is released a corresponding number of beds for new patients. Thomas Indian School... This money is for the construction of a new dormitory building. Bids on this work are scheduled to be received in July, 1927. Newark State School for Mental Defectives... The start of work on this project has been postponed from time to time pending the settlement of the question as to whether this money should be spent at Newark or be devoted to a new institution at Syracuse. I have already presented this matter to you in a preceding part of this communication. Rome State School for Mental Defectives... This money is for a new dormitory building and underground connections. The drawings and specifications have been finished for some time, but the taking of bids has been delayed by reason of the climate in this part of the State. Nothing could be accomplished in the fall. Therefore, bids on this work will be received early in March, 1927. Craig Colony. . . . This money added to previous appropriations for Craig Colony brings the total up to $1,200,000. This will not provide all of the new construction that is urgently needed at Craig Colony, but it goes a long way toward relieving the critical condition existing in that institution in 1923. Bids on the last installment of the work will be received in July, 1927. Letchworth Village... This appropriation together with allotments made in two preceding years gives to Letchworth Village the total amount on new construction allocated to it in the completed program. This money is for additional buildings and underground connections. The drawings and specifications have been finished for several months. The taking of bids was delayed until spring. Bids will be received in March, 1927. Wassaic State School.. This money added to the appropriation of the previous year makes available $3,000,000 for construction. Bids on $ 200,000 900,000 450,000 450,000 1,185,000 2,600,000 all of the work which available funds will pay for will be This is the story up to date of the allotment of 75 per cent of the $50,000,000 bond issue authorized in 1923 for new hospital buildings and for new construction in the charitable institutions. The allotments from the public works bond issue of 1925 so far as they relate to institutions in the Department of Mental Hygiene are set forth in the message as follows: Matteawan State Hospital.. This is for the erection of a new power house to care for the old buildings and the new construction spoken of in another part of this message. The drawings and specifications have been completed and bids are scheduled for receipt early in March of this year. The new power house will be in operation before next winter. Brooklyn State Hospital-Creedmoor Division.... $ 750,000 150,000 For a laundry building. Bids on this work will be received in June, 1927. Harlem Valley State Hospital. 30,000 This money was used to purchase additional farm lands and they are now in use. Brooklyn State Hospital-Creedmoor Division... 250,000 This money was used to purchase additional land. The land has been acquired. Newark State School for Mental Defectives... 15,000 This money was for the purchase of additional land. It has been acquired. Syracuse State School for Mental Defectives... 65,000 This money was for the purchase of additional lands outside the city of Syracuse for farm colony purposes. The land has been acquired. 15,000 Napanoch State Institution.. This money was for the purchase of additional lands. The CONTRACTS AWARDED FOR NEW PSYCHIATRIC INSTITUTE AND HOSPITAL The State Hospital Commission on December 30, 1926, awarded contracts for the construction of the new State Psychiatric Institute and Hospital on a site provided by Columbia University at its new Medical Center at 168th Street and Riverside Drive, New York City. This act was the culmination of the work of several years of hoping and planning on the part of the Commission. The awards were as follows: Construction, Guidone & Bottino, Inc., New York City, $1,291,472; heating, E. Rutzler, New York City, $158,315; sanitary, Patrick F. Kenny Sons, New York City, $139,898; electric, Walter H. Taverner Corporation, New York City, $68,700; elevators, Otis Elevator Company, New York City, $71,485. Plans and specifications for the institution were prepared by State Architect Sullivan W. Jones. The excavation, which was provided for under a separate contract some months ago, has already been completed. The contracts call for the completion of the work by April 1, 1928. Commenting on the significance of the new institution, Commissioner Parsons states: "It marks a new era in the scientific care and treatment of mental disorders and of research into their causes, which it is hoped will eventually result in the prevention of a substantial amount of mental disorder, and cut down the enormous bill which the State pays yearly for the care of the insane." Newspapers throughout the State, in both news and editorial columns, gave generously of their space to announce the award of contracts and to comment on the signficance of this proposed notable addition to the Medical Center of Columbia University. The New York Sun said editorially on January 22: “In this new institution the causes and means of prevention of mental illnesses