Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-05-22

he personal supervision Of another
,ighly trained nurse.
Under this system of treatment the
ercentage of cures has grown re-
.arkably. Germany is recognized as
t the head of the nations in it's treat
tent of its demented citizens and
rom that land most OF the ideas. and
neories for the relief and cure of the
objects have been gained. While tn"
Vatertown institution is as yet, pos
IDLY, behind the percentage mark set
~ Germany. though this is somewhat
.oubtful, a strict comparison on &C
cunt of the difference in facilities
md application being impossible, it is
lot far so.
First of state Institutions.
Watertown is the first of the institu-
ions in Illinois to be anywhere near
adequately equipped for the practices
If hydropathy and other theories lpf
ABILITIES the state has enabled this
hospital to lead by far the other asy.'
ums in the per cent of those dis,
charged and cured. The other asylums
re being brought to higher stand
nd gradually however.
There are now being treated at the
WATERFOWL hospital something Owes
400 mentally afflicted wards of the
state of Illinois. OF this number many
ONE to the institution physically in
apaeitated for labor of any kind
Throug the system that is now in Oper
alton the ais of these beyond the,
mental state are in most instances
emedied in very short time and up
IN the theory that occupation is onC
IF the best treatments for the insane
hey are given something to do in
most instances this occupation being
according to their own tastes. By this
means about so per cent of those il
the hospital are working. Also as n
Illustration of what work will do for
hose having mental difficulties DR..
erected on the premises. On this
building II carpenters, all patients in
the hospital were set TO work Upon
the completion of the structure Is Of
the IA were discharged from the in
stitution as cured
The institution now has about $40
acres, every portion of which not Oc-
cupied by the buildings is being p i
to practical use. To provide out of
door work and exercise for those
10, T,,- ,fn;, a
practically of the subsistence of the
institution being thus supplied. a can
ming factory is operated and during
the last year among other things pro-
duced in this building were the fol
lowing:
5000 cans Of tomatoes.
$50 barrels of pickles.
100 barrels of sauer kraut.
1000 bushels of peaches.
5000 cans of corn.
Ketchup, peas, beans, etc.
1t has been demonstrated time after
time that in even this supposedly men.
ial occupation of the canning industry
further induced by the regular treat
h'Nht vi liohto anu DtlilS, CiItS vi
demeEtia, and kindred ailments have
been affected.
At is TO this treatment of lights and
baths, however, that the greatest in
terest of the outside public is now cen
tered. 1t is to the work that is bein-
accomplished in the new hospita
building with its new facilities and its
new ideas of treatment that the people
are looking most anxiously.
Number of Cures Increase.
Illinois has at the present time abou
$4,000 insane dependents in it's state
institutions and about 1000 in it's pri
vate asylums. Such being the case a:
mere matter of business accumer
the taxpayers are watching with keer
appreciation the efforts that are beine
made to advance the percentage o
cures. The cost of maintenance o.
, the insane of the state has at one tim:
been as low as a dollar and some cd,
cents per capita per week but OWN:
| to the increase of cost of all commu
dities which must necessarily be pur
chased the cost is now much neare
the two dollar mark. Should by tn,
judicious expenditure of few hundred
thousand dollars in equipment an,
buildings bring about a condition
whereby an accelerated number of va
tients may be discharged fully cured
fully able to care for themselves, the,
the expenditure would truly be an in
vestment. 1t is not so much this MOI
cenary idea, however. that is drawin
The attention of the public to the ney
Therapeutics, as it is the sentimental
Every heart beats,for the afflicted VIII
are cared for in these eleemosynar
homes of the state Every citize
takes pride that in most instances TIL
inmates of these establishments ar
better fed, better clothed, bette
housed than those who pay the TO
themselves. And though these con1
tons are, every heart longs for tn
time when it's friend, or acquaintanc,
or relative, perhaps-for there are fe,
in the state indeed who have not 8
least some friend afflicted-may h