The New England Medical Gazette Vol 25 Classic Reprint

Excerpt from The New England Medical Gazette, Vol. 25 Those recently a licted come generally from their own homes, being conscious that something Strange has occurred within them by which they are changed from their former condition. They have lost their afiection for their relatives; their surroundings no longer have a familiar appearance; they feel themselves so differ ent that in many cases they do not consider themselves any longer the same per sons. Their imagination, founded ou ignorance, leads them to dread an insane hos pital above all places. They need in that condition to be treated in small cottages or small wards, where they will see either none or very few other patients, and their companions should be those who are recovering or who have a mild form of the disease. They certainly should not be grouped in large wards with a mass of incurable patients having fixed delusions, in whose condition they recognize a prophecy of what is awaiting them. To provide such accommodations is better even from a business stand-point, without considering higher motives. Most of the curable cases recover in from three to six months. Suppose, for example, that the longer period of six months be necessary to effect a cure, and let us assume that double the rates are paid for the care of such cases, in order to furnish the best possible conditions; at the end of that period the patient is able to be restored to his home, perhaps to be self-supporting. If, on the other hand, the same person should be thrown among the incurable, disturbed and demented classes, without the helpful in uence of pleasant surroundings and subject to the terrible effect of constant companionship with others in the advanced stages of the same disease, he may pass into a chronic condition, and remain for years a public charge, costing many times over the same sum. The financial showing of a hospital at the present rates is benefited by crowding. To give each patient the proper amount of air space, with single rooms for most of them, and with a proportion of nurses of one to eight or ten patients, requires such an expenditure of money, that 5 a week makes the strain after economy very great upon the officers of the hospital, or makes the administration of the hospital impossible at that cost. When, however, fifteen to twenty-five per cent. More patients are crowded into the building than it has accommodations for, the ex penses are not materially increased, while a large addition is made to the income. The number of cures made by the hospital, and the welfare and contentment of the patients, are known and appreciated only by a limited number; while the finan cial statement can be read at a glance, can be easily published, is appreciated by all, and is a standard basis of successful management. The temptation, therefore, to overcrowd, is present even to those who are acquainted most intimately with the evils of such a condition. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works."