The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-10-13
INSANE PERSONS
MADE PRISONERS
Or. Drewry Denounces Habit Of
Keeping Mentally Sick
People in Jails.
HOSPITALS ANNUAL REPORT
Is First to Reach Governor.
Cause of Insanity Inter-
esting Study.

Vigorous denunciation Of the 'prac-
tice OF keeping insane persons in the
falls Of Virginia is made by DR.. Will
liam Francis Drewry. superintendent
OF the Central State Hospital. at Peters
burg. in his annual report to Governor
Mann. The report came In yesterday
and was sent on TO the printer. AS
usual. DR.. Drewyy is the FIRST State
Official TO file his report for the year
ending September so.
It is very eviden, that he Is deeply
touched IN the matter Of connntng the
insane in Jails. He gives figures snow
Ing that of the 525 colored people adj
judged insane during the past year.
Egg, or - per cent. were committed to
Jail. There they are naturally treated
as prisoners. yet they have clearly
done nothing for which they should be
punished. AS rapidly as possible they
are sent for by the hospital authorities.
there being an average OF three days
Of such detention. This includes peo-
pie from all parts Of the State.
Iasaae People Are Sick.
Under no circumstances. advises Dr..
prewry. should insane people be put IN
Jail nor, except in unusual cases. should
they be In charge Of officers OF the law.
Instead they sh ould be cared Tor uks
other sick people until the guards can
come for them.
when this 10 Done" he adds. "our
xspapers would no longer have oc-
casion to publish. perhaps to the NOR
LITIGATION Of friends and later of the
patient himself. detailed accounts un-
der the caption, Arrested On a Charge
Of Insanity Of the wild antics OF some
poor. unfortunate. helpless. mentaay
wrecked individual who occasionally
makes a scene in public"
During the year Just ended 4ss per
sons were admitted. 234 were dis
charged. 2es died. On October I. 1911
there were 1883 inmates: on October l.
1912, lat. The daily average increase
was sixteen. There is an increase OF
4 per cent In the number OF inmates
discharged and q decrease OF 1 pei
cent in the number Of deaths.
Many Are Ineurasse.
Thirty per cent If the admissions are
REGARDED a incurables-dementia
IDIOTS and nara noiacs. During the year
there were NO deaths from accident
violence or suicide. There were sew
eral attempts at suicide. one result
inx seriously, when a woman jumped
from a window. in1uring her spine
The cause Of insanity IN negroes Il
Virginia is q most interesting subject
in DR.. Drewry's view. Hereofty, NJ
knows. plays large part. Many
cases develop a. the result OF excesses'
and not q few under the stress OF EN- D
ton resulting from q Bereavement Oh
from religious excitement Atogetnei
there is a rich field for research in thle
line. covering the subjects. a. remedies
Of eugenics, sterilization and segreHA'
ton.
Crsu,iuaIs KeDt Apart.
All the colored criminal insane are
now kept separate. The present ouiio.
ing has q capacity Of thirty-nvs. anc
a contract has been awarded Tot an
addition which will accommodate
tveuty more. This will be enough to
care for all OF this class.
The pellagra cases are interesnne.
Since the presence Of the disease va.
discovered, in 1905. there have oeen
s,rtv six cases. Thirteen OF THESE
v.re men and arg -6Etee women.
rortv-6ys have died, three have re-
covered and eighteen are now unoes
treatment a..
Financially, the hospital mace u.
u.ual Allowing, which II the wonoes
and despair Of other such instHuonz
throuxhout the country. Not couhtins
insurance and transportAtaon OF pau
ents. the Der capita cost OF msinten.
.nee and attendance during the year
was only $100.Ss.