New-York tribune., 1912-03-18
ALIENS FLOOD ASYLUMS
Lunacy Board Asks Inquiry-To
Help Lessen Evil.

Albany, March H-GOVernor Dix has re-
ceived from the State Commission in
Lunacy a report I'm the matter OF inmates
OF allen birth IN the New York State hos
pitals for the insane, and the desirability of
amending or strengthening the immigration
laws ia regard To diminishing, II possible,
this constantly increasing burden. II Is
recommended that thorough investigation
OF this subject be made by a commission
named by the Governor Of the state. The
letter says. in part:
The statistics prepared by this commits
sion show that OF the total nTst admissions
10 the New York state hospitals for the
year ended September Co. 1853, 46.S per cent,
for the year ended September 80. 1870 4oZ
per cent, and for the year ended September
80. 1911, AZ per cent were OF foreign birth.
thus IN the last year there mas been an
increase Of l.J per cent
The question OF the foreign born popula-
tion In the state hospitals has received the
attention OF the Commission In Lunacy Tor
many years. The port of New York Is one
of the principal ports or entry OF the United
States and receives at least eight-tenths OF
all the immigrants coming to this country.
About ~ per cent or the total become resi-
dents OF he State OF New York.
II Is estimated that there are about eight
thousand insane aliens In the New York
state hospitals at the present time Immi-
the Increase In our insane population. Int
removal and deportation OF non-reSidents
and aliens. therefore. constitute one or the
greatest factors at the present time In les
sening the constant increase In our insane
population. one hundred and seventy aliens
and non-rcsidcnts were removed In 1893, ~.
IN 1906 81 In iI1, 4Gg I'm 1905, 51j In 1903, S6
I'm 1910 and ll& In 1911, making grand
total OF BIS This represents an approx
mate saving on maintenance, based on ths
per capita cost OF caring for the insane. OF
practically SGSJ, ,49O during the years lSOO- IL
II the cost OF construction. etc, Is included
the total saving az result or the remoVa
or these aliens and nOn-residents ls an
proXlmatey estimated at 50, 25l.3SO. Thi'
saving has been effected at total cost ol
ygl Coz, this amount representing the tota
expenditures or the Board OF Alienists dur.
ing that time When the fact Is considered
that the approximate per capita cost ol
caring sOr the insane at the present time
Is $40 a wear. and the estimated average
hospital life Of each insane person is about
nine years the magnitude or the eNpendi'
lures required Will be readily appreciated
A. a nor capIta cost OF $3.50 year, the
actual expense involved in caring for tho
rlght thousand aliens at the present time
I'm tho New York State hospitals woulo
amount to X.7l0.0O0 year.
The fact should be emphasized that me
most important reason for reducing to the
lowest uossible number the foreigners IN
our state hospitals IS the difficulty or prop
prly caring for our own insane. with stead
Nv increasing appropriations for main
tGnance and new buildings, the overcrowd-
ing I'm the hospitals continues Inc cost 10
the taxrayer OF caring for the Insane Is
uo,v so great that approximately one-sixth
of the states revenues iS required tOf tnls
nurn0se II should be stated that the prop
rr standards OF the quantity and quaity OF
the food supplied are always maintained