will be studied and specialists in the treatment of these disorders will be instructed under the most advanced conditions. Children and adults will be treated, and the modern doctrine of prevention will be preached from its class rooms, its wards and its out-patient department. The false notion that an upset mind is more disgraceful than an upset stomach, that jangling nerves should be concealed where a broken arm would be revealed, will be combated with all the authority science supported by common sense and experience can command.” The New York Telegram said editorially: "The Psychiatric Institute is bound to play a considerable part in the promotion of medical studies that are yet only in their infancy." NOTES Dr. Frederick W. Parsons was appointed Commissioner of Mental Hygiene by Governor Smith on January 17, 1927. Dr. Parsons was superintendent of the Buffalo State Hospital from April 1, 1919 to July 1, 1926,when he became chairman of the State Hospital Commission, succeeding Dr. C. Floyd Haviland, resigned. His new appointment is virtually a re-appointment although the powers, duties and responsibilities of the Commissioner of Mental Hygiene are much greater than those of his former position. Dr. Parsons' appointment was confirmed by the Senate on February 2, 1927. Dr. Horatio M. Pollock, director of the Statistical Bureau, Department of Mental Hygiene, has been reappointed chairman of the Committee on Institutional Statistics of the American Statistical Association. The other members of the committe are: Kate H. Claghorn, Edith M. Furbush and Dr. Joseph A. Hill. Dr. Rodney R. Williams, formerly first assistant physician of the Hudson River State Hospital and more recently director of the Memphis Child Guidance Clinic, has accepted the position of psychiatrist at the Children's Village, Dobbs Ferry, New York. He assumed the duties of the new position January 1, 1927. A permanent child guidance clinic has been organized in the city of Cleveland to take place of the demonstration clinic, conducted under the direction of Dr. Lowrey. Dr. H. C. Schumacher becomes director of the new organization. He will be assisted by Dr. E. S. Rademacher, psychiatrist ; Miss Grace O'Brien, psychologist; Miss Frederika Neumann, chief of social service; Miss Mina Sessions, supervisor, and Miss Grace Dicks, social case worker. Mrs. Eleanor C. Slagle, director of occupational therapy, Department of Mental Hygiene, has been given a trip to Europe as a token of affection and esteem by the members of the American Occupational Therapy Association. The gift in the form of an order on Thomas B. Cook & Son amounting to $1,100, was presented to Mrs. Slagle at Christmas time by Mrs. Frederick W. Rockwell of Philadelphia, a member of the Board of Managers of the American Occupational Therapy Association. Mrs. Slagle was one of the organizers of the American Occupational Therapy Association and has served the Association as president for one year and as secretary and treasurer for several years. She will sail for Europe February 23, 1927. JAN.-1996-J The Civil Service Commission has announced unwritten examinations for the following important positions in the new State Department of Mental Hygiene : Assistant Commissioner, Division of Mental Diseases. Salary probably $9,000. Candidates must be well educated physicians, graduates of a satisfactory medical college and must have had at least 10 years' experience in the institutional care and treatment of the insane. Experience in departmental control of hospitals for the insane may be substituted year for year not to exceed one-half of the required experience in institutions. The examination is open to residents and non-residents of New York State who are licensed to practice medicine in New York State or eligible for a license. Assistant Commissioner, Division of Prevention. Salary probably $9,000. Candidates must be well educated physicians, graduates of a satisfactory medical college and must have had 10 years of satisfactory experience in the care and treatment of mental disease and defect of which three years must have been in mental community supervision or mental clinics or both. Examination is open to residents and non-residents of New York State who are licensed to practice medicine in New York State or are eligible for license. Assistant Psychiatrist, Division of Mental Deficiency and Epileptic Diseases. Salary $4,500. Candidates must be graduates of a recognized medical college, must be registered or eligible for registration in New York State, and must have had at least four years of acceptable experience in the practice of medicine subsequent to graduation, including at least one year in psychiatric work in the examination and care of mental defectives or those suffering from mental diseases. Credit will be given for medical work in examining children both from physical and mental standpoint and for attendance at children's clinics. The examination is open to residents and to non-residents of New York State, and also to non-citizens. Applications for these positions must be filed in the office of the State Civil Service Commission by February 19, 1927. No written tests will be required but rating will be made on training, experience and personal qualifications. |