TWENTY-NINTH ANNUAL REPORT To the Legislature of the State of New York: The State Hospital Commission herewith submits its twentyninth annual report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1917, in accordance with the provisions of section 11 of Chapter 27 of the Consolidated Laws, as amended by Chapter 118, Laws of 1916. The following change has taken place in the personnel of the Commission during the period: APPOINTMENT OF DR. PILGRIM AS CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMISSION A vacancy having been caused in the membership of the Commission by the resignation of Dr. James V. May, Governor Whitman appointed Dr. Charles W. Pilgrim, superintendent of the Hudson River State Hospital, medical member and chairman of the Commission on September 12, 1916. Dr. Pilgrim is a native of New York State, having been born in Monroe, Orange county. His early education was obtained from private tutors and by attendance at the Jersey City High School. He was graduated from the course in medicine of New York University, in 1881, and later did two years' post-graduate work in the University of Vienna. His experience in hospital work began in 1881, as house physician in Bellevue Hospital, New York City. The next year he became assistant physician in the Asylum for Insane Criminals, at Auburn, N. Y. Soon afterwards he accepted a position as assistant physician in the Utica State Hospital. Leaving that institution in 1884, he went to Germany, and became volunteer physician in the Frauenklinik, in Munich. From there he went to the University of Vienna. In 1890, Dr. Pilgrim was appointed superintendent of the Willard State Hospital; in 1893, he resigned this position to accept the superintendency of the Hudson River State Hospital. In 1906, Governor Higgins appointed Dr. Pilgrim, President of the State Commission in Lunacy. After one year's service in this position, he resigned to resume his former work at Hudson River State Hospital. Dr. Pilgrim's remarkable success in hospital management and his important contributions to medical periodicals have given him an international reputation. In 1911, he was elected president of the American Medico-Psychological Association. The same year he served as president of the Dutchess County Medical Society. He is a Fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine. His published articles include: "A Study of Suicide;" "Genius and Suicide;" "Medical Work in the State Hospitals; " "A Visit to Gheel; "" Does the Loco Weed Produce Insanity?' "Communicated Insanity;" "Schools for the Insane; " "Suicide and Insanity;""Care and Treatment of Insane in the State of New York;" "Proper Size of Hospitals for the Insane; "The Study of a Year's Statisties," and many others. DEATH OF DR. MABON The State of New York lost one of its most valuable and devoted servants, the dependent insane one of their sturdiest champions and the field of psychiatry in the United States one of its most distinguished representatives through the death on February 9, of Dr. William Mabon, superintendent and medical director of the Manhattan State Hospital. Dr. Mabon began his services on behalf of the insane of New York State at the Utica State Hospital in 1887 when he was arpointed by Superintendent Blumer as one of his assistants. The plan of exclusive State care of the insane was then crystallizing and every member of the Utica State Hospital staff became intensely interested in the outcome of the ensuing struggle. In the American Journal of Insanity, published at the hospital, Dr. Mabon and his associates were provided with a suitable channel for the dissemination of sound, and, as it proved, convincing arguments for the adoption by the State of this most advanced policy, and in season and out of season, the public was bombarded with graphic representations of the horrors of county asylum care. of the hapless fate of the insane confined in county poorhouses and the necessity of immediate centralization of all functions having to do with these dependents. Dr. Mabon showed special aptitude for hospital work and made rapid progress. After passing through the different grades of the Utica State Hospital staff he was, while acting as first assistant, appointed to the superintendency of the Willard State Hospital in 1895, where the high administrative standards established by him led to his transfer in 1896 to the superintendency of the comparatively new institution at Ogdensburg, the St. Lawrence State Hospital. Here Dr. Mabon's active and original mind found full play, and the orderly and beautiful development of this fine institution can safely be credited to him. In 1903 Dr. Mabon was offered and accepted the very difficult position of superintendent of Bellevue and Allied Hospitals in the city of New York. Upon assuming this position he set about bringing order out of the chaos then existing in these institutions. This was, indeed, a man's job, and from the date of his appointment until his resignation in 1904 he labored with tremendous energy; indeed, without his enormous vitality nothing could have been accomplished. In 1904 Dr. Mabon was appointed by Governor Odell as President