New-York tribune., 1911-01-15

Campaign Has Begun Against Spread OF the Dread Inc
frmity, but Long Time Must Elapse Before
Any Diminution Is Apparent

when II will he Of the greatest benefit 70
the patient.
when a patient is not insane he Is dis
charged, and we give him the advice and
assistance that his case warrants. Pa
tients brought here as insane are often
very nervous persons who need intelligens
help. We strsighten out the family DIM
cuIties and give the family advice, for. as
a rule, his family Is the source Of the pa
tents trouble. Sometimes II is financial
stress that has brought about the nervous
disturbance, and that has to be relieved.
Whatever the cause is, We seek to hnd its
source and TO remove IL. We suspect what
a patients home troubles may be from his
condition, and send nurse. who Is FUR
nished TO us by wealthy women for this
work, to visit the home Of the patient. ex-
anime into conditions there and report TO
us Then we know what 70 say when We
give advice: We tell the patient how ne
should live and what TO do 10 prevent
return OF his trouble. and ence week
have a clinic for discharged patients, who
go about their usual voeations- Besioes
keeping IN touch with them at the ciinic'
our nurse exercises a supervision over tneir
homes. IL things are not going we'll she
reports TO us and We take measures 10 pre-
vent another outbreak"
, This Is some OF Bellevue's preventive
werk in addition 10 caring for patients
pending commitment and saving patients
the expense of fees to examining physi-
clans, when even the charity fee OF slJ
cannot be afforded. A patient who does not
want TO accept free treatment at Belle
vue may pay 81 50 a day for his care, but
aside from this he need not be At any ex-
pense for examination, intermediate care
commitment or even the notsrys fees, as
Bellevue has notary of its own.
New York sends thirty-hve hundred mer-
tally deranged persons to Bellevue annual
~ A thousand or more are discharged as
not insane and receive preventive care and
treatment. The others are committed to
institutions
The costs for the commitment and caro-
OF an insane person who is not PUBIC
charge are fixed largely according 10 pa
TENTS income and demands
Large fees are asked by examining alien
lists Of special eminence. who are thus ahls
10 limit their practice to people able to pay
high fees. These are the men who give
their services free 10 clinics and dispensa-
ries for the poor who get the same atten-
ton accorded 10 millienaires. except
that the- occupy wards instead OF private
rooms No other difference Is made Win
respect 10 the methods employed for their
care and cure and in providing attractive
surroundings and amusements for them.
A patient pays for his board and care
In public and private institutions from Sl1
10 SIS a week according TO the institution
Public institutions receive only limited
number Of pay patients. Persons who de-
sire extra luyures and suites OF rooms pay
from $50 to sio0 week. and those who en-
gage a separate establishment, with a
retinue Of servants and nurses paw accord
ingIy for the privilege which costs not less
than $500 a month and generally much
more Private hospitals often maintain
only one such private establishment. and
Bloomingdale RECEIVES good many patients
for whom the charge Is S or $40 week
and sometimes nothing. Ten dollars does
not cover the cost Of caring for an insane
patient In a modern institution.
Patients received for trifing sums by
private institutions" says an alienlst who
cares for many such. ARE taken when the
doctors know that their condition would he
aggravated perhaps beyond repair, and
their sensiblities shocked If they were de-
prIved of the privacy Of separate rooms
and the refnements of life 10 which they
had heen accustomed.