South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-02-28
GOOD RECORD IS SET
At INSANE ASYLUM
Meals Served at Central lnSti-
tuition Cost Only Six
Cents Each.
New.-Tlme. - -.

News Times SpecfaT Service.
INDIANAPOLIS Feb. 26.-As an
illustration of the method of haudl-
Ing the state Institutions. fair
showing is that made by DR. George
T. Edenharter and the trustees Of
the Central hospital for the insane.
Dr. Edenharter has been the super
iutendent OF this institution for -
years Under his management the
hospital has made and sustained
reputation and is looked upon as a
model by the men OF all countries
who are most interested and able i'm
tie study of the care Of the insane
The report made by Dr Edenhar-
ter few days ago covering the year
1915. shows among other things that
during tie % years under one man
agement there has not beer a single
year showing deficit. and there has
not been a year I'm which some ball
ance has not been turned back TO
the state treasury The sum turn
ed back has aggregated S179.2T1S9.
The nature OF the ailments OF the
persons confined In this institution
makes 10 especially desira BILE that
they be well cared for and this has
always been uppermost in the mind
Of the superintendent and trustees
There are also reasons why il is
more difficult To economic in any
one Of the many departments. The
specifications for the food supply is
the very best quality in every i'm
stance and these specifications are
shown in the annual report. There
is shown the surprising figures that
the subsistence expense per capita
has been six cents per meal. But
still more surprising is that the en-
tire expense OF the institution shows
90 cents a day for each patient ON
this point the official report makes
this comment
About Hospital Equipment.
I'm connection with the foregoing
calculation. IL should be borne i'm
mind. that this was the first hospital
for the insane iu Indiana; thar the
original building. the department
for men. was constructed in 1S47.
and that the deterioration therein is
extensive; that the institution as a
whole does not represent modern
ideas OF arraugement or construc-
ton. that this fact hampers the
management i'm economy Of service /;
that many of the buildings are old f;
that much of the equipment is worn;
that the demands for repair OF
buildings and replacement of equip
ment are insistent and constant;
that the heating system is antiquated.
unsystematic and therefore expen-
sive: that our tillable ground is con-
fined 10 about 40 acres. that the
property valuation on Sept. 80, 1915.
was $2.071, O3224: that we had dur
ing the years general average
number Of patients. $3.50; that we
had an average number of employees,
32S.56; that the per capita eXpendit-
ure per patient from all funds. So
cents a day, includes maintenance
and repair of the property and
equipment clothing. provisions and
food physicians services. scientific
research. separate hospital facilities
nursing and cars. medical and surg
ical supplies, salaries and wages
fuel. light and water. furniture and
bedding. household and laundry sup
plies. printing, postage. telegraph
telephone and transportation ex-
penses. music and entertainments
subsistence. housing and care fcI
the employees. In fact. this 81 cents
day per patient covers all of the
disbursement which was found
necessary TO carry out the purpose
of the institution.