State Epileptic Colony. T. B. BASS, M. D., SUPERINTENDENT. The State Epileptic Colony is situated on a tract of 643 acres of fine farm land, about three miles southeast of the city of Abilene, in Taylor County. The institutional arrangement of the splendid red brick buildings on a large campus, well set with growing shade trees, is beautiful and impressive. Number of patients treated during the fiscal year ending August 31, 1920: State Epileptic Colony. REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT. ABILENE, TEXAS, September 1, 1920. The State Board of Control, Austin, Texas. GENTLEMEN : I have the honor to submit herewith my report as Superintendent of the State Epileptic Colony for the fiscal year ending August 31, 1920. Complying with your instructions, I will make the report as short as possible to give the operations of .the Institution. The attached financial statement shows the amount of each appropriation and the amount expended therefrom. Have endeavored to make every dollar go as far as possible, and was very sorry to have to ask for an emergency appropriation of $25,000 for support and maintenance, and $2500 for dry goods and clothing. Am glad, however, that we were able to get by with this amount, without having to ask for a deficiency. The per capita cost is much higher than usual. Most of the salaries were increased by the last Legislature, which, together with the general advance in the prices of all commodities, is responsible for the increase in per capita cost. LAUNDRY BURNED. On the 6th of last April, about 6:30 p. m., the laundry was discovered to be on fire, and the whole rear end of the building was ablaze when discovered; the whole building was so filled with fire and smoke that it was impossible to use the extinguishers that were on the inside of the building. The mains on the outside were so far away that we did not have sufficient hose to do any good. The Abilene Fire Department came out, but could do nothing. My main object was to keep the patients out of the burning building. The building and contents were a complete loss, but no one was injured. The fire originated in the soiled clothes, which had been brought in about an hour before the fire was discovered; the fire was probably in the clothing when brought in. I am not sure whether it was incendiary or not. We had another small fire in the kitchen of one of the cottages; the box used for fuel for the kitchen stove caught fire from a pan of hot ashes. No damage was done, except one window burned out. No one was hurt. We asked for and obtained an appropriation of $50,000 to rebuild. and equip the laundry. The contract was awarded to J. F. Johnson of Austin, and the building is under construction and the machinery purchased from American Laundry Machinery Company. We hope, in a short time, to have the building completed and machinery installed. When the laundry burned we had two old boilers which had been discarded and stored in the barn. Mr. Hopkins, our engineer, rigged these up in the machine shop and one of the burned extractors was re paired, and by drying the clothes in the sun, have been able to get along with the washing pretty well. One of the dining rooms was equipped with ironing boards and electric irons, and the American Laundry Machinery Company loaned us a body press for flat work, so, during the good weather, we have gotten along very well. HEALTH AND TREATMENT. In June, last, I attended the meeting of the Medico-Psychological Association at Cleveland, Ohio. The death list is very much smaller than last year. We had some cases of influenza, but not an epidemic as last year. We had one case of poisoning from castor beans; two were found dead in bed, both probably dying from epileptic convulsions. Inquest was held in both cases, and the verdict was that death was from natural causes. TREATMENT. We have placed quite a number of our patients on the Luminol treatment, and am glad to report that it seems to have some real virtue as a therapeutic measure in the treatment of epilepsy. I am not prepared at this time to go into a thorough discussion of its action, but will continue its use in connection with our other measures, and hope to get better results than have been heretofore attained. THE LABOR QUESTION. It would be useless for me to go into a discussion of the labor question, but will say that the general unrest of the country, and special prosperity on account of the large cotton crop and oil operations in this immediate vicinity, has made it impossible to properly man this Institution. I have used the junk fund to reward the employes who have stayed with us, and with your permission will use it the same way this year. EMPLOYMENT OF PATIENTS. Our patients have done less work on the farm and grounds than usual, from the fact that we have not had the employes to direct them. Had it not been for some of the faithful patients we could not have gotten along as well as we have. Systematized work is one of the best things for epileptics. ESTIMATES FOR SALARIES. In making the estimates for salaries of employes, I have not placed them as high as other institutions are paying at present, but with your permission to use the junk fund as I am doing at present, and an adequate building for employes' quarters, I think we can make it alright on this basis. Thanking each member of your Board for the kind consideration. given to me and to the needs of the Institution, and with best wishes, I remain, Very sincerely yours, T. B. BASS, |