The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-01-09

by another freshet. Notwithstanding the
loss incident to this freshet the directors
by most careful management have been
able to show a balance In their favor.
It, is their purpose the coming year to
reconstruct the dixie, but at a greater
distance from the river so as to give the
water larger room and lessen the pres
sure UPON the dixie.
AT present the dangerous insane are
under the management of the Penten-
tlary. Insane people, whether dangerous
or otherwise ought not to be kept in the
Penitentiary but separate provision ought
to be made for them. If the dangerous
| insane department is to remain under the
| management Of the States prison an APP
preparation OF $1,000 a year will be re-
CURED for its support, and there ought
to be an additional appropriation of ST.,
900 for the Improvement of the system
of heating
Tne thanks of the State are due TO inc
managers OF the States prison for thu
excellent results attained by them.
STATE HOSPITALS FOR THE INSANE.
/ ask Of each member of the Lcglsla-
ture a careful reading of the reports OF
the Boards OF Directors and the Super.
| jntendents of the State Hospitals. and in
connection with them, the report OF the
Board of Examiners of State Institutions
In regard to these hospitals Ther clear.
ly demonstrate the great need for an in
| crease in the provision for the care OF
the insane.
/ The insane may be, for economic con-
sideration, divided into these classes:
First, the recent and supposed durable:
second, the chronic and dangerous; third,
epileptic; fourth, the chronic and appu-
rently harmless; fifth, the chronic and
helpless.
/ AS matter of economy the recent and
supposed durable should at once have
treatment by skilled specialists and the
best care possible given to restore them
TO usefulness and productiveness. With
| these, half may be restored but II only
a small proportion could have renewed
vigor and health, 1t Is the right OF every
citizen to have the benefit Of the institu-
tions which he has helped support through
many years, when his day of distress
comes. An eminent writer and a MAD OF
great practical experience in nervous dis
orders and the personal care Of the in
sane, gays:
I'm every county today are hundreds
whU, by timely medical treatment. have
recovered reason lost and minds threat
ened with perpetual arrangement who
bless these modern instrumentalities Ct
their restoration. They come back to
the world of material life, and testify
az though risen from tho dead; for in
sanity in its earliest stages. in the first
, attack, is one of the recoverable maIa-
dies, while in it's chronic stages it is
one Of the most hopeless, as it is one
, Of the most pitiable, of Affections s "
The right to a rational chance for recov-
cry at the hands of those who are we'll
, in mind is one of the rights which ap-
pertain to insanity, whether it be ration
al enough to demand its rights or not
The second class must be cared for for
; the protection of society The third
, class has consistently been refused ad-
mission into the State hospitals for a
number Of years past, though all insane
+. epileptics may be dangerous and from
, their progeny come many who eventually
become wards of the State. The sepa-
rate provision for these, as is done in
many states, may properly be considered.
The care of the fourth class is the prob
lem which is prominently before the
State. There is no case of insanity
which should be regarded as absolutely
hopeless No board can pick out from a
number Of quiet and contented patients in
hospital living a regular life, under mild
restraint, those who under conditions
prevailing at home, would be in a bear
able mental condition, and in leaving to
the counties or families as we are now
doing to considerable extent the sup
port and restraint of these unfortunates.
We draw upon the wealth of the State
for their support as certainly as if the
State directly cared for them. Nor is
It possible to say any insane person is
harmless.
Common humanity demands that the
chronic and helpless should have the best
OF our care, but it is this class who may
best be cared for by the counties if any
are to be sent there. The State has as
sumed the care of the first and second
/ classes. but not fully
1t is calculated that there are two
insane persons to every one thousand of
population. This gives lis 2,40O white
insane in the State. At Morganton and
! Raleigh we will soon have provision for
| 500 of the white insane. 1t seems that
! there is almost if not quite sufficient
| hospital accommodations for all the col
! ored insane at present. There have been
applications made to the two hospitals
for white for 500 persons more than room
! can be provided for, of these probably
! three hundred under our laws should be
admitted. We must face the fact that
| there are siXty-fve more persons becom-
! ing insane each year than there is avail
| bic room made by the removals from the
hospitals.
There is apparently need Of increased
! accommodations at the State hospitals
both at Raleigh and at Morganton. They
! both have the most expensive part of
| the plant already in operation and pro-
vision for others may be made by a
| cheaper construction of small detached
! buildings and by farm colonies. At the
hospital in Morganton they have avail
| able land for immediate increase in this
direction. The State Hospital in Raj
! eigh is in need of additional land for this
reason and for industrial purposes which
Will serve to further the efforts of the
| authorities to restore patients and de-
crease materially the cost of mainten-
ance 1t is generally accepted that the