Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1913-03-06
INSANE ASYLUM
REPORT ISSUED
BIENNIAL STATEMENT SHOWS
INSTITUTION AT JAMESTOWN
NEEDS INCREASED EQUIP
MENT.

Supt. w. M. Hotchkiss of the
North Dakota asylum for the insane
at jamestown, has made his biennial
report to the legislature, showing
great need of improvements in
equipment and appropriation for the
institution. The report shows that
at the close of the biennial period
ending June 80, 1910, there were
653 inmates at the institution, AT
of whom were males and 236 fe-
males. On June 80, 1912, the re-
port shows in the institution 819
inmates, 512 males and 3O7 female
patients, an increase of 166. The
| report, made in detail, shows the
condition of the institution, the need
| of increased capacity and equipment.
| with more competent employees.
| and includes an outline of the i'm
provements that are necessary. A
table showing the birthplace of the
| patients, causes of insanity, resi-
dence and age of inmates, is given.
There were admitted during this
this biennial period 269 males and
155 females, making total of 424
the institution in this period 1O7
males and Al females, total of
las. Of deaths there were 54 males
and % females, from causes EMU
merated in the report.
Out of the whole number admit
ted during the two year period, 113
males and 81 females had previous
ly been in the institution. The new
patients include 1856 males and 1913
females. The number discharged
as recovered include II males and
27 females. Those discharged as
improved include II males and 10
females. Nine Of the, number ad-
mitted WERE found to have been suf-
fering from insanity before they ar
rived in the United States.
| SpEChu VI luucfCuAOSISs
Dr. Hotchkiss urgently recon-
mends better provisions for the in,
mates to prevent the spread of the
dread disease. tuberculosis, which
has assumed alarming proportions
at the institution during the last
two years. With normal capacity
of 625, accommodating S19 patients,
it is not to be wondered at that no
better results are obtained from the
physician, in building up patient
through the day with medicine, out
of door exercise and properly esti-
mated manual labor, is all lost by
crowding him into a dormitory that
is provided with 10 beds when beds
would be more than ordinary sani-
tary precaution would suggest.
Several cases where patients have
recovered their normal mentality,
but have gone home afflicted with
tuberculosis contracted at the insti-
tuition. have occurred, and unless
something is done in the way of seq
regation, the entire population will
become contaminated. 1t is crimi-
nal to have persons so afflicted in
daily contact with those who may
possibly gain their normal mental
condition and carry the infection out
of the institution into their homes
to be continual menace to those
around them. There were 80 tu-
bercular patients in the institution
at the last biennial report and 1853
at the close of this biennial period,
an increase of almost 100 per cent
At the present time we are sleeping
patients in the attics, in the base
ments, on the floor, and have to re-
sort to the doubtful expedient of al
lowing two insane persons to sleep
together to make room for all. Bet
ter provision must be made as soon
as possible, to overcome this really
serious condition. The new female
ward building, nearing completion,
with a capacity of 100 patients, was
built to relieve congestion, but since
it was started. we have added to the
permanent population Of the insti
tuition 166 new patients, or sc more
than the capacity of the building,
so instead of relieving previous con-
gestion, we now have &C added to
what was already a badly overcrowd-
ed condition. With the addition Of
166, which is very low estimate for
:, each succeeding biennial period, in
1920 the institution will have pop
y (Continued on page ~
- tt,n % Z 81 #