There were admitted during the year four hundred and seventy patients, of whom two hundred and fifty-four were males, and two hundred and sixteen were females.

The whole number of patients under treatment in the course of the year, as appears by the table, was eight hundred and seventy-nine, of whom four hundred and fifty-two were males, and four hundred and twenty-seven were females.

The largest number of inmates at any one time during the year was four hundred and sixty-eight and the smallest number was four hundred and eight.

The largest number of males at any one time during the year was two hundred and thirty-four and the smallest number was one hundred and ninety-seven.

The largest number of females at any one time during the year was two hundred and thirty-eight and the smallest number was two hundred and eleven.

The daily average number of patients, inmates of the hospital, was four hundred and thirty-nine.

The number of patients discharged during the year was three hundred and ninety-four, of whom two hundred and ten were males, and one hundred and eighty-four were females. Of the three hundred and ninety-four patients discharged, two hundred and nine,-one hundred and six males, and one hundred and three females,-were recovered. One hundred and seventyseven,-ninety-seven males and eighty females,—were improved in both mental and physical health. And eight,seven males and one female,-were discharged and removed to homes or other institutions without apparent benefit from their residence in the hospital.

There were removed by death in the course of the year, sixty-three patients, of whom forty-one were males, and twenty-two were females.

The average number of inmates exceeded that of the previous year by forty-three.

The number of admissions exceeded that of the previous year by eighty-six; the number of those discharged exceeded that of the previous year by one hundred and seven; and the number of those who died was less by one than that of the previous year. The ratio of recoveries was a fraction more than fifty-three per cent. to the number of those discharged, after deducting the number of those who died.

There were, as usual, several patients in the hospital who had recovered their ordinary health of body and mind, and were awaiting the convenience of friends for their removal. If the number of these were added to the number of those discharged and tabulated, the ratio of recoveries would be somewhat increased. And if twelve cases of recurrent mania be included in the tabular statement, the ratio of recoveries to the number discharged will be increased from fifty-three to a fraction of more than fifty-seven per cent.

If seven patients discharged as improved who are now reported by their friends to be recovered, had been recorded as recovered, the ratio of recoveries to the whole number discharged, would be increased to more than fifty-eight per cent.

Again, if eighty-three patients who were transferred directly to other institutions be deducted from the whole number discharged from the hospital, the ratio of recoveries to the number discharged will be nearly sixty-eight per cent.

Of those discharged as improved, many had so far regained their habits of self-control as to be able to resume their ordinary occupations with comfort to themselves and profit to their friends. Several of those removed by the Board of State Charities to almshouses were quite restored, but had no homes or friends to receive them; and they required some intermediate assistance between the sustaining influence of the hospital and the full freedom and requirements of active life. The hospital supplies this want as far as possible by giving remunerative employment to some and by permitting others to seek employment outside of the hospital while still under its care and control.

Of those discharged not improved, two were old cases of hopeless dementia, two were cases of general paralysis removed by friends to their homes, two were cases of epilepsy of long standing, and two were cases of chronic mania in its usual form.

The rate of mortality was somewhat less than during the previous year, and may be considered moderate, when we remember the condition of many of the patients when admitted.

The table of mortality will show that a large proportion of the deaths occurred to old and feeble persons and those who were suffering from various forms of disease always considered hopeless from the beginning.

No patient has died of any form of acute disease, except of exhaustion from high maniacal excitement.

TABLE NO. 2.

Showing the Admissions and state of the Hospital from October 1, 1870, to September 30, 1871.

Patients in the Hospital, October 1, 1870,
admitted in the course of the year,
remaining in the Hospital, Sept. 30, 1871, .
Of the admissions there were cases of one year or

Of the admissions there were cases of more than one year's duration,

Of the admissions there were cases the duration of whose insanity could not be ascertained,

Patients committed by Courts,

committed by Overseers of the Poor,
on bonds,

committed by Governor's warrant,

committed by the Board of State Charities,
committed by Commissioners of Lunacy, .

Foreigners and those having no settlement in the
State, committed in course of the year,
Foreigners and those having no settlement in the
State, discharged in course of the year,
Foreigners and those having no settlement in the
State, remaining in the Hospital, Sept. 30, 1871, .
Patients in this Hospital previously,

in other Hospitals in this State previously,
in Hospitals of other States previously,

State Paupers remaining in the Hospital at the close of each year, as nearly

The foregoing table shows that three hundred and thirtytwo patients were admitted to the hospital in the course of the year whose insanity had existed one year or less previous to the date of admission. Of this number one hundred and thirteen have actually recovered their usual health and strength of mind, and have been discharged from the hospital and have returned to their homes and friends.

Fifty-one others have been discharged in the various stages of improvement.

Sixty-three others who remain are improving and will probably recover their full health and strength of body and mind.

There were committed by order of the judges of the probate courts of the several counties, three hundred and thirty-three patients; by order of the supreme judicial court, two patients; and by order of the superior court, one.

There were admitted on bonds from the overseers of the poor of various towns in the Commonwealth, twenty-seven patients; and one hundred and seven were placed under treatment by their immediate friends, or voluntarily sought admission by themselves.

Of the four hundred and eight patients who were inmates of the hospital at the beginning of the year, Oct. 1, 1870, thirtyfive had no known settlements in the Commonwealth, and were supported by the charity of the State. Since that time one hundred and seventy-eight State paupers have been committed to the hospital, making the whole number of those supported at the public expense, two hundred and thirteen.

There have been discharged and removed from the hospital, of this number, one hundred and eighty, and four have died; leaving twenty-nine State paupers now in the hospital, the same being a part of our whole family of four hundred and twenty-one patients, inmates of the hospital.

The largest number of State paupers at any one time was fifty-six, and the smallest number was twenty-nine.

The daily average number of State paupers was forty-four. The Board of State Charities have removed to other hospitals and asylums for the insane, seventy-three State paupers in the course of the year. They have also removed to their homes and to localities in other States liable for their support, twenty-six State paupers. And they have found settlements

in several towns of the Commonwealth for seventeen persons, who were committed to the hospital as State paupers, and caused the bills for their support to be transferred from the State account to the account of towns in which they had acquired legal settlements.

It may not be amiss in this connection to state briefly what is the relation the Board of State Charities, by the performance of their official duties, and more particularly by the labors of their general agent, sustain to the State paupers in this hospital.

All State paupers are committed to the hospital by the judges of the probate courts of the counties in which the patients reside at the time when their admission to the hospital is sought. The order of the probate court, commanding the Superintendent to receive and detain the patient, contains a copy of the statement, filed by the applicant in the court, and gives the name, age, nativity, civil condition, occupation, supposed cause of disease, duration of disease, character of disease (whether mild, violent or dangerous, whether homicidal or suicidal, whether paralytic or epileptic); previous existence of insanity in the patient, if any; previous or present insanity in any of the family; whether the patient is temperate or intemperate; whether the patient has been in any lunatic hospital (if so, where, when, and how long).

(If a woman) has she ever borne children, and how long since the birth of the last child. Name and post-office address of nearest relatives and friends, not less than ten in number. What facts show whether the patient has or has not a settlement, and where, if anywhere in this State.

These facts and such others as can be learned from the friends are entered in a book on the arrival of the patient, and are the beginning of a written history concerning the patient at the hospital.

At the close of every week a list of all the patients admitted, discharged, or died within the week, with all the facts is transmitted to the secretary of the Board of State Charities. Another list of all patients supposed to be State paupers, admitted, discharged, or died within the week, is transmitted to the general agent of the Board of State Charities. The following are actual lists thus transmitted, with the exception of names: