of intelligent devotion to his work an asylum equipped with every needful provision, and conducted upon the wisest and most humane methods. Dr. Curwen well says of him: "To talents of a very high order he united unblemished integrity." He was a man of warm and generous feelings, inflexible firmness, and had such grace and serenity as won the confidence and affection of all brought in contact with him.

Not to superintendents alone has all the credit of earnest and successful effort been due. In many instances assistant physicians have served for long periods of years, rendering meritorious services which deserve commemoration in this connection. Dr. William Hamilton served the Staunton Hospital faithfully as assistant physician for more. than thirty years. On account of his extreme modesty and diffidence he was little known outside of the institution. He was a high-toned gentleman, a learned and efficient alienist, devoted to his work, loving his patients and beloved by them. He contributed not a little to the success of this institution.

Dr. Robert T. Baldwin succeeded Dr. Stribbling. He was born in Winchester, Va., elected superintendent September 24, 1874, and died in Staunton November 14, 1879. He was a faithful and conscientious public officer, a man of decided character, charitabie, with much warmth of friendship, and complete unselfishness.

Dr. A M. Fauntleroy succeeded Dr. Baldwin. He was born in Warrenton, Va., July 8, 1837; was a graduate of the Virginia Military Institute, an alumnus of the University of Virginia and the University of Pennsylvania; assistant surgeon in United States Army, 1860, and surgeon C. S. A., and President of the Board of Directors of the Western State Hospital. He entered upon his duties as superintendent of the Western State Hospital, January, 1880, and continued as such until 1882, when he was succeeded by Dr. R. S. Hamilton, who served two years, when Dr. Fauntleroy was re-elected, and served his second term of two years. Dr. Fauntleroy was an able and efficient superintendent, much beloved by all. He was a very

capable surgeon, and before becoming superintendent was regarded as one of the ablest physicians and surgeons in Virginia. Dr. Conrad followed him. Dr. Conrad was sup

erintendent for three years, and very attentive to his duties. Dr. Conrad was succeeded by Dr. Benjamin Blackford, of Lynchburg, Va., on the 22nd of April, 1889. The capacity of the institution has been increased to eight hundred and fifty-seven beds. The grounds have been beautified, and the needful requisites for a well-kept hospital have been provided.

CENTRAL STATE HOSPITAL, PETERSBURG.

Until December 17, 1869, the colored insane were cared for in the Eastern Lunatic Asylum at Williamsburg. The law provided that "no insane slave should be received or retained in either asylum so as to exclude any white person residing in the State." On the above named date (Dec. 17, 1869) at the suggestion of Dr. Stribbling, and by order of Major-General Canby, military. commander, an asylum for the colored insane of the State was established near Richmond. Dr. J. J. DeLameter was appointed superintendent and physician. When the State was re-admitted into the Union the governor re-appointed Dr. DeLameter, who continued in office until July, 1870.

On the opening of this hospital there were seventytwo patients transferred from the Williamsburg Asylum. This hospital was known as the Howard's Grove Hospital. June 7, 1870, the General Assembly of Virginia passed an act authorizing the establishment of the Central Lunatic Asylum near the city of Richmond for the reception and treatment of colored persons of unsound mind, the expenses of said asylum to be provided for and paid in the same manner as in similar institutions in the State. The Board of Directors of this new asylum held their first meeting on June 15, 1870, and elected Dr. Daniel B. Conrad, of Winchester, Va., superintendent. Dr. Conrad took charge of the institution July 1, 1870, and remained in charge until September 3, 1873. Dr. Conrad in 1886 was appointed superintendent of the Western Lunatic Asylum at Staunton, and remained in charge of that institution for three years.

Superintendent Conrad in his first annual report urgently recommended the appointment of a committee of the legislature to examine into and report regarding a site and the erection of an asylum for the colored insane of the state. At that time the asylum was located temporarily at Howard's Grove, near Richmond, and the buildings were all of wood, with only fifteen acres of land attached. This property was leased for a term of years by the state. By several enactments of the legislature, a permanent institution for the colored insane of Virginia was finally located at Petersburg, and opened for the reception of patients in April, 1885. At that time there were four hundred insane negroes in the state, all of whom were provided for in this institution.

Dr. Randolph Barksdale, upon the resignation of Dr. Conrad, September 3, 1873, was elected superintendent, which position he held until March 9, 1892. At that time the Readjuster and Republican parties got charge of the state government, and forthwith proceeded to turn out all asylum officers who were not of their political faith.

