IOWA HOSPITAL

MT. PLEASANT, December 3, 1869.

TO HIS EXCELLENCY, SAMUEL MERRILL, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE of Iowa,

SIR: I have the honor of transmitting to your Excellency, on behalf of the Board of Trustees of the Iowa Hospital for the Insane, their Fifth Biennial Report, with the report of the Superintendent, and accompanying documents.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully,

Your obedient servant,

M. L. EDWARDS,

Secretary.

[No. 14.]

TRUSTEES' REPORT.

IOWA HOSPITAL FOR THE INSANE,

MOUNT PLEASANT, Dec. 3, 1869.}

TO HIS EXCELLENCY, SAMUEL MERRILL, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF IOWA.

The Trustees of the Iowa Hospital for the Insane, have the honor of submitting to your excellency, their Fifth Biennial Report, with accompanying documents; in doing which they desire to express their gratitude to the Supreme Being for the general prosperity vouchsafed to the institution under their care, in common with the people of the State and natiou.

Since our last report, made to your predecessor, one of our number, as the board was then constituted-Honorable John R. Needham-has departed this life. In noticing this afflictive dispensation, we desire, in memory of our agreeable association with him, in official and private capacity, to testify our high appreciation of him as a man and a citizen. Promoted by his fellow citizens to high official positions, which he ably and worthily filled, he set an example of integrity and faithfulness to duty, worthy of imitation by all. As a member of this board, he was faithful in his attendance upon its meetings, even under the pressure of severe bodily affliction, and always wise in counsel. We deplore his departure as a public and private loss.

Pursuant to chapter 109, of the Acts of the General Assembly, the board, at their meeting in June following, fixed the compensation of the superintendent and other officers and employees of the hospital, and caused the same to be certified to the auditor of State. Some changes since made have been certified in like

manner.

During the past two years, regular quarterly meetings of the board have been held, at which times they have, in a body, visited and inspected all of the apartments and wards of the hospital, together with its various operative departments. In so doing, we have endeavored to make ourselves as familiar as possible with its actual condition and management, and the necessities and treatment of the patients. Monthly visits of like character, have been made by a committee of the board appointed for the purpose. A record has been constantly kept of all such visitations.

The resident officers of the hospital remain the same as at the date of our last report: Mark Ranney, M. D., superintendent; H. M. Bassett, M. D., first assistant physician; George W. Dudley, M. D., second assistant physician; and Mrs. Martha W. Ranney, matron. Of their ability, devotion, and faithfulness, in the discharge of the duties of their respective positions, we feel that we can speak with the same confidence as heretofore. While it is doubtless impossible to conduct the multifarious and complicated affairs of such an institution for a series of years, and make no mistakes, and do nothing that shall furnish ground of complaint or criticism, we feel that the management of this institution has been such, and is such, that we can commend it to the full confidence of the public, and assure those more particularly interested, that their friends, committed to its care, have been and will be, dealt with, watched over and provided for in accordance with the dictates of enlightened humanity.

For information in detail, touching the management of the institution, the improvements made, its present financial and sanitary condition, and the provisions for its contemplated needs deemed essential, we refer to the able report of Doctor Ranney and the exhibits and documents herewith submitted.

By act of the General Assembly above cited, the sum of $28,450 was appropriated for the purchase of additional lands for the use of the hospital, and for other purposes expressed therein. All of the above amount has been expended excepting $3,578.55, $2,700 of which remain yet undrawn. The amount expended for each particular purpose, is shown by exhibit appended to this report. We regard the purchases and improvements so made as of much value,