New Ulm review., 1912-12-25
New State Institution For Inc.
briates.

% Friday Judge Ross received
notice that the, Minnesota State
Hospital for the Cure of Inebriates,
located at Willmar will be ready for
the official reception OF patients on
December 2eth. DR.. Tonlinson,
formerly Supt. of the State Hospital
at St. Peter. will be in charge.
Five patients is the limit for each
county. No ''old sosk' will be re-
ceived and those who do present them.
selves must do so voluntarily. Treat
ment will not be compulsory under
any condition.
Both sexes will be cared for and the
accommodations will be the equal of
any sanitarium In the state. Plenty
Of exercise, lots of work, good food,
daily baths and oil the cold water oae
wants will be the cure.
If all this fails then the patient will
be labeled incursble.. Whisky in
liberal doses and stry chime, the basis
Of most liquor cures, will not have .
place In the formula ut the Minnesots
institution.
Built 1t cost of $3.50, 200, every
cent Of which was contributed by the
liquor drinking public through az
per cent tax on all saloon licenses,
the Minnesota inebriate hospital Is
admirably located on q knoll near
Willmsr. The farm . in connection
comprises 497 acres of excellent land
uoder cultivation and close to
beautiful lake. Standing above all is
Q ~, ,O0O.gailon tank of ornate design,
and 1t represents the cure.
The cottage plan has been carried
out In the construction of the institu.
tion. Each is provided with baths,
both hot and cold, and these all
patients will be expected to patronize
literally. There is hospital at
tached where patients in the advanced
stages will be treated. There are also
baths in abundance that range from
shower to hot and cold plupges and
when they have no effect steam rooms
and vspor cabinets will be brought
toto requisition. The farm which has
been added to the institution will pro.
vide good, healthy work for the in.
mates and give them IN appetite
for wholesome food. This with the
baths and lots Of cold water 10 the
cure in nut shell.
The probate courts of the state have
authority to commit to the institution,
but this need not be taken to mean
that mere sentence by the court will
get the person In question q place in
the hospital. DR.. Tomlinson and the
board of control have the final cay,
and II the report of the commission
which passed on the applicant, to-
gether with personal inquiry, 10 not
satisfactory be will be rejected. As
announced the institution Is only for
persons In the early stages of ine-
briacy, those who apply voluntarily
aud those who II sent by the courts
will stay when committed. Those
whose habits extend to the gutter with
of delirium tremens are net
wanted and will not be received.
Massachusetts and Iowa are the
only other states having such cures.
The institution located at Knoxville,
Ia., is In reality workhouse where
men are committed for q period of nt
less than three years. The windows
10 the buildings are barred and |
solitary confinement is the rule There
Is really no treatment. The inmate is
simply kept away from liquor by con-
ining him.
This will not be the case at the
W illmar institution. There will be no
, Irs, the cottages are cheerful and
everything is made as homelike as
possible. II patient will not stay
he board Of control does not want
lin. The idea is to cure, not to
punish. Several European countries
,ave institutions similar to the one at
Villmar and the treatment is the
ame. 1t Is said to be generally sue
essful.