Norwich bulletin., 1911-01-14
Norwich State Hospital Buildings
Those Which Are Required for the Growing Institution and Their Necessity Explained-Progress on Those Underway.


 superintendent, has the following to say in regard to the construction work which is required there and the build ings now in course of constructions:
 In previous reports to your board l have indicated the necessity of build ing, according to the plans already perfected by your board, an amusement hall and dining room building. 1 am placing this first in our list of future requirements, as I know in so doing l ann but yoicing the sentiment of each individual member of your board and that you keenly appreciate the great necessity for this building. The site reserved for this building, immediately adjacent to our kitchen, serving rooms and employees dining room, is ideal, and your plan of using the first floor for a central dining room, the second for an amusement hall and the base ment as an addition to our store room, is free from all objection and presents great economy over separate buildings.
 Undoubtedly the greatest need of this hospital is a place of assemblage for our patients. The only room where our patients can now gather is in the small hall on the third floor of our ad- ministration building. designed as a sitting room in connection with our surgical dormitories and not as place of amusement. It has a seating ca pacity for only so small a proportion of our patient population that the dis content engendered among those un- able to attend the simple entertain ments that we have from time to time endeavored to provide has more than offset the pleasure and satisfaction of the privileged few. The added num- Der of patients incident to the opening of our new buildings will render it un- wise to attempt any further entertain ments until more adequate quarters are provided. It is perfectly safe to venture the statement, without fear of contradiction, that there is no state hospital for the insane of any size in the United States that has not 8 well equipped amusement hall capable or seating with the necessary nurses and attendants from one half to two-thirds of it's patient population, and many hospitals have not only an amusement hall but a chapel and dance hall as well. Amusements should not be re- garded as a luxury but as an absolute necessity and most important ad- junot to the treatment of mental dis eases.
 A central dining room will permit us to relieve our wards of their congestion at meal time, to do away with our present inadequate and unsatisfactory basement dining rooms and enable us to provide better food for 8 certain class of our patients with a greater degree of economy.
 Our present store rooms are not of a sufficient size for our inlrn nediate re- quirem ents. This building has been so planned as to also contain in addition to the above offices for our male and female supervisors, with patients bag gage rooms, as well as the necessary quarters for carrying on our industrial work.
 Additional Ward Building. The close of each biennial period but serves to emphasize the inadequate ac- commodations that have been provided for the care of Connecticut's pauper and indigent insane. It is, however, through no fault or lack of effort on your part, gentlemen, that present conditions exist. and if your previous recommendations had been followed both the Connecticut hospital for the insane at Middletown and your hospi- tai would not now be receiving patients except as vacancies occur.
 At the last session of the general assembly. you. mindful of the yearly increase of the pauper and indigent insane in the two state hospitals dur ing the previous period Q34), and the fact that as the general assembly con- vened but once in two years and that a year and a half at least would e1apse before a modern f1reproof building could be rendered ready for occupancy requested an appropriation sufficient only to provide for 325 patients. An appropriation to build for 25O was
  repetition, though in a less degree, af your previous experience.
 Now at the close of the period we find that the insane in this institution alone have increased during the last two years from ASA to 713, or 279. g yearly increase of 1885. Remembering this increase, l do not feel that il would be safe to recommend accommo- datiOns for less number than $50 pa tfents, and this does not take into con- T E-- xV-- you received an appropriation for 7s beds short of which you regarded as our minimum requirements, and thai | two years ago with 1S0 beds nearly ready for occupancy we had but 3. | patients in excess of our normal ac-
 commodations, and this year with IS; beyond our rated capacity we have bur | 250 building. A portion of the sun | secured for additional beds should 1T my opinion be used for the erection ot l a detention hospital. I believe it is 1 only in the early reception and treat | ment of the insane, combined witt ] studied prophylaxis and the most wise after care, that we can hope to expert. | ance any relief from the present situa. tion. We have tried inadequate ac.
 commodations, delayed treatment, nc
 prophylaxis and no after cure fo, | years, and the number of insane ant i the expense of their maintenance hav' l continued to steadily increase. Is no
 the time ripe Tor the trial of some nev methods?
 Nurses Cottages.
 We have already secured the neces
 sary appropriation and have in proces
 of completion two cottages for ou
 women nurses. Similar cottages s11oult
 be erected for men and at least on cottage provided for married employees
 Horse and Cow Barn.
 l We continue to occupy the horse barr | which was acquired with the hospita property. 4 new horse barn and car
 riage house should be built as p1anne, l adjacent to our main concrete barn. Beardow; deacon, Ennis Paisley; clerk Allen Bogle; church committee, Arch