TRUSTEES' REPORT. To the HONORABLE MYRON T. HERRICK, Governor: DEAR SIR: We have the honor to present herewith our report as Board of Trustees, embracing the operations of the Athens State Hospital for the fiscal year ending November 15th, 1904, this being the thirty first annual report of the institution. The reports of the Superintendent and Steward are submitted with ours. There has been during the year a daily average of 1,125 patients, actual residents of the hospital. There have been expended for the maintenance of patients for the past year $107,524.55; based upon the actual number resident makes a per capita cost of $95.57. We have made the usual progress in repairs, improvements, and paving and grading drives. All buildings and machinery are in excellent condition. The legislature appropriated liberally for the wants of the institution and the special appropriations for the erection of a new carpenter shop, upholster shop, tin shop, paint shop, steel smoke stack, addition to electric light plant and for the purchase of land have been expended. . We purchased one hundred acres of rich bottom land from Eber G. Sylvus for $12,500.00. On July 29th contracts were awarded to The Western Electric Company, Chicago, Ill., for addition to the electric light plant for $9,066.00; to George L. Frenzel, Athens, Ohio, for the erection of a carpenter shop, upholster shop, tin shop, and paint shop for $5,368.15; and to Borger Bros. & Company, Columbus, Ohio, for the erection of a steel smoke stack for $4,150.00. These improvements are not quite completed at this time. On July 29th Mr. W. A. Souders resigned his position as Steward of the Athens State Hospital to take effect August 15th. Hon. J. L. Carpenter, of Meigs county, was duly appointed to fill the vacancy. Respectfully submitted, November 17, 1904. VIRGIL C. Lowry, President, W. H. WILLIAMS, J. P. BRADBURY, JOHN KAISER, SUPERINTENDEN'S REPORT. To the Honorable Board of Trustees, Athens State Hospital: GENTLEMEN: - It is my pleasure to present for your consideration my ninth annual report as superintendent, being the thirty-first annual report of the Athens State Hospital. The report of the Steward accompanies mine. At the close of the year ending November 15, 1903, there were on the hospital records 525 men and 543 women, making a total of 1,068 actually in the hospital. During this year there have been admitted 261 men and 221 women, making a total of 482 admissions and a total of 1550 under treatment, of whom 786 were men and 764 were women. The daily average residents of the hospital were 562 men and 563 women, or a total of 1,125. The daily average on record was 579 men and 573 women, making a total of 1,152. The total number discharged and died during the year was 267, of whom 147 were men and 120 were women; 57 men and 45 women were discharged as recovered; 25 men and 19 women were discharged as improved; 6 men and 2 women were discharged as unimproved, and one man as not insane; 58 men and 54 women died. The percentage of recoveries based on admissions is 21.84 for men and 20.36 for women, both 21.16. The percentage of death based on the total number under treatment is 7.38 for men and 7.07 for women, both 723. The several tables herewith appended are furnished for those who may be interested, and we can say this year, as before, that we have practically rejected no cases, many of whom were of extreme age and in a hopeless physical condition when admitted, and to my positive knowledge there are no insane in the infirmaries of this hospital district. I am glad to mention that we have had no unusual accidents and no epidemics during the past year. We have drawn from the State Treasury for current expenses $100,362.24, and for officers' salaries and trustees' expenses $7.901.25, and we had at the beginning of the year $11.75 belonging to current expense fund, and we have at the close of the year $750.69, leaving $107,524.55, the amount expended for the maintenance of 1,125 patients, the actual number resident, or $95.57 per capita. If we add to this $2,088.33, the amount expended for carpets and furniture, the per capita cost would be $97.43. The above does not include money expended (6) for clothing which was furnished by friends and by the counties from which the patients were admitted. After the completion of the new cottages and dining rooms we had remaining in the fund $7,500.00 to be used for furnishing and equipping the same. This, I think, was expended as judiciously as possible as the cottages and dining rooms present a neat and comfortable appearance. These additions to our institution greatly increased our capacity which permitted us to receive into this hospital district, by order of the Governor, Fairfield and Pickaway counties, which were taken from the Columbus district. We received from the Columbus State Hospital 31 men and 26 women from Fairfield county, and 33 men and 31 women from Pickaway county, making a total of 121 patients. We removed from the Fairfield county infirmary 7 men and 6 women, and from the Pickaway county infirmary 7 men and 8 women, making a total of 159 patients. We also received from the Muskingum county infirmary, by request of the Governor, 14 men and 12 women, making an addition to our family of 175 patients from the Columbus district. There was added to our library during this year 250 volumes of current literature. We have also taken the daily papers and many monthly magazines for the use of the institution, beside this, many friends have donated reading matter for the use of the patients. I might mention that the productions of our farm and garden have been abundant in the extreme, and to this, to a great extent, is due our low per capita cost. We were delighted and honored to receive a visit from the Governor on the twentieth of August. His inspection of the institution was thorough, and I am glad to report to you that he offered no criticisms what ever. We were very kindly remembered by the members of the Board of State Charities who have visited us at various times and who have expressed themselves as pleased with the internal affairs of the institution. The improvements and repairs, which are too numerous to mention in detail, have been carried on as usual during the past year. I will mention that we have had no official changes with the exception of Mr. W. A. Souders, who resigned his position as Steward and you selected Hon. J. L. Carpenter, of Meigs county, to fill the vacancy. Mr. Souders was a very affable and courteous gentleman, honest and attentive to business, and certainly his presence has been very much missed at the institution. Thus briefly stated are a few of the facts which go to make up another year's history of the Athens State Hospital. In conclusion I desire to express my gratitude to the employes for their faithful performance of their duties and to the officers for the assistance they have rendered me in the management of the affairs of the hospital. Finally, gentlemen, I desire to thank you for the support you have given me, and close these remarks with the hope that we may enter upon the new year better qualified for our work and with a more earnest desire to comfort and relieve the unfortunate ones who may be committed to our care. Respectfully submitted, E. H. RORICK, Superintendent. November 17, 1904. |