The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-11-09
WANTSSTATE CARE
. FOR |NEBR|ATES
DR.. King Again Earnestly Advo-
Gates Establishment of
Institution.

Returning to the fight which he be-
gan last year. DR.. j. c. King. superin-
tendent OF the Southwestern State Hos
pltal. at Marion, again advocates In
his annual report. a separate institution
In Virginia for the care of inebriates
and drug habituea. The report was
Med with Governor Mann yesterday and
was sent on to the Public Printer.
DR.. King made @ similar suggestion
up with series of statistics and argu-
ments. He has found that laymen. as
well as members of the medical profes-
sion, have become interested in his
proposition. There Is no class. he ar
cues. whose permanent restoration 10
health Is more important to the com
munity.
VIII Is Paralyzed.
Unfortunately. he finds. drunkards
and drug fiends are regarded by many
as menace to society and as victims
or their own volition. This Judgment
he insists. Is often too harsh, as these
people are often afflicted with n den-
mite neurosis, which produces a disor-
dered condition OF the will. No thera-
peuttc agency Will work a cure, but
proper environment and a we'll ordered
life will. he is thoroughly convinced.
result In a liberal percentage of per-
manent cures.
The separate institution. says DR..
King. should be homelike and without
penal features. yet the labor should be
made compulsory. Those committed TO
1t should be sent for term OF two
years or as much longer ms may be
necessary to work a cure In previous
statements he has found that pers ons
sent to asylums suffering from alco-
holism soon recover and become normal,
but when they are discharged they
soon resume their old habits.
Statistics are quoted TO show that
DO per cent. OF the inmates OF an hos
pitals in the United States are the de-
scendants of alcoholic parents. In tho
Manhattan Hospital. in New York. 40
per cent. OF the men and c5 per cent. Of
the women admitted were immoderate
users of alcohol.
Many Die of Contamination.
Tho rapid spread OF tuberculosis in
the Southwestern State Hospital Is de-
soribed by DR.. King as appalling. Dur
ing the fiscal year just ended. 81 per
cent. of the deaths were due to this
disease. while for tho two previous
years only per cent WAS caused By
IT. This Is due. of course, to the spread
of Infection. for the patients cannot
take the care OF themselves which nor
NAL persons could. The new building
for female consumpJves will soon be
completed, but there is no RELIEF in
sight for the mon.
There are eleven cases of pelIagra
there. a few at times showing tempo
rary Improvement. But while ali theo-
ries as to the care OF thsi disease
have been carefully followed, none of
them has been found TO have any value
There seems to be no cure.
During the year pa patients were re-
oeived. of whom 143 men and eighty
eight women were admitted. Eleven
were released on bond by local author
tiles. and one died before entry. Paroles
have been granted with good effect to
1875
Work on the separote building for the
criminal insane has been suspended
because OF lack OF funds. II is to be Of
three stories. I2x174. The number OF
this class in tho State is estimated at
sixty to seventy, but II was thought
best to prepare for 100. The Legisla-
ture will be asked for funds for the
completion of the structure along these
lines.