REPORT

OF THE

COMMITTEE ON IDIOTS AND THE FEEBLE-MINDED.

To the State Board of Charities:

Your Committee on Idiots and the Feeble-Minded reports that its members have visited during the year the three State institutions for idiots and the feeble-minded and that regular inspections were made by the Board's inspector of State charitable institutions. We find that these institutions are taxed to their utmost capacity and that a considerable waiting list of cases approved for admission exists at each institution. We regret to report the failure last year of legislation which looked to a redistribution of functions among these institutions and a complete segregation of the sexes. This measure was advocated by the boards of managers of these institutions and by other societies, as well as by the State Board of Charities. The present classification is defective in that feeble-minded women are cared for in all three of the institutions, and feeble-minded men at two of them, and the presence of both men and women in the same institution is undesirable. The educational institution at Syracuse should be reserved exclusively for those who are capable of being benefited by its instruction, preferably for girls. The institution at Newark we believe should be used exclusively for women and the institution at Rome as a custodial asylum for men, with a department for the education of boys of the teachable type. Such an arrangement coupled with a uniform set of by-laws, rules and regulations for each of the institutions would result in many administration advantages.

The personnel of the several institutions has undergone more or less change during the year. We comment as follows: At the Syracuse State Institution for Feeble-Minded Children there was a total of twenty-two changes during the entire year and this only in the domestic force. At the Rome State Custodial Asylum a very high average of dismissals and resignations was noted, in

one month alone there have been forty changes in the force of general attendants. At the State Custodial Asylum for Feebleminded Women, at Newark, N. Y., the general discipline has been much below that of former years. On September 30, 1909, the position of superintendent became vacant, the board of managers having voted that the tenure of office of the incumbent should cease. His successor, Dr. Ethan A. Nevin, was chosen from the Civil Service list.

IMPROVEMENTS.

Building operations at the Rome State Custodial Asylum are progressing satisfactorily. The work of replacing buildings “B” and "C," destroyed by fire, was begun on June 22, 1909. The contracts call for the completion of the work in about 350 working days. The buildings are to be of fireproof construction. The frontage will be of Potsdam sandstone matching the trim of adjoining buildings.

We submit herewith further data with relation to the separate institutions.

ROME STATE CUSTODIAL ASYLUM, ROME, N. Y.

This asylum was established in the year 1893 and is designed to care for the less teachable class of idiots and feeble-minded. As the buildings stand at the present time (fire loss deducted) the normal capacity is:

It is estimated that with the completion of the new group the bed capacity will be increased..

Total .

825

40

865

250

1,115

66

These figures indicate that the excess over normal capacity was 167. To meet this situation it is necessary to use the day rooms as emergency dormitories. The waiting list now numbers 450. The medical department's classification of the inmate family at the close of the fiscal year is of interest: Of the total of 1,032 inmates there are classed as sick," meaning in many cases a physical condition precluding the possibility of leaving wards for exercise, a total of 103; another group designated as "employed." meaning such as may be given outdoor work to do under direction, numbers 445; of the highest grade there are 166 classed as an industrial training group; the remaining number are inmates who are capable only of ordinary exercise about the grounds.

The health of the inmates was excellent up to April, 1909. From April to July an epidemie of diphtheria was experienced, with an average of five to six acute cases per month. Thirty cases were isolated. All employees and inmates had cultures taken and were given anti-toxin as a preventive. It is thought the outbreak was thereby very much restricted. The cases of pulmonary tuberculosis include about forty females and seventy-five males, one-third of whom are in the active stage.

The admissions for the year show a greater number of young patients, and a somewhat increased proportion of cripples. The death rate for the year did not exceed the normal experience of 5 per cent. to 7 per cent.

The matter of adequate pressure and supply of water has always been a serious. one at this institution. The fire of last year demonstrated how poorly equipped the local service was. The city of Rome which supplies the water to the institutions has

within the year at an expense of several hundred thousand dollars improved the conditions. A city water plant has been erected which will draw its supply from Fish Creek giving an ample pressure and an almost inexhaustible supply. The new system will be in full operation by November 15, 1909.

The new boilers for which legislative appropriation was given last year will be fully installed by the end of October. It is unfortunate that so much delay has been experienced in the work of extending the sewage disposal plant. The present system of disposal is inadequate and defective.

The committee finds that the building plans for the group now in course of erection do not provide for a separate hospital or wing for the isolation of tuberculosis. Twelve and one-half per cent. of the inmates are tuberculous and separate hospital care is necessary. We find also urgent need for enlargement of laundry plant and facilities.

STATE CUSTODIAL ASYLUM FOR FEEBLE-MINDED WOMEN, NEWARK, N. Y.

This asylum was established in the year 1878 and was for some time a branch of the Syracuse institution. It was designed for the care and protection of feeble-minded women, particularly those of the child-bearing age. The plant consists of one large central building, five stories in height, with east and west wings. These are designated, respectively, buildings A, B and C. The State acquired these when the land was bought, the buildings having been erected for educational purposes and occupied as the Lutheran Seminary. Since the State began to develop the property as an asylum for the feeble-minded, it has built six modern cottages, an up-to-date boiler and engine plant, a small separate hospital building and, under home direction, an excellent water storage system and pumping plant for fire purposes.

These separate cottages, while not approaching the cottage system of care as popularly understood, do permit of the necessary classification of the inmate family. Their capacities vary from 45 to 85 exclusive of attic dormitories recently finished off. The

normal bed capacity of the institution is 795. The waiting list numbers almost 350. At the close of the year the census showed 795 women present; of this number 48 were past the child-bearing age. The inmate family is divided into three grades, i. e., first, second and third, according to mental status and personal habits,

viz.:

First grade now contains 255 persons; second grade now contains 292 persons; third grade now contains 248 persons (lowest types); total, 795.

Of this number there are at present 551 capable of employment and 244 not capable of employment. The number of special defectives classified as such by the medical department is:

Lame and crippled, 7; disturbed periodically, 11; epileptics, 32; incipient pulmonary tuberculosis, 30.

The excellent health of the inmates during the year is in no small measure due to the vigilance and preventive measures adopted by the medical service. The nursing staff is now complete, two nurses alternate in night and day duty. The hospital building was erected years ago when the institution was comparatively small. It now needs considerable alteration and enlargement to permit of proper segregation. Fortunately the health of the inmates has for some time been such that there has been little need of special isolation and extra medical attention. Within the last two years the population has grown considerably and at any time it may be necessary to segregate groups of patients. The hospital equipment needs to keep pace with the normal growth of the population.

The plans for the better classification and adjustment of the administrative affairs of the three State institutions caring for the feeble-minded depend in large measure upon the early extension of the cottage colonies at Newark. With a waiting list of several hundred by transfer and direct commitment, there is imperative need of the erection of four new dormitories. We also would urge the provision of adequate laundry facilities, a separate building for school and industrial work and a modern hospital building.