the state responsible for this amount of chronic lunacy, and how many of these poor creatures become chronic lunatics through inability to procure proper treatment in hospital at the right time? It would be useless to speculate upon a question of this kind, but knowing the fact that inadequate hospital accommodation will certainly tend to increase chronic lunacy, and add to the burden of state taxation for their support, the practical question is, what is the duty of the state in relation to the matter of providing for the accommodation of all insane in the future? To this question there would appear to be but one answer.

from the several counties in this hospital district since the institution was opened, it is painfully apparent that there are nearly three hundred insane now in receptacles of some kind, in this district alone. We frequently receive urgent appeals from various quarters, requesting us to admit certain patients-chronic cases-whose violence renders their stay in present quarters dangerous to the inmates, and their almost ceaseless noise producing turbulence and discontent and unhappiness in the other residents.

"In looking over the reports issued by the Board of State Charities and Reform, it will be found that in nearly every county in the state, there are sane, and insane, men, women and children occupying the particular receptacle provided for the unfortunate and indigent population; some in poor-houses, where these iustitutions are established, and where they are not, then they must go to the county jail for safe keeping, receiving such care and treatment as the humanity and knowledge of the keeper may prompt him to provide; at best, we cannot expect that the insane will receive such efficient treatment as the nature of their disease, whether acute or chronic, demands. Humanity requires that ample provision for all the insane be made at once. The state, having assumed the care of its unfortunates, cannot, with propriety, reject or refuse to take care of those who, by reason of continued infirmity, require continuous supervision. It is a cold charity, nowhere commended by religion or reason, which would thrust out a human being as unworthy of further care, because human art or science has failed to lift the burden of disease. Nor can the state, with justice, neglect to provide for the proper care and maintenance of those whom we call chronic. Each property holder is taxed equally for the care of the insane, and the tax payer can, with perfect propriety, demand

that his son or daughter, wife or mother, shall be at least decently cared for, and not compelled to associate with criminals or disreputable persons, because the room they occupy in either of the hospitals is demanded for a more recent case.

"People generally realize that the insane, whether acute or chronic, demand peculiar care and attention-such care and attention as it is not possible for them to receive at home, no matter how willingly their wants might be supplied, or how able the friends. may be to provide for them. In conformity to the dictates of christianity and humanity, the state has commenced to make noble provision for this most unfortunate class of sufferers, but its whole duty will not have been performed until it has provided for them all.

"It has been said that no state or nation has ever been impoverished in its efforts to relieve the distressed within its borders. On the contrary, the country which has made the best provisio for them seems most prosperous. Whether this be arguing from cause to effect, or the reverse, it is not necessary to consider. The question of economy, considered in the abstract, should not enter into consideration; but it can easily be shown that, looking at the subject in this light, it is most economical to make provision for all.

"The American Journal of Insanity for January, 1870, contains a computation bearing directly upon this point. In 1865, it was computed that 1,253 insane persons, then in the jails and poorhouses of New York, would remain insane for eighteen years, the average duration of life of the chronic insane, assuming that the average weekly cost of caring for them would be $1.50 each, the cost for one week would be $1,879.50, or for one year, $97,734.00. For the eighteen years or average life, it would reach the sum of $1,759,212.00. As stated in the first report of this hospital, the cost of caring for a case under treatment for seven months, the average length of time that those who recover require treatment, is $140.00.

"The average cost of keeping the individual chronic insane person for the eighteen years of life would be $1,296.00. Another feature to be considered, since we call attention to the dollars and cents, is the fact that the insane person who recovers becomes a producer and adds to the wealth of the state, while the chronic case remains a burden while life lasts.

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Any attempt to save money by failing to provide for the insane, is indeed poor economy and wonse philanthropy." True economy

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is to be found in providing for all. This statement is not a mere assumption, but is verified by reference to what are known in England as the "Blue Books," where we find that the latest statistics, for the year 1873, show that there had been a diminished proportion of new cases of insanity to the whole population, an increase in the ratio of recoveries, and a less number of deaths than have been heretofore reported. This statement cannot but cheer every one who has the interests of the insane at heart, for if this can be the case in a country where there is a total insane population of 60,296 (this includes the idiotic), or about one insane and idiotic person in every 400 of the entire population, and where, for a number of years past, the most strenuous efforts have been made by the government to provide for the enormous numbers of insane demanding care, how much more comforting it is for our communities, where the ratio of insanity has not yet reached this appalling proportion, and where we are acknowledged, ever. now, to be better provided with means to care for the insane, so far as we have gone, than the older European countries.

