El Nuevo mexicano., 1917-10-18

Among the 1928 patients now in the
state insane asylum at Las Vegas
there are many INDECENT persons,
idiots and imbeciles who have no right
to be there, according to the report
Of the special committee appointed
to investigate conditions at the asylum,
following a request by the directors
Of that institution for $4,000 Of the
war emergency appropriation for the
erection and equipment OF ar addi-
tional building.
The committee is composed of Ma
Tor r. G. Reid, OF Santa Fe; State
Senator John s. Clark, OF East Las
Vegas, and State Senator r. @. Bry-
ant, Of Portales. and its report has
just been filed with Governor Lind
sey. The committee suggests that
those not legally entitled to care In
the asylum be returned to the coun-
ties from which they were sent. and
maintained there by the INDECENT tax
levy authorized by law, and their re-
turn may be undertaken by Governor
Lindsey. The governor will write the
district judges OF the state asking
that In future only insane persons be
committed to the asylum.
I'VE found there were quite a num-
Der OF inmates of the asylum that are
not properly there says the commit
tee in its report. "That is, there are
probably a dozen or fifteen persons
without any mental arrangement. but
who are kept there for the reason that
they have no means Of support or any
relatives. They have been inmates Of
the institution for many years. We
further found q number of idiots and
imbeciles who are not entitled to a
place in this institution, the statute
limiting persons sent there to those
who are mentally deranged and who
would be q menace to society were
they at large. 1t might be proper to
return the persons of this character
to the counties from whence they
came. AS to whether or not this
would be a practical solution the COM
mittee is unable to say"
Against Using War Funds
The committee recommends that
the application of the board Of direct
ors for $50, 900 of the var emergency
appropriation be denied, saying:
I'm regard to the application of the
board of directors for the sum Of $780,
600 to be taken from the war emer-
gency fund, we are of the opinion
that this cannot be legally done, as
the contingency Of requiring addi-
tional facilities in Anticipation of pa
tients to be received as a result of the
European val Is too remote to war
rant the granting of the request. Wa
therefore recommend that 1t be de-
MED, and 1t is u further judgment
that there Is no immediate necessity
for additional buildings of any char
acter. The history of the institution
seems to be that patients are sent
there in numbers sufficient to tax the
capacity, regardless Of what the ca
pacity is. This refers to the state
ment made heretofore, that there
were many patients in the institution
that were not among those contem-
plated by the statute, and unless the
capacity of the institution Is taxed so
that only those persons contemplated
nav be received and maintained, the
Institution will be apt to be used in a
degree as a state asylum for indi-
gents"
The committee submits figures
showing that on October 81 1908,
there were 200 patients in the asy-
lum: 1911, 272; 1912, 255; 1913, 276:
1914, 265; 1915, 291; 1916, 299, and
1917, 1923. 1t found that in 1910 An
mex 2 and Annex 8 we're built, with
Accommodations for SO beds. I'm
1911" the report states, "the attic OF
the administration building wal fitted
up and the records say accommodated
1856 beds, but we are inclined to think
that this Is an error and should have
been IS heds! In 1915 the first unit
Of the Woman's building was built,
with an estimated capacity Of 30 beds
for patients and four for attendants,
and in 1917 the second unit OF the
building was completed, supposedly
with the same capacity as the first,
but the asylum authorities stated that
the Woman's building had a total ca
'pacity Of only 46 beds -.
Patients Well Cared For
I'VE found the asylum neat and
clean" the report says, "the rooms
comfortable and the patients appar-
emily we'll cared for. We found a
number of patients in restraint, but
we are unable to give any opinion on
this that would be OF value, but it Is
apparent that II another system were
to be followed, the number of attend
ants would have to be materially in
creased. The institution has ar aver
age of employees Of something like 40,
with a monthly payroll amounting to
$1,000. The institution has a coal con-
for mine run coal at $3.50 per
ton. It requires about 40 cars Of coal
per annum. A new kitchen Is just
which seems to be perfect
in all of its appointments. The last
buildings comprehensive woman's
dormitory-are fire-proof with the ex-
OF doors and window frames.
regret to report that the remain
ine buildings are not fireproof.
WELL CLOTHED
AND FOOD ABUNDANT
we found that the patients we're
reasonably we'll clothed, and that the
food vas abundant, Of good quality and
well cooked. Many Of the garments
worn by patients and the linen for bed
and table service are manufactured
rs the patients, and the maior
of the cooking and waiting on