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school moneys, and subject to inspection and examination by the school authorities. The remainder, namely, 12,738 attend asylum schools which are privately organized. In addition to the per capita allowances for support and maintenance of the inmates in these institutions $129,477.80 are appropriated from school funds and in certain sections of the State, where no such direct appropriation is made, the teachers are furnished and their salaries paid by the school authorities.

In passing, it may be remarked that even in cases where children's institutions receive special appropriations for educational purposes, it does not necessarily follow in all cases that the local school authorities examine the institution or grade it as an integral part of the public school system; nor does such examination, when conducted, include within its scope the character of the industrial and moral training afforded by the institution apart from school instruction.

In conclusion, it may not be out of place to add that the corps of inspectors in this Department was reduced by one by the last Legislature at a saving of $900. Therefore, the number employed during the last fiscal year will not be increased, should the request for a special school inspector be favorably considered.

A subject which has received special attention during the past year in the inspections of the Department is the degree of compliance with the Public Health Law, chapter 661, Laws of 1893, so far as this statute relates to institutions for orphans, destitute or vagrant children, or juvenile delinquents. A special inquiry has been instituted and is now in progress for the purpose of ascertaining methods of compliance and the results obtained in safeguarding the institutions from the presence of infectious and contagious diseases.

It is hoped that the inquiry may be completed in season to print the results and conclusions as an appended paper to this report.

On June 4, 1901, the Board adopted the following preamble and resolutions:

"Whereas, The records filed with the Board relating to homes for children in receipt of public money, show that 5,000 such inmates or fully 20 per cent. have been retained five years or over in said institutions,

"Resolved, That in accordance with the recommendations of its Eastern and Western inspection district committees this Board direct that a systematic inquiry be instituted through the depart ment of inspection to learn the causes of retention of all inmates who are supported as public charges in homes for children under private control, provided said retention has continued longer than five years.

"Resolved, That this inquiry be conducted in such a manner as to show the age, sex, religion, civil, physical and mental condition of said public charges, the causes for which committed or otherwise received, the authority under which received, the per capita amount received from public sources, and, furthermore, that the effort be made to ascertain whether the acceptance of each such public charge has been renewed annually as provided by the rules of the Board, as well as to obtain any other information on the general subject which may be of service to the Board."

Pursuant to the terms of the resolutions, the Department is now engaged upon a special inquiry relative to long term inmates in children's institutions. Much labor and time are being spent to make the examination thorough and its results trustworthy.

Inspection of Dispensaries.

In accordance with the provisions of chapter 368, Laws of 1899, which took effect October 1st of that year, this Board has issued licenses to 134 dispensaries. Of this number, 10 institutions have since surrendered their licenses and returned them for cancellation. In six other instances, dispensaries have closed, thus leaving 118 institutions which were operating under licensure from this Board at the close of the last fiscal year. No complaints have been received to indicate that any hardship is being suffered by the indigent sick through the reduction in the number of dispensaries. On the contrary, the number remaining seems sufficient, certainly in New York city, to meet the needs of this class of patients. On the whole, it appears that the law is serving its purpose in providing a wholesome check upon indiscrimi nate medical charity. The investigation of doubtful cases, as required by the rules of the Board adopted pursuant to the provisions of the statute, is not as generally observed as it should be. Every effort is being made to secure the coöperation of the institutions on this important point. The printed notices which are required to be posted in waiting rooms and printed upon admission and pass cards are believed to have a deterrent effect upon those who are able to obtain medical and surgical treatment at their own expense.

Department Statistics.

During the last fiscal year, the Eastern inspection district committee held ten meetings, and the Western inspection district committee, nine, for the purpose of considering the reports of inspections and making recommendations to the Board as to the disposition of such reports.

The following table shows the number of general inspections, special inspections, visits to societies, institutions and individuals and the number of examinations and investigations conducted by the Department for the year ending September 30, 1901:

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A general inspection is one which "will secure a thorough inquiry into the operations and conditions of every department of an institution." A special inspection is "a visit to an institution to inquire or examine as to some particular fact or condition." Examinations and investigations pertain to children's records, school work and books of account, or other matters which demand particular inquiry. An examination of this character frequently occupies several days.

Every general inspection is accompanied by a written report describing in detail the conditions found to exist in the course of the visitation and inspection. Where such reports record the presence of abuses, defects or evils in any given institution, copies are furnished to the trustees, directors or managers of such institutions, in accordance with the provisions of section 14, Article I., chapter 546, Laws of 1896, known as the State Charities law, as follows:

"Correction of evils in administration of institutions.-The State Board of Charities shall call the attention of the trustees,

directors or managers of any such institution, society or associa tion, subject to its supervision, to any abuses, defects or evils which may be found therein, and such officers shall take proper action thereon, with a view to correcting the same, in accordance with the advice of such board."

Frequently, where no "abuses, defects or evils" are found in the course of inspection, the reports are furnished to the managers of charitable institutions by way of information and suggestion.

The following tables show the number of reports which have been written during the past year and the disposition made of

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The inspectors of the Department, in the pursuance of their several duties, have traveled 24,044 miles during the past fiscal

year, not including 7,864 miles traveled by the superintendent of inspection.

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