Norwich bulletin., 1922-10-20
NOTHING ALARMING IN
 OyERcROWDING AT


 pr. Paul Waterman, chairman of the state psychol,atliic hospital commission appointed by Governor Lake, in a state ment Thursday said that the overcrowd- ed condition of the state hospitals at Middletown and Norwich is a perfectly normal and natural thing, and not in the least alarming. It is not due, according to Dr. Waterman, to an increase in the number of insane persons, but to an in- crease in the population.
 '.The condition of these institutions would not be apparent to the average observer,' said Dr. Waterman When say they are overcrowded, I do not mean that the patients are packed in like sardines. mean simply this: That each institution was planned at the time of its erection to accommodate a certain number of occupants. The state hospital at Middletown had a, po- tential capacity of 1000, which is far exceeded -noW-not in mere bed space, ! but in facilities. Increase in the number of patients must necessarily entail in- crease in equipment for their care. It is this which determines the capacity of the institution"
 Situation at Norwich.
 The state hospital at Norwich has not yet reached it's maximum capacity, | but at the present rate of annual in crease. it will soon, said Dr. Water man. The Middletown hospital is building "a psychepathic ward. and that at the Norwich hospital has been com pleted. Each of these is planned to ac- commodate about 150 patients. The latter institution is somewhat smaller than that at Middletown.
 "In determining who shall be sent to state hospitals said Dr. Waterman, l Il first consider whether the patient
 in question will receive the most pos sible benefit from it, and if some one l else is going to derive more, T. decide in his favor. There are at present two or three hundred patients in state il- l stitutions who are not having more
 than 50 per cent of the service they should have because the particular place where they are is not suited to their needs. For that reason, the com mission feels that a psychiatric hospital which would be a clearing house for all cases of doubtful mentality, would be of incaluable benefit
 l One reason for the difficulty of man. aging such hospitals is the feeling oi the general public against an asylum T They feel tha there is an awful fnality about having a member of their fam. fly committed to a state institution \ A psychiatric hospital would do AawaJ
 pAtA4 eAAiS u1ANOitl1O1 bdDlc 1cOiAIl6, 1Is j Waterman and his commission feel. Tn, ipatient there would be given carefu treatment, and would not be made t . Ifeel that his disease of the mind wa. insanity, or was incurable.
 si The report of the commission to tn , general assembly will make clear tn Il need for. such an institution, it i hoped, and the feeling is that the prop CT place for it would be the souther1 ] part of the state. in Fairfield county where the population is increasing rap idly.
 II Commitment to the Middletown hos 5 pital of persons who are not really in sane, but who must be taken care oi and of whom no other disposition cal
 be made, is potent reason for tn 2 overcrowded condition there, Dr. Wa , terman asserted. Old people, sufferin . from senile deterioration, as well a . young, wayward ones, are mingled wit Z. the hopelessly insane ones. A state in | hrmary would relieve this condition an : solve many of the problems of over | crowding, Dr. Waterman believes
 ''The ultimate desideratum,' heN sait :, would be for a psychiatric ward i every general hospital in every city ( ,, large population, where there would | 2 sufficient equipment to care for patient z having mental disorders, and where tf s term asylum would be eliminated CT ' tirely."