The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-10-18
DISEASE FE|GNEO
BY HORSE THIEF
Claimed to Be Epileptic, but
Got Well Working on
Chain Gang.

Rapid indeed was the recovery OF
ono epileptic in this State. a. recorded
in the third annual report Of the Viz
GINA State Epileptic Colony. hled by
Superintendent A. S. Priddy yesterday
in the office of the Governor. The in
diyidual referred to had stolen a horse.
and after his arrest ne threw numbers
Of fits Out OF human sympathy the
court sent him to tho epileptic colony.
DIR. Priddy and his assistants worked
on this individual for some time. 10
discover what kind OF epilepsy he had.
and at last became convinced that he
had no epilepsy at all He was turn
ed over to the authorities. who. to test
the case. gave him six months on the
roads. He was watched. but IL was
unnecessary since the prisoner served
his term on the chain-gang without q
return Of the seizure.
Another Had SDrees.
Another person sent to the institu-
ton was found to be really suffering
from alcoholic pyschosis. and while on
his sprees he went through with such
antics as TO make his friends think ne
was an epileptic. He. too. was as
charged.
The sad part about the report 10 that
the only discharges during the past year
were the two above referred TO. who
were not epileptics. No one was cured.
and II is recognized that cure Is al
most II not altogether impossible for
one really affected.
However. DR.. Priddy has found fur
louRhs a great help. Those who I'M
prove in the institution are permitted
to go home for time to see their re-
lattyes. This cheers them up ana
makes life bearaSle,. and the nope OF
getting furloughs Is conductive 10 good
behavior In the colony. Outdoor work
1, found to be the best treatment
better than drugs or alcoholic stimu-
lants. DR.. Priddy had expected to use
much whiskey, but to his surprise mas
found that so little is necessary that
il is not even accounted for In the
report. being put In with other trivial
medical items
Tried Rattlesnake Venom.
During the year Dr. Pridoy reao tne
report OF one physician VINO ciain'eo
to have had marked results. even cures
OF eptleptics. by hypodermic injections
~ rat,iesuake venom. The supertn-
tendent tried It In a number OF cases
hu> could not secure no results what
ever He realizes that no cure Ii known
to medical science.
The per capita cost OF patients mas
been reduced in the year from 49,
To s,e1.r2. Considering the TACT that
the average attendance was oniy i"'''
this is regarded as a remarkable sho~
;np A, the beginning OF the yea
II was decided to add twelve BEDS
which was done without cfo"oins'
and DR.. Priddy finds that 1t costs aoou.
as much to maintain 100 as II woes
100 There are certain fixed chafses'
which are the same with 1oo ., 49,
owe hundred were in the INSTITUTION
on october I, 1911, ana curing
wear two were discharged and Isl
,een died Admissions numbered tot'S-
one. leaving III inmates on Octooes l.
1912.
NEXT wear the building Tor women
w,Il be erected. to accommodate 1oo'
and in honor of two men VINO TOOK an
activs interest. Ii will be calieo tne
ctroda-Massie Building. The present
and previous Senators from the aus
trict where the colony ID s'tuaseo' IA
Amherst County. are thus namec-
The last Legislature appropt'a.so
ss 600 for a building for feeoie-mino-
"a women Of child-bear!nE age. on the
Enii.ntic Colony grounds. OF this sum.
e. non IL available this year, ana tne
s,ruc,ure has been begun It Will Do
r.adv for use by March l. 1919.
In honor OF Rev. J. 7. Masnn. see.e-
,.rv q, the State Board OF Chafltles
80 Corrections, and OF Mrs. Kate
n,s..ants Minor, II will be called the
x..,in-Minor Building.