Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-01-02
INSANE HOSPITAL.
Or. Sanborn's Report is
Of Much Interest.
Advocates An Appropriation To
Continue Improvements.
There are Now 99l Patients at
Augusta Institution.

The annual report Of Dr. Bigelow T.
Sanborn. superintendent of the Maine
Insane hospital at Augusta. shows
that there are now under treatment at
the institution 81 persons Of which I6G
ar" men ana 40 are women. The
largest number IL commitments during
the year were for hcrrdity insanity,
alcoholism Was second, tr2uHatism
third and domestic Affections fourth.
During the year Al persons recovered
and 80 died.
The largest number OF persons adj
laitt"d were between the ages of &c
ana % years. Six persons We're adj
United between the ages Of SO and 80
years. one hundred and ninc We're
married. one hundred and fourteen
were single, fGrty-nine We're widowed
ann yix were divorced. The largest
ruubnr Of persons We're admitted
during the month or October ana the
smallest during the month Of April.
The largest number Of deaths o.
cured in the month Of November and
HE smallest in May.
Tie largest number were d0mcstics,
farmers were second and housewives
third.
Tho largest number We're committed
from the city of Portland, With Lewis
ton second and Auburn third. of
those committed 40 We're Catholics, 20
vcr, Protcstants. two were jews and
/. had no religious preference. OF
.hc 20. the number admitted during
the year, .GS were natives of Maina.
The patients are being supported in
the following manner: Fifty by their
rWn means, 81 entirely by the State
and G72 receive state aid Of $50 pcr
week, towns ana Individuals paying
tl." balance.
Dr.. SanoIn says: "Ey far the NEST
important requirements o. the hos
pital are, in my Judgment to b" found
| in a continuance Of the renovation Of
| the "ld wards Of the hospital Two Of
! the wings on the male side Of tho house.
| hay" been III continuous service since
| 1874 one other since 1856 ana the re-
manning one was first occupied III 1865.
| There las scarcely occurred a period
| when tn"S" wards have not been Occu-
! ped to the full extent Of their cap3"-
| itv In two If these buildings in ad
| dition to the occupation Of the single
| rooms the wards Of each have bcrA
maintaining cot at night for sleeping
| purIrst; MI these years, 80 that be
/ calis" of Tia" extra amount of labor
! that has been required in adinili5irl
i tinn Ht,t.;iIatin-s 50 EIurh "car AMI
tear they hay" become diial'ida'Cd and
<, out,rrnWn their us'funcS% Ill con
| tributin% to such demands As are cen
sistcut with that treatment that should
b" accorded TIA" patients al the present
I; time.
''rhc requirements of The hospital in
| This direction have been fully dis
c;.Secd with former hospital legislative
committees frr quite u number ol
years ami the arguments offered have
| fully met the approval Of these bodies.
! After fun Investigation m all3""nriI-
| ton was mnd" six years a"" rpr fire
| pruuf renovation Of iii" first female
| wing and 1T the subsequent session. Of
/ th" LEGISLATURE Il bill was passed to
4 fun, ,,tlIip thu second one on that siG@
| of the, hospital with the same material
/ AZ; the former, both wings of which
i have long since been fully occupied
4 and b,t a,l.c OF The improvements made
in the direction Of increased light and
ventilation greatly increased care and
treatment are being extended to the
occupants.
at the time Of til" appropriations it
was evidently IT," settled policy OF the
LEGISLATURE to continue to complete
the reconstruction of the remainder OF
the old wings of the hospital. but at
its last session it failed to provide
II means to pursue the intended pros2cu-
| tiur. 1t is not necessary that
| should further advocate these urgcn,
Il necessities and will refer the matte,
Il to Your consideration to take such
II steps as you deem wise in bringing
II about 4 condition such rs snail result
1 in the increased comfort OF our pa
II TENTS and afford m opportunity to al
" ,,i,,;,,.or marc scientific and rational