Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-01-02

Number of different
persons within the
Number Of din i.sit 30 - ~
persons admitted -. 16S 140 S0S
Number of different
persons admitted by
commitment ........... Ia 122 269
Number of different
persons dismissed - 152 126 rs
Number of persons re-
covered ................ 81 % 60
Number of persons dis
charged capable of
Self-Support ........... II is
Daily average number
of patients ..........., $50 423 9o3
The daily average population for
the year has increased from $40 to
! sos, an increase of "A. There were
under treatment at the beginning of
the year 463 men and 409 women, a
total of 872. Two hundred and seventy
patients were admitted by commit
ment, four were sent by order of
court for observation, one was re-
ceived by transfer from Bangor, seven
on trial visit We're returned for fur
Their treatment and one was returned
from elopement Twentyfour pa
tients on trial visit and five carried
on elopment were noininally admitted
for discharged, making in all three
hundred and twelve admissions. Re-
naming at the end of the year are
479 men and 424 women, total of
903. The smallest number under
treatment in any one day was $40.
the largest 926. Two hundred and ten
of the committed cases were never
before in any hospital for the insane,
223 were admitted to this hospital for
the first time.
The civil condition is recorded as
single in AZ per cent. of the patients
committed AS per cent. We're d-
vorced or separated. The high per-
centage of unmarried patients is of in
terest from the standpoint of eu-
genics when it is known that S0.7 per
cent. of our patients were over 80
years of age at the time of admission
The relatively high percentage of
native born among admissions is of
more than passing interest 1t is
shown by our nativity table that GA
per cent. were born in the State of
Maine and 7S5 per cent. were born in
this country; 21.5 per cent. being of
foreign birth; 62.7 per cent. of the faith
ers of patients and 67.4 per cent. of
the mothers were born in the United
States.
Alcoholic insanity is not frequent
among our admissions. Thirteen pa
tients admitted were so classified. i. e.
as per cent. of committed cases. AL
coholic intemperanee was an exciting
or a predisposing cause in 15.5 per
cent of the committed cases. This
| is a low percentage of alcoholic in
sanities compared with. the numbers
found in other insane hospitals.
Whether it proves the resistance of
native stock to the influence of alcohol
or is evidence of the temperate habits
of the inha bitants Of the State, | am
not prepared to state, 1t is a fact
that alcoholic insanities are more fire.
quent in this country in institutions
receiving a higher percentage of for
eign stock.
Thirty patients admitted were
| congenitally defective or epileptic.
Fourteen of these were classed as i'm
beetles and twelve as constitutionally
inferior, that is, not fully endowed
with normal mental ability. Some of
the imbeciles will be recommended
for transfer to the school for Feeble
Minded as soon as the school has
room Tor them. Inc group CldSSlIleI
as constitutionally inferior are COM
mitted usually as the result of a mem
tai disorder dependent upon their in
born mental weakness and they are
not feeble minded in the popular
sense of the term 1t is, however, a
wise policy to segregate the majority
/ of these individuals and it is surpris-
ing how the committing authorities
realize the necessity of. the commit
ment only after the preparation of a
serious crime by one of this class.
General paralysis, disease caused
in practically every case by syphilis,
was found in IS men and women
admitted. The admission rate for
this disease is somewhat higher than
in the past few years. Dementia
Praeeox was diagnosticated in % men
and % women. In 20 men and II
women the insanity was dependent
upon changes in the brain structure
or organic conditions such as Senile
/ Dementia. Arteriosclerotic insanity
and gross brain LESSONS.