CHARITIES OF THE UNITED STATES. 



139 



STATE HOSPITAL FOR THE INSANE, COLUMBUS, OHIO. 



The deaf and dumb and blind are taken care 

 of at Raleigh, where there are 316 pupils; deaf 

 and dumb, Morganton, 200. 



At the time of the last report the State was 

 caring in their own institutions for insane : At the 

 State Hospital, Raleigh, white, 413; State Hos- 

 pital, Morganton, white, 906; Goldsboro, colored, 

 430; total, 1,749. 



The above returns do not include several hun- 

 dred insane and feeble-minded in county homes. 

 Criminals deemed dangerously insane i. e., per- 

 sons committing or attempting to commit homi- 

 cide, arson, and the like while insane and of 

 previous good character are now taken to spe- 

 cial divisions in the State hospitals, instead of 

 to the Penitentiary, as heretofore. 



It is difficult to arrive at the correct number 

 of persons living upon public alms, as all the 

 counties are not provided with homes for the 

 aged and infirm, some preferring to pay monthly 

 sums to the poor or their friends. But, as far 

 as can be ascertained from the returns made by 

 the county visitors, the number in the homes 

 may be estimated at 1,550; and those provided 

 for wholly or in part outside of the homes, for- 

 merly " poorhouses," may be estimated at 3,625. 



The State provides for 105 Confederate veterans 

 in the Soldiers' Home, and expends over $100,000 

 annually in pensions to her veterans in addition. 



North Dakota. The State appropriations for 

 charitable institutions for fifteen months ending 

 July, 1898, included the following: Deaf and 

 dumb, $19,250, with 50 pupils in one institution; 

 insane, $109,750, with 353 patients in one institu- 

 tion; Soldiers' Home, $12,200, with 29 inmates. 



There is no board of charities and corrections 

 in this State. The buildings occupied by the 

 School for the Deaf and the Hospital for Insane 

 are inadequate in accommodation. Additional 

 appropriations have been asked for. 



Ohio. The poor laws were codified by the 

 Legislature at its last session. As at present 

 arranged, they have met with general approval, 

 and continue to grow in favor. The results, 

 briefly stated, show a better care for the poor, 

 indoor and outdoor, and a large reduction in the 

 amount expended for outdoor relief. Two hun- 

 dred thousand dollars is a conservative estimate 

 of the annual saving under the new system in 

 the State. 



A united effort on the part of the Board of 

 State Charities, infirmary officials, and boards of 

 county visitors will be made to secure adequate 

 and early appropriations for carrying into effect 

 the requirement of the new law relating to the 

 care of the insane and epileptic. On and after 

 June 1, 1900, it becomes unlawful to receive or 

 maintain these people in the county infirmaries. 



The new State Hospital at Massillon was 

 opened for the reception of inmates Sept. 6, 1898, 

 and now has a population of about 400. New 

 cottages are being built, and by the close of the 

 present year (1899) accommodations will be 

 ready for about 800 inmates. 



The Board of State Charities has renewed its 

 recommendation, frequently made heretofore, for 

 some provision for crippled and deformed chil- 

 dren. A census recently taken by the secretary 

 of the board shows a large number of such chil- 

 dren in county homes and infirmaries. A small 

 number of these children have received treatment 

 either in the children's hospitals or in the several 

 homes. The general success attending their treat- 

 ment has been sufficient to demonstrate the wis- 

 dom of providing in some way for the earliest 

 and best treatment possible for this class of de- 

 fectives. 



Another matter that is crowding attention is 

 the total lack of any provision for discharged 

 prisoners. Nothing tangible has been accom- 

 plished up to this time; but a public sentiment 

 is growing and forming on this question, and 

 there are those who are not without hope that 

 something 'will be done for these men in the near 

 future. 



The present condition of the State charitable 

 institutions is highly satisfactory. 



The following statement shows the distribu- 

 tion of destitutes and defectives: 



The poor in poorhouses or county infirmaries 

 (89 in number), 8,933 inmates. 



Destitute children are provided for: In chil- 

 dren's homes (42 homes reporting), 2,017 inmates; 

 Ohio Soldiers' and Sailors' Orphans' Home, 922; 

 House of Refuge, Cincinnati, 445. 



Sick and injured are cared for in the Ohio Sol- 

 diers' and Sailors' Home, 1,202 inmates. 



The blind are kept in the Institution for the 

 Blind, 298 pupils; deaf-mutes in the Institution 

 for the Deaf and Dumb, 470 pupils; feeble-minded 



