Evening star., 1915-12-24
Report of Hospital for Insane
Is Submitted to SeCre-
tary Lane.
DR.. WHITE URGES CHANGE
IN NAME OF INSTITUTION
Summary Indicates That 1,158 Of
the 2,O76 Patients Are From
the Army and Navy.

| That legislation be secured looking
| toward the change in the name of the
Government Hospital for the Insane to
that OF the Government Hospital is
recommended 20 the Secretary of In
terror in the annual report of the su-
lperintendent of the hospital, DIR. Will
liam A. White. 1t is stated that this
recommendation is in line with changes
which have been made in various states
l-changing the names of their institu-
tions from asylums to hospitals and
from insane asyluns to state hospitals
While this in itself appears to be
small thing, yet when we consider the
fact that all the official stationery
which goes out to the families of pa
tients is required to have printed upon
1T the statutory name of the instftu-
tion. 1T can be realized what this means
This correspondence reaches small
places where everybody knows the
! business of every one else. the absence
OF a particular relative is noted, and
1t is soon advertised that this relative
is confined in an institution of this
sort. which at present seems to place a
stigma not only upon the party sick,
but upon the whole familyS and as re-
suit the family breads to receive any
Information or correspondence from the
institution. Requests are not infre-
quently made that correspondence be
not conducted upon official stationery"
Voluntary Commitment.
DIR. White also recommends that fur
ther effort should be made toward Sc
curing the necessary legislation for
voluntary commitment in the hospital
| In this connection he states:
in he I'm,
of sciences of the mental and the tend
ency of the people to take advantage
of them, there is nothing that could
be of more benefit to the people at
this or similar institutions to those
who may be in need of the treatment
given therein without compelling them
to pass through a court and stand tria.
like common criminal before they
may have these benefits. In connection
with this I believe the same bill should
change the method of commitment by
abolishing the present trial by jury"
The report indicates that June 30,
1915, there were remaining in the hos
pital 3,076 patients, as against 3,062
remaining June 80, 1914, an increase of
IA patients over the previous year.
656 patients. The total number of pa
tients treated during the year was
3,71S. The number of discharges dur
ing the year. including deaths, was 642.
3,
as against 3.O25 of the previous year,
an increase of I.
Number of Patients.
OF the total number of patients re-
naming in the hospital June 80, 1915,
S54 were army patients. 305 were from
the navy. As were sent to the institu-
tions by the United States public health
service and 1872 were from civil life.
Concerning the fiduciary relations of
the hospital with the District of Co
lumbia. the superintendent reports:
I'VE are pleased to report that the
prompt in paying their board bill dur
ing the past year, and this has expe-
dited the settlement of the claims
against the hospital and prevented the
Inconvenience which existed to such a
great extent during previous years. All
vouchers received in this Office have
been promptly settled and all supplies
ordered were furnished in good time"
Changes at the Hospital.
A complete summary of all INSTALL
ments. additions and repairs made at
the hospital during the year is given
in the report. High pressure fire serv-
Ice lines have been extended in the
grounds, and seventeen automatic fire
escapes have been erected. In connec-
ton with protection against fire the
report states:
I'VE believe the hospital is at present
equipped to attack fire in its incipient
stage and to prevent a spread to a
great deal better extent than it ever
has been heretofore. We have a high
pressure water system, and hose at
tached to the various hydrants on this
system will have the same force as if
from a fire engine. We also have a
second-size fire engine and ample hose
for all ordinary needs. Fire extinguish-
ers have been placed in various places
throughout the buildings. and fire es-
capes placed wherever 1t is thought
necessary. Fire doors and fire walls
are in many of the buildings, and we
employ chief for the fire depart
ment, who regularly inspects every
pcstion of the buildings to see that no
trash accumulates and that the vari-
Gus fire apparatus are kept in good con-
dition and are always ready for use.
Fire drills are regularly conducted
and employees continually informed by
notices as well as rules in their rule
books what to do and how to act in
case of a fire.
In response to suggestions by rep
resentatives of the District Of Column
bia. fire department. additional fire.
alarm boxes. connected with the city
system, have been installed to expedite
| the summoning of the city department
in case they are needed, and localiZing
the turning in of alarms to secure more
prompt service"
Wall Round Criminal Building.
THE wall around the criminal build
ing has been completed, and this build
ing is now entirely inclosed.
THE inclosure has been graded, con-
| crete walks laid out and toolproof
guards put over the basement win
dJws. An iron door has been ordered
to be installed in the tunnel in the en-
trance and an exhaust fan put in
place to properly ventilate this tun-
mel.
This portion of the tunnel will then
be used for the watchman's house."
the report states. land all keys for the
various doors and gates to any por-
tion of Howard Hall will be taken by
| the wa&chman from those who enter,
| to be returned when they leave. No
one can leave the building or inclosure
| until the watchman Is notified. as he