Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-09-10
POULTRY RAISING IMPROVES CON.
DlrioN OF INSANE At STATE
HOSPITAL.
MANY PATIENTS DISCHARGED
FROM POULTRY DEPARTMENT
Become Absorbed in Fascinating Work
and Mental Improvement 10 Apparent
at Once-Piant at Mount Pleasant
Also Source Of Proft-larosst in
Entire State.
'ecial to Times-Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines. Sept. 1o.--The chicken
cure for insanity is still good at Iowa
hospitals where disordercd minds are
repaired.
DR.. c. r. Applegate. head OF the In
stitution at Mount Pleasant. finds
poultry raising both profitable to the
institution and good for the patients
who are assigned to work In this de-
partment. Some years ago the at
tention OF specialists was called sharp
ly to very interesting case at an
Iowa hospital wherein a man became
so deeply absorbed in poultry raising
that his insanity vanished in a few
years. Something OF that sort Is going
on as regular thing now.
More patients go back to their homes
from the poultry department at Mount
Pleasant than from any other in
dustrial department.
The biggest poultry plant in the
state is at the Mt. Pleasant hospital.
Roast duck and fried chicken, and
hares baked. stewed or in salads be-
came SO common that everybody be-
came tired Of them, and the other day
Superintendent Applegate sold a thou
sand ducks because the institution
could net use them. And If it wasn't
for this big poultry plant the hospital
would cost the state a great deal more
than it does.
before the quarterly conference In
the rooms Of the board of control. Mr..
A. Hoffman, poultryman. told OF the
plant and it's usefulness at the Mt.
Pleasant hospital. He gave credit to
DR.. Apologize for starting the In
dustry nine years ago with Il small
flock with the earnest aim of supply
ing the inmates with the best possible
product. Before that time poultry was
bought from commission houses and
much of it was unfit for human con-
sumption. To-day there is no state in
stitution anywhere with such fine
large plant. Twenty acres OF land Is
devoted to the poultry farm and there
are as many buildings. The incubators
have a capacity of 5000 eggs at one
setting. Barred Plymouth Rocks.
White Pekin ducks. Toulouse geese,
Mammoth bronze turkeys, pheasants,
pigeons and Belgian hares are raised.
Useful and Profitable.
The plant is found useful. aside from
the profit, because the work Is light
and both women and men can have
hand. because patients are benefited
physically and mentally by this labor.
Mr.. Hoffman presented tables showing
that eggs produced at 1919 cents a
dozen are cheaper for the institution
than beef at s12 a hundred. The beef
for a dinner at the institution would
cost $45.12, the cost Of duck FOR the
same meal, produced at the poultry
farm would be 500 and the cost OF
chicken for same meal would be $50.
This is for $3.50 persons.
The record shows production at the
state poultry farm OF the following
products and value:
Belgian hares, 73O pounds. s9o.95 at
average value 1914 cents: cost of pro-
duction at farm II cents.
Ducks, 7,O47 pounds, $1.055.s5 at l4.9
cents average value: cost at farm GA
cents
Chickens. 1874 pounds. $5+s.Ae at
14.4 cents: cost cents.
Eggs, 1881 dozen, SS64.21 at 10
cents; cost 1874 cents.
1--WE have arrived at the conclusion,
said Mr.. Hoffman, that state instl-
tuition benefits by conducting poul-
try department. by not only furnish
ing out of door employment when
gives opportunity for the able patients
to work off their energy in pleasant
and useful ways, strengthening bodies
hrightening minds and making disci-
pine easier and it also produces
wholesome food on the most sanitary
basis possible which is difficult to Sc
cure on the market.