The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-02-01
new WOMBN'S
WARD NEEDED
AT ASYLUM
DIR. Guest Explains Why
Number of Women Inmates
Is on the Increase

jamestown, N. d., Feb i.-~tA)
The fact that more North Dakota wo
men now arc employed in cities thar
formerly was the case is responsible,
Tor the increase in the number Of f.
male inmates of the state insan,
asylum here. A. w. Guest, supcrin
tendcht. declared in . report to tn,
state board Of administration.
THE fact that the hospital census
shows an increase in the female pop
uiatlon Is probably cue to the fac,
That there arc more women now en-
ploycd in cities than formerly, and
inc percentage of insanity is lower
in rural districts than In cities. The
ratio being AS to 100000 in the rural
districts and 69.5 to 100. 900 in cities
Or. Guest said. If the. increase keeps
up. and ! have no reason to believe
mat 1t will not. . new womcn's ward
building will have to be erected and
an appropriation obtained at the
next Legislature"
Number Of Inmates Growing
During his five years as supcrin.
tcndcnt Of the hospital, from Octobe I
10. 1920. to January 1. 1926, the um-
Der Of patients under treatment at
the hospital has increased ~ from
l292 to 1889. The total number I'D
mitted during the period exceeds the
number still in the institution, the
records showing that 843 men and
622 women have been listed as new
inmates during that period.
In a brief defense of the expert
medical witnesses who have been
called on to testify III prominent
court cases, DR.. Guest pointed out
that the medical expert witnesses ex-
anime the person for the purpose of
tcstifying for or against him while
the physician witness testifies mere
ly from his regard Of the care, treat
ment, observation and knowledge
gained from days, often months, Of
work in the attempt to help the
patient and cure him Of the ailment.
Would Overcome Criticism
"A great deal of the criticism and
dissatisfaction among the laity would
be overcome and . great deal Of good
would go to the party being
on trial for a crime. if there was u
commission appointed similar to those
in the older countries and Canada.
consisting Of group Of alicnists who
would be called upon to examine into
the mental state Of each patient, par
ticularly those being tried for MUIR
der. My experience as superintendent
has been that a very small percentage
Of the patients who have been trans
fcrrcd from the pcnitcntiary have
what is called prison psychosis,'
the majority Of them presenting evil
dcncc Of having been insane for a
Of years before the crime
was committed. do not know whc-
thcr this statement can be borne out
in other states and am speaking only
from my own experience with the
criminally insane"
Many improvements Made
Numerous improvements have been
made to the hospital by planting trees
and shrubs and constructing side
walks and gravclcd roadways on the
DR.. Guest said. The new
we'll which. he says, was "bone Of
during the last lcgisla-
turc, has proved successful and il,
providing an ample supply Of water.
A new dining room which will scat
nearly 800 patients is being complct-
I'd, together with kitchen which will
be equipped with a dish washing ma
chine, steam tables and other mode I'm
appliances.
The dairy barn at the institution,
which was destroyed by fire in July,
has been replaced by new and better
barn. DR.. Guest estimated the value
Of the milk, crops and meat animals
produced at the farm during the year
at $128,595, or onc-third the amount