Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1910-02-25
STATE CARE OF The INSANE

There are three--the Eastern, To-
Gated at Williamsburg, founded III
1773: the Western at Staunton,
founded in 1888, and the South
western. at Marion, established IN
1887, all of which are for the eX-
elusive use of white patients.
The Central, devoted TO the care
of the negro Insane, is now situated
at Petersburg. 1t was first esta5-
lished in Richmond, in 1870, but
in 1885 was removed to the present
site.
These institutions are sup .orted
by an appropriation made by the
General Assembly.
The Eastern has accommodations
for about 900 patients, the report
for the fiscal year ended September
80, 1908, the last one available,
shows total of SS4 patients. d.
vided as follows: 449 male and 1856
female. The per capita cost of
maintaining the institution is $780,
Al. The Eastern has an S5-acre
farm run in connection, much of
the work being done by the patients.
This farm supplies great abun.
dance of vegetables and food stuff
for the use of the hospital, but not
enough to supply the demand. The
farm yielded a net revenue of ST.
S43, according to the report men
toned above. A mattress and
broom factory is also operated at q
profit, the last report showing a
net return of 81 ,11S. The patients
also help to keep up repairs and to
operate the laundry.
The value of the Eastern plant is
placed at $ll0,214 and the state
appropriation for the last fiscal year
ended September 80, 1906, was
500, All 50. The returns from pay
patients were 81 ,956.93, while 9TH
or items OF resource, such as sales
ard rent of state property, were
S425.39.
The report of the Western State
Hospital for the fiscal year ended
September 30, 1908, gives a total
of 977 patients--4S5 male and 4s2
female.
The per capita cost at the Wes-
tern is $12S,7G, with the cost of
transportation of about S1.03. The
Western has separate buildings for
the care of consumptives. A small
farm is operated, but it has been
so recently acquired that no figures
as to it's return can be given.
Under the control of the officials
of the Western hospital will be
placed the epliePtic colony, a site
for which has been bought just out
side of Lynchburg. 1t is planned
to have this colony in operation by
1911. All patients of the Eastern,
Western, and Southwestern Hos
pitfalls who are sufferers from this
malady will be sent there for treat
ment.
The report of G Commissioner Baus-
erman for the fiscal year ended Sep
TENDER 80, 1909. shows that the
state appropriation for the hospital
SIG, OO0.4S, and that the receipts
from the pay patients were about
1891, while other sources of rev.
enue netted 81, 700.
The Southwestern, at Marion,
has an enrolment of 631- 300 male
and 331 female. The farm and gar
denioperated in connection with the
hospital shows a net balance of S4,-
$40. This hospital drew an appro-
priation from the State of $4,000
and received about 81 500 from
paid patients, while other items Of
revenue brought in 1897.
The Central hospital, at Peters
burg is devoted to the treatment of
negro patients, who numbered at
the close of the 1908 fiscal year
,2S5-59S male and 6S7 female.
The per capita cost of maintaining
his hospital is SOL IS, this figure
including the cost of transportation.
The plant of the Central Hospital
S valued at S516, 1000, and has a
inc farm of 200 acres attached. /
The last report shows that this
arm yielded a net revenue for over '
IL 900. /
For the last six years tubercular q
atients have been segregated and /
new cottage costing $4,000 has
lst been built for their use. v
The state appropriation for this n
ospital was $131 900, and about d
3 $40 was received from the rent
State property. c
During the 1908 sessions the Leg s.
lature passed a law which pro- D
ides that no citizen of the state of k
irginia who is an inmate of hos ii
ital for the insane shall be charged k
ny of the expenses connected with n
IS maintenance. This law had not
one into effect when the reports W
loted above were made up. al
n