The San Francisco call., 1910-11-16
LUNACY BOARD
GRILLS NAT ELLERY
Many Changes in Asylum Laws
Will Be Asked at the
Next Session
Continued from Page 1


regarding the troubles of that institu-
ton.
The state engineering department
has never been able to keep within the
appropriations" he said What is
needed is greater harmony between the
department and the boards OF mana
gers"
Doctor Stone of Napa and Doctor
Clark of Stockton made. similar state
ments. Finally, despite the assertion
of Secretary B. B. Deming of the state
board of examiners that the segrega-
tion of the engineering and architec-.
tural departments would result in
chaos, the action was taken that may
lead to segregation.
T Consideration Of estimates for the
next two years was a part of tonights
program. 1t was estimated that s3,-
2S3,2S4 would be needed to run the
five state hospitals and the Sonoma
home. and that a further appropriation
of s1,147 900 would be required for i'm
provements.
CHANGES IN LAWS
The state legislature, at it's next ses-
sion will probably be called upon to
amend the state statutes relating to ins
sane asylums in several important par
ing.
Dr. Charles Keane, state veterinarian,
startled the meeting this afternoon by
declaring that so per cent of the dairy
cows at the Sonoma state home were
infected with tuberculosis. OF the rs
head of cattle kept by the home As
are being milked daily to supply the
inmates. The announcement OF Doctor
keane came after DR.. F. w. Hatch. gen
eral superintendent of asylums. opened
the afternoon session with talk upon
tuberculosis in dairy herds. Governor
Gillett was opposed to killing the in
fected cattle for fresh meat, and advo-
Gated rather their total destruction.
The state veterinarian was instructed
to examine the herds at every state
institution and make report to the
governor before the next session of the
Legislature.
1t was also determined today TO draft
an amendment to the 1unacy law which
will eliminate the Objectionable nature
of the present detention ward cases,
where insane persons are put on trial
like criminals. BY doing away with
much of this procedure it is believed
that considerable money can be saved.
Under the amendment II will be pos
sfble for insane or feeble minded per-
sons to give themselves up and be
placed in a state institution if an ex-
animation establishes the necessity. of
such treatment.
FOLLOW IOWA LAW
Doctor Hatch and Attorney General
u. S. Webb were instructed also to draft
a bill which would provide for the COM
mittment of inebriates and drug fiends.
The new law probably will follow the
lines of that in use in Iowa, where such
characters are given an indeterminate
sentence of from one to three years.
during which time the physicians at
the state. asy1ums work to effect a cure
is effected the patient may be dis
charged. For the care of such cases it
is proposed to erect two cottages at
Napa and two at Patton.
This morning the members devoted to
an inspection Of the grounds of the
Sonoma, state home. The regular ses-
sion began at 2 o'clock in the after
noon, when Governor Gillett called the
meeting to order.
Those present were: Governor Gill
lett; DR.. F. w. Hatch, general super
intendent of asylums; DIR. Charles
Keane, state veterinarian; B. B. DEM
ing, secretary of the state board of ex-
aminers; Doctor King of Ukiah, F. P.
Clark of Stockton. Doctor Stone of
Napa, DR.. William ]. c. Dawson of Ell
bridge, Doctor Stocking of Agnew, Doc
tor Blair of Patton; from the boards of
managers, F. H. Bangs of Agnew, z. P.
Clarke of Patton and F. ]. Dietrich of
Stockton; Rev. A. c. Bane, ]. P. Berry.
c. E. Haven, Rev. Walter Freer and
Rev. William Lyons of Eldridge, State
Engineer Nat Ellery, Inspector NJ. ].
Wiley; w. A Cages, secretary of the
state board of charity and corrections:
H. W. A. Weske. secretary y-treasurer of
the Sonoma state home, and Steward
Handy of Ukiah