New-York tribune., 1911-02-01
STATES INSANE, 2,65S.
Lunacy Report Says Years Net
Increase Was Liz.
COST TO STATE S7.64O,4O2
Campaign of Education To Be
Begun in Hope of Preventing
Growth of Insanity.

Albany. Jan. 3l-The twenty-second an
nual report Of the State commission in
Lunacy was transmitted % the Legislature
to-day. The number Of insane in the state
on September 90 1910 was e.e5s The num-
Der in the state hospitals was 3l.6o6 and In
licensed private institutions l052. The num-
Der in Matteawan and Dannemors insutu-
tions for criminals was 1iN. The total
number of patients received during the
wear was 7.C+iS. tho net increase for the year
IN all Institutions being l,1l9.
The total receipts for the maintenance OF
the state hospital system. The state COM
mission in Lunacy. the psychatric institute
and the examiners Of immigrants, including
payments from the state treasury, board
money collected and from other sources.
,ere S173.793 80. while the disbursements,
Including last years balances, amounted 70
s. SO. 402 o. The amount spent on mainte-
nance OF patients was S60SS36l %.
During the year 2l0 persons secured vol
untary admission 10 the state hospitals.
The number discharged as recovered was
l.553 and as improved LIZ. 1hus the recov-
cries represent % per cent of all patients
received.
During the fiscal year the annual mainte-
nance cost vas sls9 IA per capita, with all
liabilities met. The commission expended
I'VE cents a meal for food for patients. Of
fcers and employees of the state hospitals.
The clothing averaged 81 20 per capita a
wear the friends OF many patients supply
ing them with clothing at their own eX-
pense
The purchase and beginning development
% the Mohansic State Hospital. Al York
town Heights. y. 7, Il described. This
hcspital will relieve the overcrowding IN the
metropolitan district, which now amounts
10 fourteen hundred patients and will as
sist in relieving tn pressure Of the over
crcwding Of twenty-five hundred patients
IN the state a. large. Another hospital Is
needed near New York city. in view Of the
large increase Of the insane population Of
the metropolitan district SAYS the report
The new lease OF Wards Island by New
York City 10 the state has not Vet been
signed. and It is necessary that this matter
should he completed AZ once. Likewise tho
exchange Of the states interest in Ran
calls Island and the Sunken Meadow for
TIE Long Island state Hospital ar Flatbusr
should also De completed without DELAY
To put the latter building in ordinary safe
and sanitary condition the commission au-
,horized expenditures amounting 70 is6. 600
An increase from S3 so 70 g. n week n
the rate charged for reimbursing patients
made IN August, was necessitated by the
fact that the commission Is directed by Law
10 make such rate from time 70 time ard
hv the fact that the previous rate did not
| re.n1burse the state. Verv few patients are
able 10 paw the entire rate. and The ma
ioritv are carried by the state a mucr
smaller rates or free cr charge. as hereto
fore.
An earnest effort 20 limit insanity by
starting upon 4 campaign for its prevention
vas made during the year small sppro
/ rriation will be asked for this purpose, and
field work will shortly be begun j.. the hos
/ rital district 70 ascertain the causes Of IN
s. nifty and provide instruction in menta
ar9 physical hygiene and the Introduction
/ Of features that will tend 70 limit the us'
/ II alcohol. the spread of disease, the use O
drugs and tho pressure Of stress and strair
during fhe sveraz ze daily life of citizens
Addresses on the prevention NJ INSANITY
viii be made in the View York Acaden1y n
/ Medicine New York CRY. and later in many
parts of the ststa 70 be followed by 8
series Of public lectures, illustrated VIII
/ moving pictures depicting the life ~ The IN
sane in the modern hospitals and the rene
/ dial measures employed
Pamphlets will b. issued informing th'
public of the svodable causes or insanity
which will be distributed 70 high school an'
college students. churcn organizations an'
societies and the phianthropic association
/ throughout the state