The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-12-01
DR.. S &. Smith Points Out the
Urgent Need for Increased
Room at Easthaven.
MANY NEGLECTED. INSANE,
BIENNIAL REPORT OF THE SUI
PERiNTENDENT AND TRUSTEES
or THE EASTERN INDIANA IN.
SANE HOSPITAL FILED.

DIR. Samuel Z. Smith. medical SIR
perintendent of the Eastern Indiana
Hospital for the Insane, will today sub.
nit to Governor ]. Frank Hanly. tho
report OF the institution for the bi-eas
nial period, ending on October 81.
The report is very voluminous and
complete, prepared with the careful
attention TO detail and accuracy that
marks the work of Superintendent,
Smith in connection with his work as
superintendent of the hospital. Tho
initial portion of the report is that
of DIR. Smith to the Board to the TIN.
tees, in which he points out that the
number of patients in tho institution
on October 81, last, was T5s. which
was only nine fewer than the highest
enrolment during the two years COW
ed by the report.
One feature OF the report lies In The
fact that there is little disparity oa
tween the number of men and number
of women who are afflicted with men,
tai disorders. Since 1890. when rho
institution was opened. there have
been 1.24S men admitted and In the
same time the number OF women ad.
mitted was LIZA At the presens
time there are 400 men and 40. NO.
men. During the biennial period
there have been eighty-two deaths.
two of which were from suicide
Quite Free From Epdemies.
The report states that the period
N,n~
denies OF infectious diseases Of every
kind. The sanitary conditions Of tha
buildings and grounds are good. New
tile floors and extensive repairs and
alterations in the plumbing are TIN
most important improvements made.
The sewage publication plant, now
three years old. is entirely satisfactns
ry. The medical work OF the peric
has had a serious handicap in the dis.
ordered classification. wh;ch has
grown steadily less defined AS tn9
has increased. Faith
in the value of the occupation OF tho
more vigorous patients grows wFih
the years and the effort to engage ~
many as can be induced to take EN-.
ployment has not been abated. Tbs
regret is, the report states, that there
is not a greater variety OF industries
to tempt and interest them, although
much has been accomplished. IL is
apparent that this feature of the WORT
cannot reach its highest and best de-
without the broader oppov.
tunities of colony. A more definite
of the working group
must be secured than is possible IN
the parent institution before the best
results can be obtained.
The results of the medical work -
the period are gratifying. The dcatH
rate was exceptionally low. and pan
ticularly so. during the past year. and
the proportion of recovered and inl
proved cases was high. The media,
al supervision has steadily improved,
year after year, and the usual stand
ard of nursing has been maintained,
The hospital has a rated capacity "a
712 beds. of which 341 are for men
and 371 for women, with reservations
Of fifteen beds in each of the two hos
pital cottages for the sick The dail~
average number present during .h<
past year was 731, showing 10 In ex.
cess of the accommodations. This
pre- ssure for admission has never
been so great i'm the history of the hos
DitaI as during the past two years.
Points Out Need Of Room.
DIR. Smith points out that the ere~-
ion of hospital for epileptics al
New Castle. will to some extent rs!
ieve the situation at Easthaven ana
hat the new hospital for the insane
1T Madison will do much for the
southern section of the state. 1t may
De that one or two counties can be
from the Eastern to this
district. However, with
such relief as may be accorded. many
insane in the Eastern district viii
till be without State care.
Dr. Smith has been firmly conrlna,
d that this hospital can be best al.
ninistered with its present size and
arrangement of structures and that
t should never be enlarged, hoping
hat the colonization plan would not
make such necessary On this DR.
smith says: In view of the large
lumber of waiting cases, many OF
hem Of the most urgent and deserv.
ng character, few confined i'm tho
ounty jails and associated with the
riminal and vicious classes, some az
arge, roaming in a neglected condi.
ion about their community. and the
majority in private homes. exhaust
ng the resources Of the family in it's
forts to provide for them while at
be same time they are destroying by
of conduct the happi.
ess of the household and exposing
be members of the family and par
cularly the little children to shock
lg dangers, and above all, the loss of
he opportunity for restoration TO
ealth and usefulness for lack OF
roper treatment and care. ii seems
ecessary, regrettable as Ii is. that
his cherished hope of preserving the
mits of the hospital must now BE-