The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-10-17
STATE HOSPITALS
ARE 0vERCR0WDED
General Assembly to Be Asked
for Frards Sufficient to Protect
~ Unfortunates.
~, VI
MANY HAVE TO GO TO JAlLs

Commissioner and Superintend-
cnts, in Reports, Call Attention
to Conditions.
=
Crowded conditions Which are pre-
yailing at most IL not ali the State
hospitals for the insane, and which
in many Instances, result in the con
finemcnt OF patients for long periods
in county jails, are bringing fortl,
sharp criticism from citizens In variou.
sections OF Virginia, and 1t is already
evident that the. coming Legislature
will be called upon for sufficient APP
preparations to relieve this situation.
Editorial comment Is being made
upon the subject by many newspapers
and with one accord they are declaring
In favor or more liberal appropriations
Tor the care of those unfortunates upon
whom the hand of afiliction has been
heavily laid. The Northern Neck News
published at Warsaw, in Richmond
county. recently printed the following
news item. which has brought the, mat.
ter again strikingly before the public:
"In letter TO Judge n. X. u.
Wright, In reference to the cnsc OF
nm Immune m0n OF tula County,,
q. G. Drunk, OF the Eastern state
Hospital, has this to shy: II nm,
very sorry, indeed, that the px-
tiens must be kept waiting for
iadmixsion.'v
LRndmark's Comment.
Reproducing the above item. the
Norfolk Landmark makes the follow
ing editorial comment:
'"Thnt II another Of the continual
reminders that yirginin has not
provided enough Hospital room for
her inxnne. II n a shame that I'M
nocent victims of mental deranRe-
rnent should have to suffer in mil
becnuse the States nsylums are
full The next LeEislaturc should
sec to It that the nsylumx nre en-
inrRed mud better equipped, nnl
that cpllcptlcs are treated apart
from tho other insnne-prefernbIy
ON State farms.
"By the way. what has been done
towards the utilization OF the fine
tract OF land left the State neor
LynchburE for the cure Of the epi-
leptic Insane: II IL time for TINT
work to be taking definite shape,
Views of Educator.
one OF the most prominent educators
N the State. in writing upon the me-
cessity for the better care of the in
sane of the State. says:
~ have no conceivable intercst
In the nnttcr. of course, except n
,ntriotic desire to see the State
10 Its full duty. Fortunately. no
inc who Is relnted to me IL pr
.ient I'm amy of these institutions,
'ut feel that our best citizens
'ught to take this matter up md
bring 1t sharply to the attention of
,hc next Legislature. Nor has any
sne written to me line ON this
inbJect, asking me to aEitnte II.
But have heard II discussed by
citizens nil over the Statement
nl,o nrc In no way connected with
The management of our hos pitnls-
.nd all nKree thnt II In serious
natter demanding attention.
'.1'hc state hns made liberal np-
preparations TO various things, in-
.ludinE education In all Its phnses.
Il give to Jnmcstownj 1t restored
the Capitol building. 1 think, how
nvcr, that just as the Inst Lcgis-
nture was distinguished by Its
gifts to these things, so In like
ought to he distinguished by its
ibernlity towards our insnnc hos-
pitfalls. A million dollars would not
he too much.
III may also add that quite
nKrce with thsv,e who are clnmor-
inK for n larger provision towards
the Improvement of our public
highways, though 1 have come to
the point where think that the
fair name of the State In Mt stake
In a more fundamental way In this
matter OF insane hospitals than at
any other single point.
sit scelnk to me that our patriotic
citizens, who view things from mn
unAclflxh standpoint, ought to be
willing to plead the cnuxe of those
unfortunate ones who IRE unable to
speak for themselves, and who,
from the very nature of things,
cannot lnnintain a lobby during the
sessions of our Legislature.
..AIost causes can be depended
upon to have some one to look out
for their interests, hut here In
cause that will be neglected unless
our best citizens unAelAshy take
hold OF 1t and press Il vigorously"
Admitted by All.
1t is an open secret, known to the
public and admitted by the manage
ment OF several Of the institutions.
that the hospitals are crowded, and
that the appropriations here tofore
made are insufficient for the proper
care Of the inmates.
In his annual report for the fiscal
year ended September so, 1908, which
was subsequent to the. adjournment OF
the last Legislature, the then State
Hospita Commissioned Colonel L. w
Lane, Jr., has this to say on the subs
ject of crowded conditions generally:
1.-THE wards In nll the hospitals
for the white insnne are crowded
beyond their normal capacity; all
the available space everywhere is
utilized and a new ward equipped
mt the. Eastern state Hospital, yet
there Is. crying need for n.ldi-
tiOnnl room. New buildings should
be provided Mt these hospitals for
he reception of patients or many
will have to remain In the jnilx
awaiting vacancies.
"a great many improvements