Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1913-03-15
INCREASE IS SHONi
Admissions to Benevolent Institu'
tons Make Cams.
Figures In Report Of the Census BIZ
reau Show That Millions Were
Cared For-PIaeIns.out Of
Children In Families Noted.


Washington.--A special report on b,
nevolent institutions in contSnenta
United States is In course OF prepare
ton by the bureau OF the census. u
connection with the thirteenth census
and preliminary figures. together wit
certain data relating to Inmates a.
these institutions. have just been IL
sued by order OF Director e Dana Du
rand. These figures are subject TO re-
vision, but are substantially correct
The total number of Institutions re
ported is 5.s97. classified as follows
institutions for the care Of children
i.162; societies for the protection and
care of children. 212; Institutions for
the care of adults and children. l.4i2:
institutions for the education and care
OF the blind and deaf l19; hospitals.
classed as benevolent. 1890 and dis
pensaries. classed as benevolent. 576'
In these institutions. or under their
care. there were at the close OF the
year. 3S0.337 persons. apportioned as
follows: Institutions for children.
i07.401; societies for the protection
and care OF children 1929: institu-
tons for adults or adults and children,
l21,S76, Institutions for the blind and
deaf, 651; hospitals. 28.S69 The move
ment Of inmates during the year is in
dicated by the fact that S2.01l chill
dren were received into Institutions,
while S7.s25 were placed IN families or
Institutions. mostly in families. and
chiefly by societies for their care,
1851 persons were received into in.
stitutions for adults or adults and
children. and 1854 into Institutions for
the blind and deaf; 1,975.S38 patients
were treated in hospitals. and 2.439.-
059 in dispensaries
AS compared with the previous re-
port. that for 1904. the number Of in
situations reported shows an increase
Of 1.346 (day nurseries, OF which l66
were reported in 1904, we're not includ-
ed In 1910l inmates OF institutions at
close of year. an increase OF 95.975:
children received into institutions du
ring the year, an increase OF 1l.ls6:
patients treated in hospitals. an in
crease of 81, 1926. and in dispensaries.
Of 1927. 40S There was a decrease Oh
109.319 In the number Of persons re-
ceived into institutions for adults OF
adults and children. and of 4,47l In
the number received into institutions
for the blind and deaf
Whether the increase indicates
greater need or greater care and more
complete provision is a question which
must await a more careful study OF
the question. as also the que stion as to
the decrease. Two items are of spe-
cial interest. the collection for the
first time of data In regard to the
placing out of children in families. and
the notably Increased interest mani
tested in the treatment of tuberculo-
sis. which accounts to a very consid'
cradle degree for the Increase in the
number of dispensarbes and TO some
degree OF hospitals and sanitariums
Thus the net number OF dispertsaries
added to the list is 420. and of these
nearly 200 are county dispensaraes es
tablished in the state of Pennsylvania
by the department. of health for the
treatment of tuberculosis The, de
crease of 109.319 in the number OF per
sons received into institutions for the
care Of adults or adults and children
Is chiefly confined to institutions fol
the temporary care of men who are
destitute.
Noting the distribution of iustitu'
tons In the states. II appears that
New York leads with 1877. an increase
OF 200 over the figures IN 1904; Penn
sylvania has 692. an increase of 301 !;
Massachusetts. $50. an Increase OF
104: Illinois. 1874. an increas of 49,;
Ohio. 311. an increase of So. and New
Jersey. 207. an increase OF So.