SECRETARYSHIP OF THE BOARD.

SECRETARY'S REPORT.

SUPPLEMENTARY.

To the Board of State Charities.

GENTLEMEN:-The retirement of Mr. Sanborn from the Secretaryship of your Board at so late a period in the year, October 31st, necessarily transfers to new hands an important service pertaining to his official term, but contingent in part upon returns not sooner available. Engaged in another sphere of labor assumed several months before, after having so long and with untiring industry and eminent ability discharged his duties in this connection, he had, at the date of his resignation, completed a portion of his Annual Report, leaving the remainder to be finished by his successor. The task, commencing at this stage of the Report, is, of course, undertaken without the aid of information and material within the personal knowledge of your former Secretary, though with the purpose of carrying out, as nearly as possible, the arrangement indicated by himself. To supplement such a Report, under such circumstances, and under the pressure of numerous other engagements crowding upon the hurried hours of a closing year, is a service of unavoidable embarrassment, which, it is hoped, will command lenient consideration in view of any imperfections or omissions that may be discovered in the following pages.

Respectfully submitted by

JULIUS L. CLARKE, Secretary of the Board of State Charities.

BOSTON, November 1, 1868.

PART IV.]

SECRETARY'S REPORT.

SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES.

1. The Lunatic Hospitals.

State Hospital at Worcester.

[CHAP. I.

The pecuniary affairs of the Worcester Hospital, now fully relieved from the embarrassments of former years, exhibit a gratifying and prosperous condition. The year closes with a surplus of resources in favor of the Hospital, amounting to $11,044.13, including a small invested fund of $2,122. This result is due, in part at least, to the inauguration of better management and economy in the prudential affairs of the Institution.

The cost of the support of patients at Worcester, as the Superintendent reports, has been $3.80,* against $4.30 per week for the preceding year-the difference between the actual cost and $3.50 per week, the price paid by the State, being compensated by the higher rate realized from the board of private patients; yet it is manifest that a reduction in price on the part of the former, will hardly be warranted by the present cost of supplies. As at Taunton and Northampton, all the surplus that can be saved from the income from board, or from other sources, will be required for necessary repairs and improvements; and if so used, the State may not be called upon, certainly for the present, for further appropriations, except for the support of its own beneficiaries.

In view of the increasing necessity for enlarged and better accommodations, an important suggestion is submitted by the Trustees. Referring to the fact that this Hospital, establishednearly forty years ago in the suburbs of the quiet town of Worcester, now stands in the midst of a thriving and prosperous city; that it still remains unchanged in its essential features, with only the addition of such improvements as its construction has permitted; and is consequently inadequate to the wants of the present period, they express the belief that at no distant day, it may be thought advisable to relinquish the valuable tract

*The difference between the apparent and the probable average cost, as rendered in Tables VI. and VIII. of this Report, and the cost as here stated, is explained by the deduction of certain bills for clothing and contingent expenses paid, as at other institutions, by friends of the patients, or by towns and by the State.

WORCESTER HOSPITAL.

of land on which it stands, in exchange for a more quiet and less expensive location; and that with the proceeds of such exchange, a new Hospital, suited to the times and to the character of the Commonwealth, may be built without cost to the State. General Results.

These are exhibited for the past year by the following figures:

The foregoing table shows a small increase in the number of admissions during the year, the total being 296. Of that number, 118 were State patients; and of this class, 101 were inmates. of the Hospital at the commencement of the year, 95 remaining at its close; while the average number of the same class for the year, was 95. Of the total average number, (370,) the State patients constituted 32 per cent.; and of the total number of admissions, they were 40 per cent.,-in both cases, a somewhat smaller percentage of State patients than during the previous year.

The income from private boarders at the Worcester Hospital, is still considerably in excess of that from the same source at Taunton, and a little more than at Northampton; that from town patients is less than at Taunton, and considerably larger than at Northampton; while the income from State patients is about half the amount received at Taunton, and a little more than one-third of that received at Northampton.

PART IV.]

SECRETARY'S REPORT.

The Taunton Hospital.

Financial Department.

[CHAP. I.

The report from this Institution indicates continued and gratifying prosperity in its financial affairs; and although important improvements have involved considerable outlay during the year, a material advance has been made in its pecuniary resources. After the payment of all expenses of the year, there will remain a balance of $8,091.98 in favor of the Hospital. The Trustees say, that to continue and complete the alterations now in progress, and which are deemed indispensable, will require all the apparent surplus exhibited by the Treasurer's accounts, while other expenditures will be necessary for general and needed repairs.

As the subject of finance, in connection with the public institutions of the Commonwealth, is every year assuming greater importance, involving, as it does and must continue to do, heavy and increasing drafts upon the State treasury, their financial management becomes a matter of vital interest, not only to those more immediately associated with the institutions themselves, but to the whole people who bear the burden of taxation. Referring to this topic, in connection with the Taunton Hospital, its Superintendent, Dr. Choate, remarks:

"A constant study of true economy in all its departments, and a determination to call for no extra appropriations from our already overburdened treasury, has resulted in placing us in such a position, pecuniarily, that we have been, and expect to be, able from year to year to make such improvements in the buildings and grounds as true wisdom and regard for the best interests of our great charge may dictate. Very few bad debts have been made by the hospital, very few towns or individuals have been dilatory in their payments, and the Commonwealth, with characteristic generosity, even anticipates her indebtedness. To the last mentioned fact alone, of which during the past year we have for the first time received the benefit, must be attributed the very desirable result, new in our history, that we have now a small reserve fund,* invested in government securities, and paying us interest. A certain amount of reserved

*The amount shown by the Treasurer's Report is $10,000.

TAUNTON HOSPITAL.

resources is eminently advantageous, and may, by the occurrence of some accident, or by the necessity of some unexpected repairs, be at any moment called for. That it enables us to purchase to better advantage, no business man will doubt. The price of board paid by the State and towns for the support of their patients remains the same as during the past two years, (three dollars and a half per week,) and is undoubtedly as low as is consistent with proper care and treatment, having been actually below the cost, the difference being made up by the slight excess of price paid by a few private patients."

At the Taunton Hospital, the amount received from the State during the past year, for the support of patients having no known settlement in the Commonwealth, was about forty per cent., that from towns forty-two per cent., and that from individuals eighteen per cent., of the whole income from board.

Of the improvements recently perfected, Dr. Choate says:

"The construction and repair account has been swelled by the alterations, which have given us more spacious and convenient dining-rooms, and have furnished opportunity for separating the convalescent females, and providing them with very comfortable and elegant and homelike accommodations. No doubt can be entertained as to the amount thus used having been judiciously expended. The furniture account for the year is also unusually large, and we commence a new year with better provision in this respect than ever before."

Results of the Year.

These are tabulated from the records of the Institution, as follows:

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