Public Document No. 84 TENTH ANNUAL REPORT TRUSTEES Boston State Hospital (FORMERLY THE BOSTON LUNATIC HOSPITAL, OPENED IN 1839) For the Year ending November 30, 1918 BOSTON WRIGHT & POTTER PRINTING CO., STATE PRINTERS 32 DERNE STREET 1919 Publication of this Document approved by the Supervisor of Administration. CONTENTS. Report of Trustees, 7 Report of Superintendent, 11 Report of Director of Psychopathic Department, 60 Report of Treasurer, 97 Statistics, 105 . BOSTON STATE HOSPITAL. BOARD OF TRUSTEES. Henry Lefavour, Chairman, Boston. Mrs. Katherine G. Devine, Secretary, Boston. Mrs. Helen B. Hopkins, Boston. John A. Kiggen, Hyde Park. William F. Whittemore, Boston. Hyman B. Swig, D.M.D., . Roxhtjry. Charles B. Frothingham, M.D., Lynn. CONSULTING PHYSICIANS. John L. Ames, M.D., . Physician. William E. Preble, M.D., Physician. Surgeon. John Bapst Blake, M.D., . Fred B. Lund, M.D., . Surgeon. Irving J. Walker, M.D., Surgeon. John Jenks Thomas, M.D., Neurologist. Ophthalmologist Robert G. Loring, M.D., . Laryngologist. Harris P. Mosher, M.D., . Malcolm Storer, M.D., Gynecologist. Dermatologist. Charles J. White, M.D., . OFFICERS OF THE HOSPITAL. James V. May, M.D., Superintendent. Hospital. Ermy C. Noble, M.D., Assistant Superintendent. Mary E. Gill Noble, M.D. Senior Assistant Physician. Edmund M. Pease, M.D., . Senior Assistant Physician. Dora W. Faxon, M.D., Senior Assistant Physician. S. Finley Gordon, M.D., Assistant Physician. Roderick B. Dexter, M.D., Assistant Physician. Florence H. Abbot, M.D., Assistant Physician. Oscar J. Raeder, M.D., Pathologist. Arthur E. Gilman, Steward. Fred L. Brown, Treasurer. BOSTON STATE HOSPITAL. [Dec. 1918. Psychopathic Department. Elmer E. Southard, M.D., Director. Arthur P. Noyes, M.D., Chief Executive Officer. Lawson G. Lowrey, M.D., . Chief Medical Officer. Clifford G. Rounsefell, M.D., Executive Officer. John H. Travis, M.D., * Assistant Medical Officer. Esther S. B. Woodward, M.D., Assistant. Medical Officer. Richard H. Price, M.D., . Assistant Medical Officer. Karl A. Menninger, M.D., Assistant Medical Officer. Annette McIntire, M.D., . Assistant Medical Officer. Edwin R. Smith, M.D., Assistant Medical Officer. A. T. Mathers, M.D., Medical Interne. Lilla Ridout, M.D., . Medical Interne. Abraham Myerson, M.D., . Chief Medical Officer, Out- patient Department. Charles B. Sullivan, M.D., Assistant Medical Officer, Out-patient Department. Miner H. Evans, M.D., Assistant Medical Officer, Out-patient Department. Josephine C. Foster, Ph.D., Chief Psychologist. Frances A. Bean, Assistant Psychologist. Mary C. Jarrett, Chief of Social Service. Helen L. Myrick, Head Social Worker. 1 On leave of absence. Stye ^ommcntoealtl) oi iVLazzattymtte. TRUSTEES' REPORT. To His Excellency the Governor and the Honorable Council. The trustees of the Boston State Hospital have the honor to submit herewith their tenth annual report. Personnel of the Board. membership in the Board left vacant by the death of The N Mr. Lehman Pickert was filled by the appointment of Dr. Hyman B. Swig of Boston. Dr. Charles B. Frothingham of Lynn was appointed to succeed Dr. John F. Fennessey, who resigned to enter the Medical Corps of the army. Mrs. Katherine G. Devine has been chosen as secretary of the Board. The trustees have held twelve regular and two special meetings during the year. Persons under the Care of the Trustees. At the beginning of the statistical year there were 1,465 patients in the main hospital, 95 in the psychopathic depart- ment and 11 boarded with private families, a total of 1,795 persons under the care of this Board, of whom.^224 were on visit or escape. At the close of the year the total number was 1,919, of whom 1,566 were in the main hospital, 89 in the psychopathic department, 8 in private care, and 256 on visit or escape. The total number of patients received in the wards of the psychopathic department during the year was 1,945, while 2,543 persons came to the out-patient department for advice and treatment. Construction and Improvements. The General Court in 1918 appropriated— $397,500 for the following additions and improvements : For a male infirmary for 324 patients and 30 nurses, . $385,000 For a boiler and blower, 11,000 For window bars, 1,500 8 BOSTON STATE HOSPITAL. [Dec. The boiler and blower have been installed, the window bars for the psychopathic department have been contracted for, and the foundations laid for the new building. During the year the nurses' home in the West Group, pre- viously authorized, has been completed, and various improve- ments and renovations in the older buildings have been under- taken. Improvements recommended. For the coming year the following requests for special appro- priations have been recommended to the Commission on Mental Diseases: — Kitchen and dining-room building, West Group, $116,000 Kitchen and dining-room building, East Group, 116,000 Nurses' home, East Group, 84,000 Superintendent's house, 20,000 