Dr. David F. May, a prominent Republican politician, was appointed superintendent in Dr. Barksdale's stead, and held the position until April 15, 1884, when Dr. Barksdale was recalled. In the meantime Dr. Barksdale was assistant physician under Dr. Gundry at the insane asylum, Catonsville, Md. After twenty-one years of faithful and efficient service as superintendent, Dr. Barksdale's health failing, he resigned in October, 1896, but was persuaded to remain as consulting physician. Dr. Wiiliam Francis Drewry, who had served awhile as second assistant, and for nine years as first assistant physician, was unanimously promoted by the Board of Directors to the superintendency to fill the unexpired term of Dr. Barksdale.

The Central State Hospital is beautifully located on a hill three miles from Petersburg, and consists of a large center building on the Kirkbride plan, and two separate buildings, one for epileptic patients. There are now in the institution eight hundred and forty patients. The institution has an abundant supply of pure water, and is lighted

with gas from its own plant. The farm attached consists of three hundred acres. All the colored insane of the state are well cared for in this hospital. The annual appropriations of the legislature amply provide for the proper maintenance of the institution.

At the centennial ceremonies of the Williamsburg Asylum in 1873, Governor Walker called attention to the fact that Virginia in her deep poverty had established the first asylum for the poor colored man ever organized.

SOUTHWESTERN STATE HOSPITAL, MARION, VA.

The large section of Southwestern Virginia was remote from the asylum at Williamsburg, and from the one at Staunton, and a hospital to be located in this section was. first incorporated November 29, 1884, under the name of Southwestern Lunatic Asylum. Several counties in Southwest Virginia offered sites, and competed for the location, but the present site in Smith county was selected on account of its commanding and elevated position, and on account of the abundant supply of almost pure free-stone water which would flow by force of gravity all through the buildings from a spring two and a half miles up in the mountains-with an estimated capacity of three million gallons of water daily. The liberal people of Smith county also offered to furnish 208 acres of excellent land to the state free of cost should the asylum be located there. 1887 a hospital with capacity for two hundred and seventyfive patients was completed at a cost of $160,000 for buildings and furnishing. It is beautifully located 2,250 feet above the level of the sea. The outside limit of accommodation was soon reached, and additional room was provided from time to time until at the close of the fiscal year 1896 the number of patients was three hundred and twentysix. Dr. Harvey Black was elected superintendent in March, 1887. The first patients were admitted May 17, 1887. Dr. Black died October 19, 1888, and was succeeded by Dr. R. J. Preston, who is still in charge. The institution is well equipped for its work and all the modern methods for the care of the insane are used. There are regular religious

In

services, amusements and employment provided for the patients.

DR. RICHARD S. STEUART, AND THE MARYLAND HOSPITAL FOR THE INSANE.

legislature of 1827-28, Dr. active practice of his prointerested in the cause of

During the session of the Richard S. Steuart (then in the fession in Baltimore, and deeply the insane) obtained with the aid of his friends, the passage of the law which established the "Maryland Hospital for the Insane." Prior to this period, the Maryland Hospital, established in 1797, had been a general hospital, including the sick as well as the insane, and had been leased by the state to Dr. John McKenzie and others who carried it on as a private enterprise, and under contract with the United States government received sailors of the navy and general marine. At the first meeting in April, 1828, of the Board of Visitors, consisting of members from Baltimore and the various counties of the state named in the act dedicating the hospital entirely to the treatment of the insane, Dr. Richard S. Steuart was elected president of the board and medical superintendent of the hospital. His early experiences in this capacity were most interesting, and if they had been written up would be equal to the famous stories in Warren's "Dairy of a Late Physician." He found insane men and women chained to the floor and resting only upon filthy straw, who had not been out of their cells for years. This condition he immediately undertook to reform, and striking off the chains from the limbs of these wretched creatures, he inaugurated a more humane treatment, which was the beginning of a new era in the care of the insane in Maryland. He obtained the services of the Sisters of Charity, and appointed as his assistant and resident physician the late Dr. William Fisher. Dr. Fisher was succeeded in 1838 by Dr. William H. Stokes, afterwards and for so many years the medical superintendent of the Mount Hope Retreat for the insane. During the first ten years of the service, finding the buildings too small, and illy adapted for the treatment of the insane, Dr. Steuart again applied to the legislature for the means to