The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-09-16
Alabama's Hospitals for
 the Unfortunate Insane


 f too, is a thought, a conclusion of Dr. | Searcy. In his own words Dr. Searcy 1 said of the disease which he has studied so long.
 What is Inzanityf Insanity is by-product of deterio- ration. The direct production of dete- rioration Is elimination. Deterioration is that a race or people is less healthy In succeeding generations. The figures that have quoted show a deterioration in the negro race. They show that he is less healthy than he was in 1870. proving as they do that there is more insanity among the members of the race than there was in lS70." The Alabama Insane Hospitals, for there are two of them, are considered to be among the most successfully con ducted of any in the various States of the Union. They have been made the subject of study by the experimenting authorities of other insane asylums Two features have been the subject of particular investigation, the way in which the inmates are kept employed and the economy of management which supports the inmates at $2.50 a week per capita.
 The two hospitals, which form the insane hospital system of the State, are first the large hospital here at Tusca- losa, and second the hospital at Mt. Vernon, which is exclusively for ne- groes. The two hospitals are under one management and under the superin- tendence of Dr. Searcy.
 The hospital at Tuscaloosa and the one at Mt. Vernon have together the large population of 1.s14 patients. Of these the Bryce Hospital has 1,344 and the Mt. Vernon Hospital has 470 insane negro patients.
 tn al h,tt fe probably the largest structure in all Alabama. There Is probably no building in the State which equals 1t in size. Its immense size and spread astonishes the visitor on his first view. An Immense Building. This one structure is very nearly a quarter of a mile in length. Its length in exact figures is HOO feet. If it were set on Dexter Avenue in Montgomery 1t would stretch very nearly from the postofiice to the steps of the Capitol, The wings of this building are three stories in height while the central DOT tion of the building is four stories high. The building contains the executive of- fees of the Hospital, the reception rooms for visitors and affords room for 1000 patients
 The construction of this building was begun in 1852 when the Legislature of Alabama decided to erect hospital for the insane and selected Tuscaloosa as it's site. The building was completed in 1861. Dr. Peter Bryce was chosen as Superintendent. For thirty years, or until his death in 1892, Dr. Bryce directed the affairs of the institution. Upon his death Dr. J. T. Searcy of Tus- caioosa was selected as his successor. In all It's history the institution has had but two superintendents, and In all the years of It's history 1t has maintained a | high stand among the institutions of it's kind throughout the United States. Pre- vlous to his selection as superintendent, Dr. Searcy had for many years been a member of the Board of Trustees of the hospital.
 The hospital property on the out skirts of Tuscaloosa is a princely do- main. Outside of the costly array of buildings set in a splendid park the land of the institution is of great value In the hospital tract there are 1900 acres. It contains some valuable coal mine property.
 The Hospital Property.
 Up to a few years ago the coal al- most within the yard of the hospital and within its 1900 acre tract was suc- cessfully and proftably handled. But owing to fatal accident in the mines several years ago and owing to the fact that here in the coal belt coal may be
 
 closed.
 The farm, or plantation. the culti- vated part of the hospital tract, con tains 500 acres. It Is a valuable ad- junct to the hospital, not only for its products. but for the opportunity 1t gives for employment for the insane patfents It is a theatre for working out the policies of the hospital authori- ties that the inmates shall be given such employment as they are fitted for l and may be able to do. The products of the farm materially assist the hospi- tai authorities in establishing It's main tenance per capital record, a record of only g 50 week for each patient. | With the help of the mentally un- fortunate. the hospital maintains a saw mill on it's own property, the hospital cuts it's own timber. runs 1t through its own saw mill to be used in the new hospital buildings. The heavy labor at | inc saw mill and the farm Is done largely by a colony of the negro insane | who were accustomed to such work be- fore they were sent to the asylum. For
 this labor, colony of seventy men is
 kept on the farm.
 Work of the Inaane.
 At the Mt Vernon Hospital there is
 a tract of 200 acres, much of 1t under | c,,ltivatfon by the negro inmates. | Tn recent years several large build ings have been erected in addition to the main building. These buildings
 have been erected out of the mainten-
 nnce fund of S250 per week per capita;
 In other words each patient has not
 onIv been supported on $2.5O. but out
 of inc total paid out at that rate the
 Uavv buildings have been constructed.
 rbe women patients are given em-
 ,ia,,nent in knitting. sewing and light
 tasLs with which they may have been
 familiar, .., h. ,.-.,.. ho,,,
 a,,. insane persons recover. how many
 a.,a ubo come to the hospital with
 Stshased mind and who were restored
 " Of the persons who come to the hos