TABLE B-New cases of communicable disease occurring among employees in the State hospitals during the year ending 1ABLE B.-New cases of communicable disease occurring among employees in the State hospitals during the year ending June 30, 1917-(concluded) REJECTION OF SUPPLIES The accompanying table shows the quantities of the principal supplies rejected at the several State hospitals during the year. The scarcity of some commodities and the consequent rapid rise in prices have been factors in causing an increase in unsatisfactory deliveries to the hospitals. While the Commission, the Purchasing Committee and the hospitals endeavor to meet market conditions when making specifications, they insist that the goods delivered shall conform to the specifications named in the contract. A comparison of quantities of principal supplies rejected in 1917, 1916 and 1915 is given herewith in tabular form. Comparisons of principal supplies rejected at the State hospitals in 1917, 1916 Principal supplies rejected at the several State hospitals, year ending June 30, 1917 STATE HOSPITAL T SPECIAL REPORT ON OVERCROWDING The following report was submitted to the Legislature by the State Hospital Commission on January 10, 1917: The State Hospital Commission hereby respectfully reports to your honorable body on the needs for additional accommodations for the insane, in accordance with the mandatory provisions of section 17 of the Insanity Law, which reads in part as follows: 66 "§ 17. Commission to provide for the prospective wants of the insane.—The Commission shall provide sufficient accommodations for the prospective wants of the poor and indigent insane of the state. To prevent overcrowding in the state hospitals, it shall recommend to the legislature the establishment of other state hospitals, in such parts of the state as in its judgment will best meet the requirements of such insane. It shall also furnish to the legislature in each year, an estimate of the probable number of patients who will become inmates of the respective state hospitals during the year beginning July first next ensuing, and the cost of all the additional buildings and equipments, if any, which will be required to carry out the provisions of this chapter relating to the care, custody and treatment of the poor and indigent insane of the state." On January 1, 1917, conditions in the thirteen State hospitals for the insane with respect to certified capacity and patient population were as follows: Number of patients in civil State hospitals excluding paroles 33,988 Number of patients on parole from civil State hospitals, 1,625 35,613 Capacity of civil State hospitals. 27.890 excluding paroles Number of patients in hospitals in excess of capacity, Percentage of overcrowding The up-State hospitals are overcrowded from 8 to 25 per cent, while the metropolitan hospitals as a whole are overcrowded 29.1 6,098 21.9 |