"What better or more effectual argument can be used to impel prompt action than this: these are facts that cannot be controverted nor set aside; an absolute certainty presents itself. Ample provision for all the insane is not only the best way because it is humane, but because it is the most economical-the cheapest. Provision of this kind made now will lighten the burden of state taxation procrastination will as certainly add to it.

"This, too, is leaving entirely out of the question the right, for having assumed to provide for one, we cannot stop short of providing for all. As a matter of strict expediency, we are obliged to send away those whose chances of recovery appear to be slight; they must be relegated to the jail, but it is not right to do this, and the tearful pleading of one mother beseeching that her child may not be removed and incarcerated with felons, will refute a whole volume of argument, no matter how speciously worded, as to the expediency of providing for a more recent case.

"In view of the fact that it is right, just, economical and wise to provide for all the insane, the question next arises, how is this best done? What further steps are necessary to secure so desirable an end? It is a fact beyond dispute, that with this hospital finished, and filled to its utmost capacity, and with the State Hospital at Madison completed, there would still be in the state at large at

least three hundred insane unprovided for remaining in jails and poor-houses.

"It is established by statistics gathered from communities where these matters have been carefully studied for many years, that at least one person in every three thousand of the population will become insane during one year. Wisconsin, with a population of 1,054,670, and this rapidly increasing, will have to provide for 351 who will become insane during the year 1875, in addition to those already in the hospital or unprovided for.

"Of those who become insane, if promptly provided with accommodation in hospital, within one month of the date of the attack, we may reasonably hope that 75 per cent. will recover within six months; from six to ten will probably require hospital accommodation for a year or eighteen months, and of the balance, a certain percentage will die, from six to eleven per cent.

"As it will be impossible to receive this number into existing hospitals, if those now in them are retained, what shall be done to accommodate them? Two ways are open, either to build another hospital, or add to those already built."

There are at present about four hundred incurable insane confined in our county jails and poor-houses. Beside these, a large number are in the towns, and still others are kept in private families-a constant menace to friends and the community. It seems to be settled that very soon the state must make some provision for the incurable insane. This unfortunate class cannot be left in our jails and poor-houses. This plan is not only expensive, but is absolutely inhuman. Granting that a step for the better care of the chronic insane must soon be taken, we recommend that the State Prison be removed to some commercial center, for reasons set forth in other portions of this report, and that the present State Prison buildings be remodeled for the accommodation of the chronic and incurable insane. It has been suggested that both the hospitals be enlarged for this purpose. But we believe the state can do better by adopting the plan we suggest and recommend. In many respects the prison buildings and spacious grounds, enclosed by a high wall, are admirably suited for the purposes required. The expense of making the needed changes cannot be great. The quiet and seclusion of the location is also favorable.

CONCLUSION.

In what we have said upon the subject of the prison management, we do not wish to be understood as casting any reflection upon the honesty and integrity of those in charge. The board of directors and resident officers, have labored with unabated zeal to promote the best interests of the state, in their management of the prison. Their responsibilities have been very great, and their work extremely laborious. Your Excellency and the people of the state are to be congratulated upon your selection of directors; and the directors, in turn, upon their admirable choice of warden. Each and all seem to possess peculiar qualifications for the position, they have been asdigned.

THE QUESTION OF SALARIES.

We most heartly endorse the suggestions of the directors, in their report, that the law relating to the management of the prison should be so amended as to allow the board of directors to fix the salaries of the warden and all subordinate officers and employes. The board is much better qualified to determine the value of the services of those it employs than other parties who have no immediate personal supervision. We suggest that the warden's salary should be so limited, as not to exceed $3,000.

A COMPREHENSIVE EXHIBIT OF THE OPERATIONS OF STATE PRISONS OF THE UNITED STATES.

We conclude this report on the state prison, by presenting the full and exceedingly valuable statistics on prison management, etc., of Dr. E. C. Wines, Secretary of the National Prison Reform Congress. We quote from the report of 1874 just published:

13-C. & R.

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