of Governor Herbert. R. O'Conor 251

care for these unfortunates involves large sums of money. On my recommen-
dation to provide for this care, the 1939 Legislature appropriated $1, 463, 000
for construction at the four hospitals for the mentally ill and the school for
the feeble-minded. This was an increase of $813, 000 over the amount approp-
riated for this purpose by the 1937 Legislature during the previous adminis-
tration.

The maintenance budgets to these institutions were also increased from
$1, 900, 838 to $1, 939, 895 in 1940, or $39, 057 and to $1, 991, 842 in 1941, or a
total increase of $91, 004. These appropriations for construction and addi-
tional maintenance provided 300 additional beds for white patients, 200
additional beds for colored patients, and 100 additional beds for the feeble-
minded. In addition to this hospital construction, funds were provided for
necessary heat, light, water and sewerage services, of which the institutions
were sorely in need, and without an extension of which it would have been,
impossible to care fore the additional patients. At the Spring Grove and
. Crownsville State Hospitals, new units have been started which are the first
steps in a planned and orderly development of these institutions to meet future
needs.

We feel that a step forward has been accomplished in the treatment of
mentally ill patients by making available funds to board in private homes
certain patients who can be released from the hospitals. These hospitals have
been operated economically, but the standard of medical and nursing care is
uniformly good. The latest discoveries in the treatment of mental diseases are
being used when experience has demonstrated their value. Generally speaking,
the salaries paid employees in these institutions are not too high, and some
turnover in employment has resulted. With the Salary Standards Board, I
am making a study of this situation with the view to determining what adjust-
ments are or may be necessary.

The hospitals for the care of those suffering from tuberculosis are, as
you know, in charge of Dr. Victor F. Cullen, one of the ablest administrators
in the entire Country. Dr. Cullen has achieved the very difficult result of
economical administration and excellent care for the patients. On my recom-
mendation, the 1931 Legislature appropriated $15, 000 for the construction and
equipment of a surgical unit at the Mt. Wilson Sanatorium. Twenty-six beds
were provided for in this project, which will enable the latest surgical pro-
cedures to be administered to those patients who will benefit from this form
of treatment. The results indicate that more prompt recoveries can be effected
by the use of lung surgery in these cases.

The accepted standard for adequate hospital care is based on the avail-
ability of one bed for every death from tuberculosis occurring in the State.
On this basis, we have now a complete hospitalization program for white
patients. Formerly, the situation was not so favorable with respect to the
colored population. We lacked sufficient hospital beds. Fortunately the 1939
Legislature appropriated money for the construction of an additional hospital
with a capacity of 100 beds at Henryton. Facilities at this institution will
then permit care of 546 patients and will give for the State as a whole one
bed for each death from tuberculosis in the colored population. It can properly
be stated that with this construction the building program for the care of
the tuberculars is completed.