Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1933-10-12
Number OF Patients
In State Hospitals
Less Than In 1892
DIR. G. H. Preston, Commissioner
Of Mental Hygiene, Files
Annual Report

IAAANAeSA AS~ROA~
Thirteen hundred and twelve resi-
lents of Maryland have been admit
ted to the hospitals for mental di-
seases supported by the State during
the year ending September so, 1888,
according to figures from the annual
report of the State Board of Mental
Hygiene. Of these, 1862 were white
patients and 200 colored. At the end
of the fiscal year there were 1884
ents in State hospitals. In addition to
this group there were 1866 feeble
minded children in the State Train
ing School at Rosewood, making a
total of 6,37O patients being taken
care of by the State. This represents
an increase of 200 patients during the
year, compared with an increase of
BIT during 1882 and 375 for 1881.
Mental illness is not limited to any
section of the State. The following
list of admissions, covering the first
eleven months of the year, shows the
number of mental patients received
in the hospitals for white patients
from each county in Maryland:
Allegany County, "a; Anne Arundel
County, %; Baltimore County, IS;
Calvert County, 6; Caroline County,
9; Carroll County, Is; Cecil County,
ID; Charles County, 10; Dorchester
County, 16; Frederick County, "a;
Garrett County, 10.
Hartford County, IA; Howard
County, IL; Kent County, s; Mont
gomery County, 43; Prince Georges
County, 35; Queen Anne's County, 8;
Somerset County, 8; st. Mary's
County, 8; Talbot County, 5; Wash
ington County, So; Wicomico County,
81; Worcester County, 2; Baltimore
City, sos.
DIR. G. H. Preston, Commissioner of
Mental Hygiene, in filing the report
said:
"These figures are encouraging.
The total admissions were less than
they had been since 1929 and the in
crease in total hospital population
was 100 less than in 1882 and ITS less
than in 1881. In spite of the depres-
sion which has increased the demand
for free care for mental patients and
in spite of the difficulties which lack
of work and lack of family income
placed in the way of the discharge
of convalescent patients, the hospital
population has not grown beyond pre-
dictions made four years ago.
"Forecasting for next year is quite
difficult. Restricted budgets will limit
what the hospitals can do for patients
and this will be reflected in recovery
and discharge rates. Limited con-
struction of new beds will mean wait
ing lists for admission, resulting in
patients reaching the hospitals later
in their illness and in less favorable
condition. There will be fewer recov-
cries. If in addition to these factors,
the hospitals are allowed to become
seriously overcrowded, their service
to patients will necessarily deterior-
ate and those patients who are receiv-
ed will profit less and less. Because of
this the number of patients who will
be received in hospitals will be limit
ed so that the hospitals may give
adequate treatment to those actually
under their care, even if some pat
tents who should begin treatment are
forced to remain outside. The weight
Of these restrictions on admissions
will fall upon the old people and upon
chronic cases because the Board of
Mental Hygiene expects to give pref
erence to urgent, acute, and favorable
cases,-in other words, to those cases
for whom the hospitals can provide
successful treatment"