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Eleventh Report Of The Managers Of The State Lunatic Asylum Of The State Of New-York

Creator: n/a
Date: October 1854
Publication: American Journal of Insanity
Source: Available at selected libraries

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The report of this institution, from the number of its patients, and the interesting results to be deduced from its statistics, must always commend public attention.

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Males. Females. Total.
Number of patients remaining at date of last report, 215 210 425
Admitted during the year, 251 173 424
Whole number treated, 466 383 849
Discharged recovered, 92 74 169
Discharged much improved, 11 10 21
Discharged improved, 26 19 45
Discharged unimproved, 76 53 129
Died, 19 20 39
227 176 403
Remaining November, 30, 1853, 239 207 446
Average number resident during the year, 423

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"The number of admissions has been greater by thirty-four than last year -- fifty-one more men and twenty-seven less women. The number of males admitted has exceeded that of any previous year in the history of the institution. The diminished number of females was owing to the progress of improvements hereafter to be mentioned.

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"Notwithstanding the large number received, sixty applications were refused; and the refusals would doubtless have been augmented, had not certain parts of the State become acquainted with our condition, and treated many of the insane in county houses, who otherwise would have been sent to the Asylum. No patients of the pauper or indigent classes were refused, although admission was sometimes delayed. The numerous applications for the admission of urgent cases compelled us to require the removal of many public and private patients, whom a wise economy, both as regarded counties and friends, would otherwise have detained here. Sonic returned to their families, others to county houses, and a few, after repeated efforts, were enabled to gain admission to institutions in other States. Forty-seven were thus discharged, each one of whom being equivalent to a refusal, makes a total of one hundred and seven persons for whom we have been unable to afford accommodation.

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"The removal of the insane to county houses must always be a source of regret, especially while partial reason remains. Some of those sent away were harmless, helpless creatures, requiring great care and constant watchfulness, more than could possibly be given them in ordinary county houses. Others were noisy, furious persons, who in a well-regulated Asylum could be made tolerably comfortable, and cared for without restraint or seclusion, but in a poor-house would be doomed to both most of the time. In some of these, habits of industry and cleanliness had been acquired, and were practiced mechanically, while under the vigilant supervision of responsible attendants, but which would soon be given up when left to themselves and the surveillance generally exercised in poor-houses.

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"It is always sad to see these cases go, and feel the certainty of the fate before them; still it is necessary, and must be continued until adequate accommodations are provided for all the insane. They must be removed in order to make room for recent cases constantly pressing for admission. This, we say, is necessary in the existing state of affairs, but it cannot be considered expedient in economy or sound in principle.

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"This important subject has been alluded to in the reports since 1848. Then Dr. Brigham found it necessary to send away unpromising cases, and the necessity has steadily increased. We are happy to state that many county officers plead for the prolonged residence of patients while there is any hope of improvement. This pleasing fact shows that public opinion is in favor of that enlightened policy which can perceive error in placing insane, diseased persons in houses erected only for the care of the poor, and that it is trespassing upon the rights of both these unfortunate classes to place them thus indiscriminately together. The insane are so much given up to their tempers and passions as to render them unsuitable for association with the ordinary inmates of county houses, who too frequently are unable to govern themselves in the same respects. Should it not be considered a principle in political economy and morals, as it is in medicine, that all the insane require treatment in special establishments? The erection of another asylum was mentioned in the last annual report, and recommended by his Excellency Governor Seymour, in his annual message, January, 1853."

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We give this year the statistics of the Asylum from its opening, January 16, 1843, to December 1, 1854:â

Total number of admissions 3,923
Total number of discharges 3,477
Total number of discharged recovered 1,625
Total number of discharged much improved 55
Total number of discharged improved 598
Total number of discharged unimproved 753
Total number of died 446

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The following table, showing the percentage of recoveries on the average population, and the admissions of each year, is valuable:â

Year. Average population. Recovered. Percentage Admitted. Recover'd Percentage.
1843 109 53 48.62 276 53 19.20
1844 236 132 55.93 275 132 48.80
1845 265 135 50.94 293 135 46.07
1846 283 133 46.99 237 133 39.46
1847 415 187 45.06 428 187 43.69
1848 474 174 36.70 405 174 42.96
1849 454 203 44.71 362 203 56.07
1850 433 171 39.49 367 171 46.59
1851 440 112 25.45 366 112 30.60
1852 441 156 35.37 390 156 40.00
1853 423 169 39.95 424 169 39.85

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