The Washington times., 1908-01-19
Board of Physicians
Points to Alarming In
crease of Insanity.

DIT. w. L. Robins. DR.. ". P. Compton,
and DR.. J. c. Simpson. who were ap-
pointed In March, 1905. 90 make an in
yestigatlOn Of the care OF the Insane OF
the District, with a view 90 reeommena-
ing tc Congress such changes as may De
necessary for She Improvement or the-r
condition. yesterday submitted their re-
port tc the Commissioners.
In this It is shown that. with the ez-
ception Of Massachusetts, the per
capita cost Of SEQ a year for the main
tenancs Of the insane IN the District IS
greater than that OF any State in the
country. Maine is not included, for the
reas son that cuIy one hospital IN thai
State was heard from
This fact Is used by the committee az
one of the arguments in favor OF the
establishment OF q psychopatL-c hospital
In the District OF Columbia
Present Asylum Crowded.
It strongly recommends that the Com
rnissioners obtain funds for the es-
Establishment OF a separate in. uturion Tor
the care and treatment Ct tle insane
Of the District owing 10 the over
crowded ccadijon Of the Goverrmen,
Hospital for the Insane, to which such
patients are now sent.
The latter institution, says the report
was founded In the early sos for the care
Of the insane of the army and navy
and the addition OF the INDECENT insane
Of the District was at that time con-
s{dered inadvBsabIe by both Dr. ~ Il
Nichols. the first superintendent. and
his successor. DR.. W. W. Godding.
In this opinion the committee concurs
stating its belief that the Government
Hospital for the Insane should be left
for the insane Of the army and navy
and other classes coming under the care
OF the Federal Government. such as The
Marine Hospital Service. etc.
The INDECENT insane of the District
saws the report, should be cared for II
| .. separate institution. under the con
troll OF a superintendent and medica
STAFF appointed by the Commissioners, Z,
whom the officers of the institution
would be responsible.
Insanity OF Increase.
/ According TO the report, the ratio o
insane TO population in 1851 was one u
! 2e2 and the increase o. insane from $50
/ to 1907 was 1880 per cent.
/ THE above figures" says the report
( sneak for themselves. Hence. common
/ is unnecessary"
/ mr. Robins submitted an individual re
norr on the aubject IN september last
/ which was referred 10 the Board O
! Charities.
/ The board has been awaiting me lur
tbsr report Of the tlTe= physicians be
fore preparing its report TO the Com
missiOners. although IN 'he meantime
has been collecting data from all sources
and from all parts CT the United States
, ,rba conclusions of the committee wer,
referred yesterday 20 the board, whici
has informed Commissioner Macfarlan,
that it will soon submit its report to tn
! Comm :ssioners to be. considered by then
in their recommendations to Congress.
Functions of Hospital.
The functions of psychOpathic hos
Dital are threefold in character, as fol
lows:
Proper and temporary care prior t
commitment to a hospital for the In
sane.
Treatment of limited number Of pa
tents who can thus be treated witt
benefit AMI advertise, and whose com
mitmcnt to an insane asylum can thu
be avoided.
The utilization of the clinical materia
FOR the teaching of mental diseases.
I is a well-recognIzed fact. it is ar
gued. that many persons Who are no
sufficiently insane to ncCessitate thei
commitment 20 an asylum, should re
Ceiye treatment in some institution es
iua-ially adapted for such cases.
Another class of cases comprises thOs
who could legally be committed to a
insane hospital. but should not be sen
there. for the reason that their disea s
is amena1le TO treatment. and they wi