Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-01-09

1Slllng food. a s result, the non
tuberculosis patients are free from
danger of infection and the consump-
tives themselves show a marked inn
rrOvement in condition. Mechanical
restraint has been abolished entirely
at two hospitals for the insane and
has been reduced TO a minimum at all
the other hospitals. Uniformity Of
grades and nomenclature of employees
have been adopted for all hospitals in
the insane group.
As the number of insane in Illinois
is increasing at the rate of 317 per
annum, it is necessary to face the
problem of how to make room for and
to give the best care TO this growing
class of unfortunates. This item in
cludes steps for the prevention of in
sanity, for the cure of acute hopeful
cases, and for complete state care.
The state psychopathic institute, by
means of instructions to physicians
over all the state, will aid in the de-
lection of the first warning symptom
Of insanity. Such cases should be
given immediate scientific attention at
the well-equipped hospitals for the in
sane. Under the present law. except
in the case of voluntary patients, 1t is
necessary to receive patient in a
hospital. to have Il person specifically
adjudged insane i'm a county court and
committed rs insane to q hospital.
Relatives and many persons hesitate to
have a relative declared insane. Some
look on this as a disgrace, but, as in
sane persons are only sick persons, ii
merely is Il misfortune. However, to
facilitate quick treatment of sus-
Fected. incipient or acute cases Of in
sanity. | believe the mnacy laws of
Illinois should be amended to provide
for temporary commitments to hOSpi-
tails for the insane, for periods Of thir-
ty days. These commitments should
he made by county judges upon the
recommendation of Il commission of
licensed, practicing physicians. In
this way the misfortune of commit
ment as insane would be avoided in
rtany eases which would recover in
the thirty day period and return to
productive life If. during the thirty
day period Of observation and treat
ment. insanity of longer duration de-
' elopS. than the regular commitment
as insane could be made. AlieniStS
estimate that 20 to so per cent of the
incuTable insane stood a good
chance Of cure mt the onset of their
disease. by means of immediate treat
ment in a modern hospital: and that
from co to - per cent of the acute.
supposedly durable cases could have
been cured by such treatment. Under
existing conditions Of delay, only to
Z per cent of MI cases of insanity adj
mitted TO hospitals are discharged as
cured l favor an amendment framed
in rhe hope Of increasing this per-
centage of cures.
Every state hospital for the insane is
now crowded beyond its normal ca
pacity. The excess. necessarily
shifting quantity, is about 300. With
in six months each hospital will be
to return county patients To
aims houses in it's district In
the county aims houses mot including
Cook county, to-day. there are about
500 insane persons who should be
cared for by the state. In Cook coun-
ty there are 1000 insane patients re-
ceiving county care. In all Illinois
there are .. 100 such patients.
Adding the 300 excess population in
our state institutions, there are 2,4OO
persons in state and county institu-
tons not receiving proper state care.
The state can give better care to these
than can any county. be-
cause of better equipment, better class
ficatiOn and higher salaried physicians
md other employees. The county Is
90 small a governmental unit to salts |
care for insane persons. This
'equires the larger resources of the
state. Means should be devised to !
BRING about complete state care in nli- |
lois. The state board of charities is |
1t work on this problem now.
and Mechanical Equipment. |
Recognizing that the buildings and |
mechanical equipment of most of the |
state institutions were erected and in |
stalled many years ago, before archi- |
ectural and engineering science had |
cached the high mark of advancement |
obtaining now, survey has been made |
~ the state architect of these institu- |
ions. Scaling their recommendations |
lown to those items which they con-
;ider necessary for the physical opera |
he inmates, and, in some cases, their |
and comfort, the total ap- |
,ropriation asked for is $730,O This |
igure was arrived at after conferences |
Intended by the board of charities, sup |
trustees, engineers, my |
elf and others. The total calls for an |
appropriation, all items |
hat can be cared for in the ordinary |
Ind usual special appropriations of the |
several institutions having been speci- /
led in the usual manner. recon-
mend that the General Assembly make
his extra appropriation out of the |
tate surplus.
Another problem which also presses
or solution is the establishment of a
for consumptives not de-
aimed in other institutions. When it
: reaIized that 600 (oStimatadl deaths