Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-08-23
CARE OF INSANE.

Mr.. Proctor referred to Mr.. Clements
Windsor speech In 1904 where the latter
said that the State paid for the care of
its insane in 1871. s12. 600 and in 1901, sl5S.-
600 and that If the State had rit the pro-
moters of the Waterbury insane asylum
in Brattleboro before they got that bill
through apparently the State would b,
better off by more than 800, 600. Such a
statement, said Mr.. Proctor, could not
come from a fair minded man. In 1871
the state only carried for criminal and
transient insane having no settlement in
any town in the State. In 1901 it wal
caring for all the insane poor in the
state and yet Mr.. Clement withheld an
explanation Of the difference.
AS far back as 1874 'he appropriation
or the State for the care Of the insane
was only $500. In 1855 a law was passed
ny winch the State undertook to care for
transient insane poor having no legal
settlement in any town. In 1873 a law was
passed by which the State undertook to
cure lor all insane poor having no legal
settlement whether they were transient
or not, and in 1886 the State took the en-
tire burden of the care of the insane Of
the towns and care for all insane poo.
49, ilt Stlu tH6t Ihe WnDlp
idea of taking care of the insane in asy-
lums was a matter of gradual growth.
That the State got along once without
any insane asylum within its borders. but
that he did not believe in revertinp IA
the old method nor of putting tho ex-
pense OF the insane back upon the towns
Mr.. Proctor commended that the only cost
fhGures worth comparing Is whether or
not the weekly cost per patient is right
and proper and he showed that, notwith-
standing Mr.. Clements statements TO the
contrary, the average weekly cost per
capita for the care OF the insane for tho
biennial term ending June. 1903 was only
p$3.9 per patient, compared with the
average cost per patient In II similar in
Istitutions, eight of them In Massachu-
sets was s4.04 per week. Considering the
difference in cost OF supplies, distance
from markets and the fact that Water
bury takes care OF all classes Of insane
was a remarkable showing.
He also referred to the fact that Mr..
Pratt, who is now Mr.. Clements per-
sonal accountant, after making n thor
ough investigation for the State inves-
tigating commission said of the Water
bury asylum that It's accounts both in
system and accuracy compared favor
ably with accounts of wcll managed
business enterprises and that in his
opinion no change could be made which
would be Of any substantial benefit to
the State.
HOW TO REDUCE COST OF INSANE.
Mr.. Proctor pointed out that the
weak point in the States relations to
it's insane is not any undue cost for
.l,a,, a.- l,t
of some towns to send a class of I'M
fortunate persons to the asylum that
could be safely and properly cared for
at home. This matter ought to be
carefully investigated and by closer
watchfulness on behalf of the State in
regard to the patients sent there the
number of patients could perhaps he
kept down and something be saved'in
that way. He said that 1t REQUIRED
constant vigilance to keep a business
enterprise upon an economical basis
and such vigilance should be given IN
the asylum and all of the other State
institutions, but that Vermont cannot
AFFORD as a matter OF common duty
and civic responsibility to maintain
this or any other OF her institutions in
any way not fully up to the standard
of modern civilization.
le PROUTY SPEARS.
Mr.. Prouty was presented as one Of Ver-
mont's big lumber men and he gave what
was expected of him a plain usiness-like
speech. He told of the two conventions
in Burlington On June 2s, the independent
being simply to further the political am.
billions Of one man, of how the conyen-
tons finally fused and the lion and the
lamb laid down together. but the LIANT
was inside the lion.
j.. l.. Martin followed with one of his
strong speeches.
Recuperation-there Is not so much