The facilities for preparing and distributing food were in- adequate end unsatisfactory when the Commonwealth took over the institution in 1908, and there has been little advance made, notwithstanding the large growth of the institution. The kitchens are poorly lighted and ventilated, and are crowded with old equipment. Food must be taken to a great many small dining rooms, losing thereby in its attractiveness, and the small dining rooms occupy valuable space and require an excessive number of attendants. To provide even for the pres- ent needs, as well as for the prospective requirements, a new kitchen and dining-room building in each group is very much needed. A nurses' home in the East Group, corresponding to the one just completed in the West Group, would enable us to furnish suitable quarters for the nurses, — an inducement that has become a necessity if we are to secure their services, — and needed space for patients would thereby become available. As the hospital has no residence for a superintendent, the need of such a house is obvious. The Board has further recommended to the Commission on Mental Diseases that legislation be asked for, if necessary, to provide for the enclosure of the Canterbury branch of Stony Brook where it crosses the land of the hospital. Serious over- flows from the open trench have several times occurred, en- dangering the steam connections and the operation of the 1918. PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 84. 9 power plant. Frequent cleaning of the trench will be necessary if it remains open, as sediment is being constantly brought down from the upper part of the branch, which is enclosed and used as a surface drain for the streets. Not only is this re- moval of sediment very expensive, but if the watercourse could be enclosed it would render available a large tract of land suitable for building purposes. The Board also recommends that the Commonwealth ac- quire the parcel of land now owned by the Forest Hills Ceme- tery Association on the southeasterly side of Canterbury Street. This land with its small buildings would be of great service to the hospital, and by acquiring it the hospital property would not abut on any private land but would be bounded by four streets. Estimates for Maintenance. The following are the estimates of the sum needed for main- tenance for the ensuing year, based upon— the data furnished bv the Commission on Mental Diseases : Salaries and wages, . 10 BOSTON STATE HOSPITAL. [Dec. appointing Dr. Arthur P. Noyes chief executive officer and Dr. Lawson G. Lowrey chief medical officer, both of whom are responsible to the superintendent in matters connected with the management of the department. The director of the psychopathic department, Dr. E. E. Southard, was granted leave of absence in September so that he might enter upon his duties in the Chemical Warfare Service, in which he re- ceived a commission as major. The signing of the armistice will fortunately permit his early return to the service of the Commonweal th The scarcity of all forms of assistance during the year in the medical and nursing, as well as the industrial and mechanical, services, has rendered the task of administering the institution one of great and perplexing difficulties, involving the comfort, welfare and even safety of the patients. The trustees desire to record their grateful appreciation of the efforts of all the officers in cheerfully adapting themselves to these trying con- ditions. The administrative and financial details of the year are shown in the accompanying reports of the superintendent and treas- urer. HENRY LEFAVOUR. KATHERINE G. DEVINE. HELEN B. HOPKINS. JOHN A. KIGGEN. WILLIAM F. WHITTEMORE. HYMAN B. SWIG. CHARLES B. FROTHINGHAM. Nov. 30, 1918. 1918.1 PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 84. 11 REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT. To the Board of Trustees of the Boston State Hospital. In accordance with the provisions of the statutes, I am sub- mitting for your consideration the tenth annual report of the superintendent for the statistical year ending Sept. 30, 1918, and the fiscal year ending Nov. 30, 1918. The present superintendent assumed charge of the institution on Dec. 1, 1917, succeeding Dr. Henry P. Frost, who died on May 23, 1917, after a prolonged illness. Dr. Frost served as superintendent of the hospital from April 15, 1910, until the time of his death, — an important period in the history of the institution. During his administration the psychopathic de- partment on Fenwood Road was established and opened on June 24, 1912. The infirmary building in the West Group was open for patients during the same year. The new central power plant, laundry building, storehouse and reception building were added to the East Group. A cottage for male attendants, two cottages for working patients, the congregate dining room and Buildings G and H were completed in the West Group.