The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-02-09
EP|LEPT|C COLONY BILL IS STUDIED
 BY HEALTH BODY
Measure Provides for Place Where Afflicted Persons May Rest and Take
 Treatment

Montgomery, February S.-(Special) Careful study of the many sections con-
 tained in the bill of Representative Manasco, which provides for' an ''Epilep- tic colony in Alabama is being made by the committee on public health of the house of representatives of Alabama, and
 in the meantime the author of the bill is discussing with the members of the two houses the question of putting into effect an act which already has been
 tested in other states and countries
 Mr. Manasco contends that there should be established colony somewhere Tn
 Alabama, where persons afflicted with the disease may rest and take treatment given by the state.
 Section 1 of the bill, introduced sew
 eral days ago, says:
 That there is established in the state of Alabama at such point as may De selected and designated by the trustees to be appointed in accordance with
 the provisions of thi sact, an epileptio colony, to be known as the Alabama Epi- leptic colony. The object of this colony shall be to secure the humane, curative, scientific and economical care of epileo- tics, exclusively of violently insane per- sons who may require treatment at an ever to insane hospitals
 SECURES MUCH DATA Establishment of just such colony has been on the mind of the Walker county representative many months. He has gone back over medical journals and every possible effort has been made to gather data on this subject
 He finds that the first colony for the care of epileptics was established in lS' at Bielfeld, Prussian province of west phalia The colony first cared for four patients The colony now is made up of 1900 patients. exclusive of hundreds | of nurses, physicians and other helpers. "Twenty-one per cent are discharged from the colony as improved" said the author of the bill. Twenty y-one per cent leave unimproved, 8 per cent are cured. and 20 per cent die. Sixty-one per cent of the cured are under lS years ! of age Only 47 out of over 5000 pa- /, tients in that colony have been turned
 OCT to insane hospitals" l Colonies have been established 1r l Zurich, Switzerland, Holland, France and England. New York and other | places in the United States have long since opened epileptic colonies, MT. l Manasco said
 SIX TRUSTEES
 The author proposes to have the gov l ernment and control of the colony vested in a board of six trustees, to be
 named by the governor. The term of office of each trustee shall be four
 years. But" says the. bill, "of those l first appointments two shall hold office
 for four years, two for three years and l two for two years from the date of ap- I proval of this act, and their successors
 shall hold office for four years from l date of appointment.
 | The governor of Alabama, under tho act, would be ex-officio president of the board. Provision for the enforce l ment of rules and strict discipline is contained in the bill
 Section points out the duties of the board of trustees. The members first would have to select site for the col T ony and see that the proper buildings were erected thereon. Full record of all proceedings is required. The gov ernor is authorized at all times to make inspections of the colony, buildings anf ttoa interview the patients. Members ot l rl.e Legislature also are empowered to 1 inspect the place.
 The duties of the board the first six months after appointment are to se' lect the site for the colony, and to re- port the price, location and other data to the governor. The governor is au- thorized to purchase the land and pro-
 vide for the colony. The bill provides
 hat the governor cannot spend moro
 than $50, 900 for the colony.