to a single county, will necessitate the erection of a receptacle of some kind. As the subject of "provision for the incurable insane of the State," (which in this connection at once presents itself,) was briefly considered in our last report, and a plan suggested, it is not deemed necessary to introduce it again. Suffice it to say, that a reviewer in the American Journal of Insanity, in a notice of the report remarks: "The discussion of the vexed question of provision for the incurably insane poor, is especially practical, and in our opinion, suggests the only feasible method of relief for this existing evil." Since the opening of the Asylum, three hundred and nine patients have been discharged. Of these, one hundred and thirty-seven were fully restored to their accustomed health, and left us to resume their previous duties and responsibilities. We have availed ourselves of every opportunity to acquire information as to the subsequent history of those who have been discharged restored, and although in a few instances relapses have occurred, through the injudicious interference of friends in insisting upon premature removal, nearly all continue well. When it is remembered how largely our wards have been occupied by those received for custodial care simply, about two-thirds of the entire number being chronic cases, imbeciles and epileptics, the results of treatment will be found to bear a very favorable comparison with those of similar institutions elsewhere. Fifty have left the Asylum in various stages of improvement; not a few well enough to resume their wonted occupations and earn a full support, and all were sufficiently restored to become pleasant members of the family circle to which they belonged. Seventy are registered as unimproved. Most of these were removed to make room for more urgent cases. Many were of the self-supporting classes, and have found comfortable homes in the eastern asylums, but the larger proportion returned to the poor-houses of the counties whence they came. The circumstances under which many of those received were presented for treatment, rendered it very difficult to procure a reliable medical history, and in some instances the only items of information communicated were the supposed name of the individual, and a surmise as to the probable. time he had been rambling about, or an inmate of the poor-house. The annexed statistics are, consequently, not fully reliable, but are probably as nearly correct as those presented in similar reports. TABLE showing the age of Patients at the time of their Admission. PROFESSION OF RELIGION. An unusually large proportion of our patients, of the females particularly, had been professors of religion; a circumstance which has given to our religious exercises a character and interest, which could not otherwise have been attained. The denominations to which they belonged were as follows: Presbyterian, thirty-three; Baptist, twenty-three; Congregational, nineteen; Methodist, seventy-one; Episcopal, twentyone; Dutch Reformed, 7; Roman Catholic, forty; Friends, six; Lutheran, four; United Brethren, four; Christian, two; Universalist, five; Unitarian, Evangelist, Jew, each one. |
