARD OF HEALTH.
The report of the State board OF
health will be submitted to you. 1t con-
tains information and suggestions
which should receive your careful and
favorable consideration.
In reviewing the smallpox situation,
it is stated that this disease, which
was introduced into the country from
Honduras, has prevailed in every State
in the union. In this State it has been
| prevalent to a greater or less extent
during the winter season, n latterly
is showing a greater virulence 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, and as these two are the
only effective means OF stamping out
the disease, very little progress has
been made in effectively graduating
! the disease from the State.
The board urges upon your favorable
consideration the importance Of pro-
viding for a State bacteriologist. The
value to physicians and to the public
of such an officer is most evident.
| Of laboratory examination. Your at
tention is especially directed to this
| part Of the report Of the board. BY
the appointment of such IN officer
water, milk and food supplies suspect
ed Of producing disease, could be
| tested, and boards of health and ply
Sicians could have information as to
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-
nent by act Of the legislature the
| 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.
It 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
SANE.
The board of regents present in
their report a 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 it's foundation over so
years ago the doors Of the institution
once opened have never been closed,
even in war, and seldom have patients
been refused admission. The demands
made upon the institution have for
years frequently been greater than
it's capacity or mean afforded. For
the first half Of it's existence any sur
plus income from pay patients, who
came from neighboring States as we'll
as from u own, was applied to the
maintenance Of pauper lunatics, who
were required to be supported from
the county treasures. Since the bet
ter system Of state care" was adopt
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.
Begun in a 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
far beyond the expectations Of it's
founders and early managers. Through
the foresight Of the regents the origi-
nal property has been gradually en-
larged by the purchase Of adjoining
tracts of land till the institution now
owns about three hundred and sixty
acres. Of 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
and gardening and thus largely re-
! ducing the per capita expenses.
Nearly fifty years ago the general
assembly after long elaboration def
nitely located the asylum in Columbia
rather than in the country as was
seriously advocated by a we'll inform
ed minority Of the regents and resi-
dent officers. The question of MAIN
tanning the negro patients in a sepa-
rate institution was kept under con
sideration by the regents and legisla-
tive committees for a long while, to
be finally decided about a dozen years
ago in the negative for geographical
1S we'll &c for ooonorrioo1 roocopc