Danville intelligencer. [volume] (Danville, Pa.) 1859-1907, 1905-03-17
COMMITTEE VISITS
DANVILLE HOSPITAL

/
other members of the Legislature, paid
visit to the Hospital for the Insane
at this place Friday for the purpose
OF determining what could be done
for the immediate relief of the over.
crowded condition of the institution.
The Appropriations Committee left
Harrisburg at 100 O'Clock Friday
morning in two Pullman cars, arriving
ut Danville with the 10 al d. L. g. W.
train, which was nearly half an hour
late. At the station the two Pullmans
were cut off from the train and taken
up to the Hospital by the switch en-
gine.
Arriving at the Hospital the Oom.
mittee was met by the experimenting
Physician, DR.. II. B. Meredith with
several hacks and were driven about
the grounds, where the Inconvenience
of unloading coal and some of the dis
advantages Of the present method of
lighting we're explained and where
they were shown the site of the pro-
posed plant for manufacturing light
and power as we'll az the location of
siding for bringing in coal, after which
they made full tour of the farm and
buildings, where the necessity of more
farm land, additional buildings,a filter
plant, and the other items in Mr.. Am
mermiu's bill before the Legislature
were one by one called to the Commit
tees attention and fully explained
In the Legislative party were the
following who belonged to the APP
preparations Committee: J. L. Plum
mer, Blair county, Chairman; Walton.
Philadelphia, Speaker; McClain, Lam
caster, the Republican leader in the
House; McElroy, McRean County ;
Mohr. Berks; Ambler, Montgomery /;
Palmer. Mercer; Gresham, Bucks
Eokels, Crawford; Hayes. Butler i,
Wagner, Chester; Gail, Philadelphia
Mohn. Union; Rose, Susquehanna
Berry, Washington Kelsey. Clinton
Bowersox. Snyder: Wood. Erie.
Other members of the Legislature
who accompanied the Committee were
J. @. Smith. Philadelphia, Sergeant.
at. Arms Thomas Garvin. of Chester,
Chief CLERK; John Curry, Philadel-
phis. Speakers CLERK; zimmerman.
Montour; Reitmeyer, of Lycoming &;
Barrett, of Susquehanna Irwin, of
Blair Thomas of Bucks and Philip
H. Johnson of Philadelphia. arch iteot.
The following Trustees of the Hos
pital for the Insane were present to
assist DR.. Meredith. the Superintend-
ent. in welcoming the Committee: H.
NJ. Schoch, Hon. Alexander Billmsy.
er. DR.. B. II. Detweiler, W. +. Shay,
DR.. Shoemaker and Howard Lyon.
The overcrowded condition of the
Hospital ut Danville is fact that is
we'll established. Long before the Leg
islators completed their tour of the
buildings Friday they were we'll con
vinced that r. s. zimmerman vivid
portrayal of conditions, which had
aroused the Appropriations Committee
to action, was in no respect overdrawn.
Mr.. zimmerman throughout the visit
show his interest in the institution
by opening up every avenue Of infor-
nation possible. introducing the M EN-
bers individually aud rendering ex.
plantations in person wherever posi-
BILE.
AS to the accommodations or rather
the lack of accommodations the Com
mittae could judge at glance. As to
the number of patients they were fur
nished with data by the Hospital au-
thoIities, which showed that the over
crowded condition. bad as reported in
the newspapers. was still worse than
described, the total number of patients
Friday baing 1915. ss against 1910
the largest number quoted. Eight hun
dred patients is about the capacity of
the Hospital. The total number of
beds is only 1000 and the extra 300 in
mates are compelled to sleep in the
Railways. 1t was denied at the institu-
tion, however, that some fifty male
patients sleep in the power house every
night as reported in some of the news.
papers. Crowded as the buildings are
such an extreme and iuhuman measure
las never yet been found nee essary.
The misstatement has probably grown
out of the fact that some of the en-
ployes have seen proper to sleep in the
power house.
Friday the number of men in.
carcerated were GAL women 575. which
gives the total of 1916 as ABOVE nam
ed. The number of insane is steadily
on the increase. Some relief is expect
ed when the Hospital at Allentown il
completed, but this is still several
years in the future. The new hospital
will eventually take nine counties
from this district. Represented In
these nine counties at present are 37t
patients kept at the Danville Hospital
With these removed it is patent to al
that our hospital with its present.
facilities would still be overcrowded.
However. by enlargng the ficilitie!
as proposed 10 the Act pending it j.
believed that after the Allentown in
stituton is completed the patients OF
the remaining twelve counties of thi,
district can be conveniently accom-
modated at Danville.
Chairman Plummer explained to
news representative Friday that til,
obj ict of the present visit was pri
MARTY to see what steps could he take
to relieve Immediately tho overcro " d
ed condition of the Hospital. The pro
posi- zion, he explained. is to ,rec
temporary buildings, ii necessary, T.
house the exc' IS of patients until suc
time AS the Hospital at Allentown i
completed. The Committee is YER
Continued OH Fourth Page