Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-01-04
INSANITY SPREADS
THROUGH NATION
Increases Twice As Fast As Pop.
ulation, According to Report
of Census Bureau.

Washington. Dec. 9.--tnsanity IN the
nitcd States Is increasing twice az fast
as the population. according 10 figures
gathered by the federal government IN
a special inquiry through the census
bureau. That lie to say. while the popuia-
ton of the country grew II per cent in
the i've years from Ia4 70 1910. the
in insane asylums rose about
q per cent. AS to the number OF cases
Of insanity not resulting In commitments
~ HOSPITALS I'll, census has no data
"Our figures" says Director Durand.
afford n striking Indication OF the
prevalence of insanity, IL not an exact
measure of II. 1t is somewhat startling
to reflect that the 1s7iA patients con-
fined I'm hopitals for the insane make up
Il population larger than that Of the city
of columbus, Ohio
The state which. in proportion to ito
Formulation. had the largest number of
insane exported in institutions on January
= ioi0 was Massachusetts with 3A.6 per
~. 500 uDpulation New York however
mad almost the same proportion. name-
.y. 3i3I per 10000 population.
PATIENTS FROM OUTSIDE.
There is no doubt. Mr.. Durand says
that in these States better provision Z.
made Tor the care of insane in institr-
,ons than in most Of the other States
The insane confined in institutions IN
any state are by no means drawn ex.
cusively from the population OF that
state. The institutions in Massachu-
setts especially the private institutions,
New England States. and the institu-
lions IN New York similarly receive
many patients from outside that State
The District Of Columbia which far
outranlls both New York and Massa-
chusetts in the proportion OF number
Of insane persons in institutions. pre-
sonta conditions more analogous to
these Of a city than those of a State.
ana is the location of the government
hospital for the insane. which draws
its patients from a much wider area
than tho District.
Connecticut ranks third where there
are @2l crazy people in institutions
Tor each 100000 Of population.
WHERE INSANE ARE THICKEST.
The actual number of insane IA In
stitut.ons in some OF the States Ia as
follows:
Pennsylvania ....... .15.os3
Illinois ....... ........ ........l 1883
Massachusetts ...... ...... ...1I.602
Ohio ....... .... ........... 1854
Michigan ....... ......... =. $500
California .. ...... .. s.66l
Wisconsin ........ ..... e,lS6
Missouri ...... ........ ....... $40
/ New Jersey ...... ........ o.0<%
/ More than $500 persons were COM
/ mitted to insane asylums in New York
state last year, 4.517 in Pennsylvania
425G in Massachusetts. \,oss in Illinois
ana 1897 in Ohio.
Arkansas had fewer insane committed
( last year than any other State in proper
ton. IS per 10000. according to Mr.. Du-
rand- figures. which were prepared for
/ him 10y Statistician J. A. HAIL New Mex
/ leo comes next with 81 per 10000. and
/ TITAN. with 20 per 10000. Is third. After
7 Them In order. are Wyoming. Louisiana.
Texas. Mississippi and Alabama.
IN actual number OF insane the low
States are:
! Wyoming ......,... ........... .''''.'.'..'Ios
Ne" Mexico .......... .'......'... ..''....''a a"
Nevada .,....... ..........'... ...''..''.''.s 0s
Arizona ..,.......... ..,.... ..'.''.'..''.'0'
! tab ........ ........... ...,........'..''.'c1
COMPETITION THE CAUSE
Tic governments figures appear to
bear out tine new contention that insan-
ity is chiefly due TO the stress OF compe-
tition for existence in the congested in
duatrial oenters.
In 30 of the 40 States and Territories
says Mr. Durand. the ratio Of insane In
institutions to total population was larger
N 1910 than in 1904. Most OF the Statel
in which the ratio was smaller lie weSi
If the Mississippi. the number including
all the Pacific coast States and all but
three of the mountain States This soc
ton Of the country has undergone very
rapid development in recent years. and
1t is possible that the new population
coming from other sections OF the United
states represents class in which insan'
i;y is less prevalent than among the stay
at-homes But the decrease In the ratio
may also indicate that the provisions foi
the care If the insane in institutions have
kept pace with the rapidly increasing
/ populatiOu.
The government is now gathering 1n'
sanity data as to SEX race. age and ma
uvity.
THE PEERS.