The fire department has been reorganized and now the Colony has a main hose company besides a hook and ladder company, a chemical company, a protective company and three auxiliary hose companies, all of these holding regular monthly drills. The patients are drilled every two weeks for fire fighting in their respective cottages and a modern fire alarm system with eight stations has been installed.

Of the 1,895 acres of excellent land at Craig Colony, there is much which the institution is not in a position to use profitably for agricultural and forestry purposes. The large amount of

free labor which could be utilized to the advantage of the State and the colonists has led the board of managers to call the attention of the State Commissioner of Agriculture to the possibility of making use of the land and free labor to develop an "experimental station" for the benefit of the western part of the State.

Many improvements have been made recently. Besides the usual yearly work done by the plumber, the carpenter, engineer, painter and plumber, much grading and planting have been done, numerous cement walks laid and the sewage disposal system and water main of the women's group improved. Additions to the general equipment include (1) farm and garden utensils; (2) complete breadmaking machinery; (3) an ambulance; (4) vertical filing system for the medical records with card index; (5) the transfer of the medical office and library from the Peterson hospital to the administration building, thus centralizing the executive department.

During the year the following improvements were completed: (1) Two pavilions for contagious diseases; (2) three additional cottages for married employees and one for the Protestant chaplain; (3) an addition to the bakery; (4) resetting of two of the boilers at the Villa Flora and installing of new grates; (5) two new silos; (6) the cemetery changed to a more desirable location. The service building was opened for use January 28, 1909. It contains among other rooms those set apart for school and sewing purposes.

Several other important improvements are under way or planned. These include (1) the construction of a small addition to the laboratory, which will facilitate the holding of autopsies;

(2) a new steam-heating line from the power-house to the different buildings in the industrial group, the hot water heaters now in those buildings to be placed at the Schuyler infirmary and Peterson hospital; (3) telephones to the brick yard, seedhouse and horse barn; (4) two buildings for tubercular patients to be ready early in 1910.

Besides these, there are other changes and improvements which the officers of the institution believe necessary. (1) The House of Six Nations, an old four-story frame building, one of the original structures built by the Shakers a half century ago, has been occupied by some seventy patients since the establishment of the Colony fifteen years ago. This, however, has become so dilapidated, unsanitary and unsafe that it should be replaced by a suitable building which will cost approximately $40,000. (2) The Peterson hospital needs a wing for female patients, as the bed capacity is now entirely inadequate. (3) At present the Colony has no facilities for isolating new comers and thus preventing the introduction of contagious diseases. Two new reception cottages should be built and used for quarantine, and at the same time for observation with a view to planning special courses of treatment. (4) There also seems to be need of an ophthalmologist and a dentist, so that patients needing their attention may not be neglected.

The training school for nurses which has been at work for some time may be discontinued, as it is not registered and cannot be until it is in charge of a competent registered head nurse and maintains a full course of instruction. Such a course is necessary to give to the graduates an opportunity to take the regular State examination. Desirable nurses in training will not continue at this institution if they cannot be registered. In any event, however, it is desirable that a head nurse be in the institution and that the training school be continued to prepare nurses and attendants for their work at the Colony.

Details of the management, the general needs of the Colony and suggestions for improvements and changes are fully incorporated in the board's annual report.

Respectfully submitted,

November 1, 1909.

STEPHEN SMITH, M. D.,

Chairman.

REPORT

OF THE

BOARD OF MANAGERS OF CRAIG COLONY.

SIXTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE BOARD OF MANAGERS OF THE CRAIG COLONY FOR EPILEPTICS.

To the State Board of Charities:

We have the honor to present herewith the Sixteenth Annual Report of the Craig Colony for Epileptics for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1909.

The Board's Membership.

In view of section 51, chapter 149 of the Laws of 1909, the membership of the Board of Managers was reduced, retiring the following: Mr. H. E. Brown, Dr. George E. Gorham, Mr. William P. Biggs and Mr. Stanley Hunting.

Census.

On October 1, 1908, the census was 1,232 - male 667, female 565. There were admitted during the year 286-males 163, females 123. There were discharged, died and transferred 217 — males 137, females 80, making the census, September 30, 1909, 1.301 males 693, females 608. New buildings, now in the course of construction, will increase our capacity for the admission of seventy more patients, and changes in the Administration building and Peterson hospital will increase the capacity of the latter twenty beds for male patients, and when these shall be completed, the demand for admission will be greatly in excess of our ability to receive.

A Jewish Chaplain, Rev. Dr. A. Blum, was appointed during the year, to provide services for 100 Jewish patients residing at the Colony.

General Improvements.

There have been completed during the year, under prior appropriations, two pavilions for contagious diseases, four cottages for employees, addition to bakery, two silos; and there are [211]