The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1913-05-13

SuperInJenuent GfOISSIS ASaiA'SA "AN
Sending of Criminals and Epilep-
tics to Asylum for Insane.
ATLANTA. Sterilization of GER
tain classes of criminals and defect
ives is advocated by the superintend-
ent of the state sanitarium in his an
nual report, Just filed with Governor
Brown. DR.. Jones believes the law
should be modelled along the line OF
that in force in New Jersey and In
diana.
This is one Of the most startling
recommendation of the many made
in the sixty-ninth annual report, in
many respects the most interesting
in the history of the states institu-
ton for its insane.
DR.. Jones does not hesitate to say
and say strongly that certain classes
of insane and so-called insane should
be prohibited from entering the pres
ent state sanitarium. For some of
this prohibited class he recommends
especially equipped hospitals or
places of detention, while still 9TH
ers in his view should not become
state charges at all.
| Protests Against Criminals.
He protests vigorously against
| sending the criminally insane to the
state sanitarium and says, justly per-
haps, that it is wrong for the state
to force upon the innocent class of
unfortunates this criminal influence.
He insists that the sanitarium is an
institution for the treatment of the
mentally unfortunate, and not
place for criminals evading punish
ment for crime through insanity, real
or feigned.
DR.. Jones also protests against the
mixing of epileptics with the other
classes of patients and says that the
unfortunate nature of their affiiction
makes them one of the most repul-
sive types of the mentally unsound.
He urges strongly the establishment
of an epileptic hospital, named after
the late DR.. T. o. Powell, who ad-
vocated it so powerfully before he
died. Outdoor treatment would, it
is urged, go far towards curing many
of these unfortunates. Protest is al
so raised against the necessity of car
ing for the feeble-minded children,
who should be, by every law of right
and humanity, segregated from 9TH
ers and properly treated.
Pellagra Increasing.
Alarming increase in the death
rate is attributed largely to pellagra
and tuberculosis, and it is said that
the increase in pellagra patients is a
matter for grave apprehension. To
a large extent the high death rate
from these and other causes is at
| tributable, SO the report asserts, to
the terrible overcrOwding necessary
to care for the negro patients. To
relieve this grave and really danger
Gus condition the legislature is ask
ed to appropriate 100000 for an
extension to the building suficient to
accommodate 800 patients.
The sum of 1880 900 is asked for
hospital to treat the acutely insane,
and $4,000 for nurses home and
dormitory. Amendments in the law
governing the institution are sought
| along several lines.
" Amendments Asked.
The more important recommends
tons are:
To prohibit the admission of sane
epileptics, feeble-minded children,
harmless seniles, paralytics and per-
sons escaping trial for crime by the
plea of insanity.
Give the board power to fix the
salary of the superintendent and resi-
dent physician. The salary of the
former is fixed by legislative act.
Growth of Patients.
At the close of 1912 the asylum
had 3,429 patients. During 1912
1,1OS were admitted, of which num-
Der $50 were pronounced hopeless.
The daily average under treatment
in 1912 was 3,424 as against 1888
in 1911. The daily average for a
period of five years shows steady
annual increase of SO. The total
number receiving treatment during
1912, 1927. 1t is estimated that at
| the regular normal growth the daily
average in ten years will run fully
! 4,500, hence it behooves the state to
begin now preparing for this grave
contingency. 1t is stated that the
urgent present need is more room
! for white females and negro pa
| tients.
Included in the 1912 admissions
were eleven criminals escaping trial
by pleas of lunacy, three of which
were found to be sane. 1t is inter-
esting to note that the farm and
market garden work, located some
| four miles from the sanitarium, and
which is done by the more robust
and tractible of the male negro in
mates, has a very fine effect on them
both mentally and physically. 1t is
said that practically ali of the fresh