of the State Commission in Lunacy (now the State Hospital Commission). The experience acquired by Dr. Mabon in the various positions held by him made his services as State Commissioner in Lunacy of exceptional value to the State. He supported with all his energy and influence the development of the scientific branches of the State hospital service and lent a ready hand to all propositions looking to the maintenance of the highest standards. In 1906 he resigned the position of Commissioner and was appointed as superintendent and medical director of the Manhattan State Hospital, the different branches of which had been consolidated. During the past twenty years Dr. Mabon's advice as to changes in hospital policies has been sought by many different Governors and by successive finance committees of the Legislature; and it can safely be stated that he was identified with the enactment of more enlightened legislation for the betterment of the insane than any other man in the State. His forceful manner in addressing meetings, scientific and lay, secured close attention, and while his advanced theories were not at all times accepted by his hearers, his sincerity and earnestness served to rally to his support some of the best men in hospital work. His public papers give evidence of wide knowledge of psychiatry in its latest developments, and of the positiveness that characterized all of his work. Dr. Mabon's personality was most engaging. He was quick in physical and mental action, and his success in life was due to his energy, his optimism, his enduring capacity for work and the quality he possessed of inspiring enthusiasm among his associates and subordinates. His decisions were quickly made and few required revision. During the last 10 years, Dr. Mabon has been active in all fields of labor in connection with the welfare, not only of the insane, but of the feebleminded and other defectives. He has served as consulting physician of the Medical Board for the Department of Atypical Children, Randall's Island, New York City; consulting alienist to the Hospital for Deformities and Joint Diseases; consulting alienist to the Neurological Institute of New York City; professor of mental diseases New York University and Bellevue Hospital Medical College, New York City; and consulting alienist to the Red Cross Hospital, New York City, from 1908 to 1912. He was also a member of the following societies: New York County and New York State Medical Societies; Academy of Medicine, New York City; Medical Association of Greater New York; New York Psychiatrical Society; Ward's Island Psychiatrical Society; American Medico-Psychological Association; National Committee for Mental Hygiene; New York University and Bellevue Hospital College Medical Society; New York Neurological Society. Previous to coming to the service of New York State Dr. Mabon, after graduating from the Bellevue Hospital Medical College in 1881, had served as house physician and surgeon at the Jersey City Hospital for one year, and as assistant physician at the Morris Plains (N. J.) State Hospital for the Insane, from October, 1885, to March, 1887. Dr. Mabon was born in New Brunswick, N. J., in 1860. He is survived by his widow and two daughters. Special services in memory of Dr. Mabon were held at the Quarterly Conference in Albany, February 27, 1917, at which Commissioners Pilgrim and Higgins, Superintendents Wagner, Smith and Hutchings, Drs. Ryon and Evarts, and several members of the boards of managers spoke of their association with Dr. Mabon and of his great service to the State. A memorial pamphlet, containing the tributes given at these services and a review of the public work of Dr. Mabon by Mr. T. E. McGarr, was published as a reprint of the State Hospital Quarterly in May, 1917. APPOINTMENT OF DR. RYON AS SUPERINTENDENT OF HUDSON RIVER STATE HOSPITAL Dr. Walter G. Ryon, medical inspector of the State Hospital Commission, was appointed by the Commission to the superintendency of the Hudson River State Hospital on April 20, 1917, his appointment being confirmed by the Board of Managers of that institution on April 21, 1917. Dr. Ryon was born in Ogdensburg, N. Y., March 23, 1874. His preliminary education was obtained in the public schools of Ogdensburg. He graduated from the Ogdensburg Free Academy in 1892. His medical education was obtained at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York City, the Medical Department of Columbia University, from which he graduated with the degree of Doctor of Medicine in June, 1896. In August, 1896, he was appointed medical interne of the Manhattan State Hospital, Ward's Island, New York City, in which capacity he served until December, 1897, when he was promoted after competitive examination to the position of junior assistant physician and transferred to the Central Islip State Hospital. In January, 1900, he was advanced to the grade of assistant physician and continued in service at the Central Islip State Hospital until October, 1903, when he was transferred in that grade to the St. Lawrence State Hospital at Ogdensburg, N. Y. In April, 1911, he was appointed first assistant physician to the Willard |